TEACHINGS ON HUMILITY

7 He told a parableae to those who were invited, when he noticed how they would choose the best placesaf for themselves: 8 “When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, don’t sit in the place of honor, because a more distinguished personag than you may have been invited by your host. 9 The one who invited both of you may come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this man,’ and then in humiliation, you will proceed to take the lowest place.

10 “But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when the one who invited you comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ You will then be honoredah in the presence of all the other guests.ai 11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”aj

12 He also said to the one who had invited him, “When you give a lunch or a dinner, don’t invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors, because they might invite you back, and you would be repaid. 13 On the contrary, when you host a banquet,ak invite those who are poor, maimed, lame, or blind.al 14 And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you will be repaidam at the resurrection of the righteous.”an

THE PARABLE OF THE LARGE BANQUET

15 Whenao one of those who reclined at the table with him heard these things, he said to him, “Blessed is the one who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!”a

16 Then he told him, “A man was giving a large banquet and invited many. 17 At the time of the banquet, he sent his servant to tell those who were invited, ‘Come, because everything is now ready.’