The Parable of the Banquet

(Matthew 22:1–14)

15 When one of those reclining with Him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is everyone who will eat at the feast [fn] in the kingdom of God.”

16 But Jesus replied, “A certain man prepared a great banquet and invited many guests. 17 When it was time for the banquet, he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’

18 But one after another they all began to make excuses. The first one said, ‘I have bought a field, and I need to go see it. Please excuse me.’

19 Another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out. Please excuse me.’

20 Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, so I cannot come.’

21 The servant returned and reported all this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the city, and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’

22 ‘Sir,’ the servant replied, ‘what you ordered has been done, and there is still room.’

23 So the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. 24 For I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will taste my banquet.’ ”