The Parable of the Banquet

(Luke 14:15–24)

22 [Once] again, Jesus spoke to them in parables 2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. 3 He sent his servants to call those he had invited to the banquet, but they refused to come.

4 Again, he sent other servants [and] said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner. My oxen and fattened cattle have been killed, and everything [is] ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’

5 But they paid no attention [and] went away, one to his field, another to his business. 6 The rest seized his servants, mistreated [them], and killed [them].

7 The king was enraged, and he sent his troops to destroy those murderers and burn their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited were not worthy. 9 Go therefore to the crossroads and invite to the banquet as many as you can find.’

10 So the servants went out into the streets [and] gathered everyone they could find, both evil and good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

11 But when the king came in to see the guests, he spotted a man [who was] not dressed in wedding clothes.

12 ‘Friend,’ he asked ‘how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ But [the man] was speechless.

13 Then the king told the servants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, [and] throw him into the outer darkness, [where] there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

14 For many are called, but few [are] chosen.”