Luke 14:16
New International Version
Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests.

New Living Translation
Jesus replied with this story: “A man prepared a great feast and sent out many invitations.

English Standard Version
But he said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many.

Berean Standard Bible
But Jesus replied, “A certain man prepared a great banquet and invited many guests.

Berean Literal Bible
But He said to him, "A certain man was preparing a great supper, and invited many.

King James Bible
Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many:

New King James Version
Then He said to him, “A certain man gave a great supper and invited many,

New American Standard Bible
But He said to him, “A man was giving a big dinner, and he invited many;

NASB 1995
But He said to him, “A man was giving a big dinner, and he invited many;

NASB 1977
But He said to him, “A certain man was giving a big dinner, and he invited many;

Legacy Standard Bible
And He said to him, “A man was giving a big dinner, and he invited many.

Amplified Bible
But Jesus said to him, “A man was giving a big dinner, and he invited many guests;

Christian Standard Bible
Then he told him, “A man was giving a large banquet and invited many.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then He told him: “A man was giving a large banquet and invited many.

American Standard Version
But he said unto him, A certain man made a great supper; and he bade many:

Contemporary English Version
Jesus told him: A man once gave a great banquet and invited a lot of guests.

English Revised Version
But he said unto him, A certain man made a great supper; and he bade many:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Jesus said to him, "A man gave a large banquet and invited many people.

Good News Translation
Jesus said to him, "There was once a man who was giving a great feast to which he invited many people.

International Standard Version
Jesus told him, "A man gave a large banquet and invited many people.

Majority Standard Bible
But Jesus replied, “A certain man prepared a great banquet and invited many guests.

NET Bible
But Jesus said to him, "A man once gave a great banquet and invited many guests.

New Heart English Bible
But he said to him, "A certain man made a great supper, and he invited many people.

Webster's Bible Translation
Then said he to him, A certain man made a great supper, and invited many:

Weymouth New Testament
"A man once gave a great dinner," replied Jesus, "to which he invited a large number of guests.

World English Bible
But he said to him, “A certain man made a great supper, and he invited many people.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and He said to him, “A certain man made a great dinner, and called many,

Berean Literal Bible
But He said to him, "A certain man was preparing a great supper, and invited many.

Young's Literal Translation
and he said to him, 'A certain man made a great supper, and called many,

Smith's Literal Translation
And he said to him, A certain man made a great supper and called many;
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
But he said to him: A certain man made a great supper, and invited many.

Catholic Public Domain Version
So he said to him: “A certain man prepared a great feast, and he invited many.

New American Bible
He replied to him, “A man gave a great dinner to which he invited many.

New Revised Standard Version
Then Jesus said to him, “Someone gave a great dinner and invited many.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Jesus said to him, A man gave a great supper, and invited many.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Yeshua said to him, “A certain man made a great supper and he called many.”
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
And he said to him: A certain man made a great supper, and invited many.

Godbey New Testament
And He said to him, A certain man made a great supper, and invited many;

Haweis New Testament
And he said unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and invited many:

Mace New Testament
upon which Jesus said, a certain man made a great entertainment; where many were invited.

Weymouth New Testament
"A man once gave a great dinner," replied Jesus, "to which he invited a large number of guests.

Worrell New Testament
But He said to him, "A certain man was making a great supper, and invited many.

Worsley New Testament
Upon which He said, A certain man made a great supper and invited many;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Parable of the Banquet
15When one of those reclining with Him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is everyone who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.” 16But Jesus replied, “A certain man prepared a great banquet and invited many guests. 17When it was time for the banquet, he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’…

Cross References
Matthew 22:2-14
“The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. / He sent his servants to call those he had invited to the banquet, but they refused to come. / 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.’ ...

Isaiah 25:6
On this mountain the LORD of Hosts will prepare a lavish banquet for all the peoples, a feast of aged wine, of choice meat, of finely aged wine.

Revelation 19:9
Then the angel told me to write, “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”

Proverbs 9:1-6
Wisdom has built her house; she has carved out her seven pillars. / She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine; she has also set her table. / She has sent out her maidservants; she calls out from the heights of the city. ...

Matthew 8:11
I say to you that many will come from the east and the west to share the banquet with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.

Isaiah 55:1-3
“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you without money, come, buy, and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost! / Why spend money on that which is not bread, and your labor on that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of foods. / Incline your ear and come to Me; listen, so that your soul may live. I will make with you an everlasting covenant—My loving devotion promised to David.

Revelation 3:20
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him, and he with Me.

John 6:35
Jesus answered, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never hunger, and whoever believes in Me will never thirst.

Psalm 23:5
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Matthew 13:44-46
The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and in his joy he went and sold all he had and bought that field. / Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. / When he found one very precious pearl, he went away and sold all he had and bought it.

John 2:1-11
On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, / and Jesus and His disciples had also been invited to the wedding. / When the wine ran out, Jesus’ mother said to Him, “They have no more wine.” ...

Luke 13:29
People will come from east and west and north and south, and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God.

Isaiah 65:13-14
Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: “My servants will eat, but you will go hungry; My servants will drink, but you will go thirsty; My servants will rejoice, but you will be put to shame. / My servants will shout for joy with a glad heart, but you will cry out with a heavy heart and wail with a broken spirit.

Zephaniah 1:7
Be silent in the presence of the Lord GOD, for the Day of the LORD is near. Indeed, the LORD has prepared a sacrifice; He has consecrated His guests.

Matthew 25:1-13
“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. / Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. / The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take along any extra oil. ...


Treasury of Scripture

Then said he to him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many:

A certain.

Proverbs 9:1,2
Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars: …

Isaiah 25:6,7
And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined…

Jeremiah 31:12-14
Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the LORD, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all…

bade.

Song of Solomon 5:1
I am come into my garden, my sister, my spouse: I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk: eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved.

Isaiah 55:1-7
Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price…

Mark 16:15,16
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature…

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Bade Banquet Big Dinner Feast Great Guests Invited Jesus Large Once Preparing Supper Word
Luke 14
1. Jesus heals the dropsy on the Sabbath;
7. teaches humility;
12. to feast the poor;
15. under the parable of the great supper,
23. shows how worldly minded men shall be shut out of heaven.
25. Those who will be his disciples, to bear their cross must make their accounts beforehand,
31. lest with shame they revolt from him afterward;
34. and become altogether unprofitable, like salt that has lost its flavor.














But Jesus replied, 'A certain man prepared a great banquet and invited many guests.'
But Jesus replied
This phrase introduces a parable, a common teaching method used by Jesus. The Greek word for "replied" is "ἀποκρίνομαι" (apokrinomai), which means to answer or respond. This indicates that Jesus is addressing a specific situation or question, often using parables to convey deeper spiritual truths. In the context of Luke 14, Jesus is responding to a comment about the blessedness of eating in the kingdom of God, setting the stage for a lesson on the nature of God's invitation to His kingdom.

A certain man
The phrase "a certain man" is a common way to introduce characters in parables, emphasizing the universality and timelessness of the story. The Greek word "ἄνθρωπος" (anthrōpos) is used here, which can mean man or human being, suggesting that this account could apply to anyone. In the context of the parable, this "certain man" represents God, who extends an invitation to His heavenly banquet.

prepared a great banquet
The word "prepared" comes from the Greek "ποιέω" (poieō), meaning to make or do, indicating intentionality and effort. The "great banquet" symbolizes the kingdom of God, a recurring theme in Jesus' teachings. Banquets in ancient times were significant social events, often symbolizing abundance, celebration, and fellowship. This imagery reflects the richness and joy of God's kingdom, prepared for those who accept His invitation.

and invited many guests
The Greek word for "invited" is "καλέω" (kaleō), which means to call or summon. This highlights the proactive nature of God's invitation to humanity. The "many guests" signifies the inclusivity of God's call, extending beyond the Jewish people to all nations. Historically, this reflects the shift from the Old Covenant, focused on Israel, to the New Covenant, open to all who believe in Christ. The invitation is a call to salvation, emphasizing God's desire for all to partake in His eternal kingdom.

(16) A certain man made a great supper.--Historically this has the interest of being the first occurrence of the "feast" imagery in our Lord's teaching. Here, as with so many of His parables, it is suggested by the occasion. Afterwards, as in Matthew 22:1-13, it is reproduced in an altered and expanded form. Here, as there, the giver of the feast is God.

And bade many.--The sequel determines the primary application of the word to the Jewish people. But it need hardly be said that it admits of manifold secondary, or even tertiary, applications through the whole history of the many churches of Christendom.

Verse 16. - Then said he unto him. The parable with which the great Teacher answered the guest's remark contains much and varied teaching for all ages of the Church, but in the first instance it replies to the speaker's words. "Yes," said the Master, "blessed indeed are they who sit down at the heavenly feast. You think you are one of those whom the King of heaven has invited to the banquet; what have you done, though, with the invitation? I know many who have received it who have simply tossed it aside; are you of that number? Listen now to my story of the Divine banquet and of the invited thereto." A certain man made a great supper, and bade many. The kingdom of heaven, under the imagery of a great Banquet, was a picture well known to the Jews of that age. The guests in the Pharisee's house for the greater part were probably highly cultured men. At once they would grasp the meaning of the parable. They knew that the supper was heaven, and the Giver of the feast was God. The many - these were Israel, the long line of generations of the chosen people. So far strictly true, they thought; the Galilaean Teacher here is one with the rabbis of our Jerusalem schools. But, as Jesus proceeded, a puzzled, angry look would come upon the self-satisfied faces of Pharisee, scribe, and doctor; whispers would run round, "What means the Galilaean here?"

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
But
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

[Jesus] replied,
εἶπεν (eipen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2036: Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say.

“A certain
τις (tis)
Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5100: Any one, some one, a certain one or thing. An enclitic indefinite pronoun; some or any person or object.

man
Ἄνθρωπός (Anthrōpos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 444: A man, one of the human race. From aner and ops; man-faced, i.e. A human being.

prepared
ἐποίει (epoiei)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 4160: (a) I make, manufacture, construct, (b) I do, act, cause. Apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do.

a great
μέγα (mega)
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3173: Large, great, in the widest sense.

banquet
δεῖπνον (deipnon)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 1173: A dinner, an afternoon or evening meal. From the same as dapane; dinner, i.e. The chief meal.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

invited
ἐκάλεσεν (ekalesen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2564: (a) I call, summon, invite, (b) I call, name. Akin to the base of keleuo; to 'call'.

many [guests].
πολλούς (pollous)
Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 4183: Much, many; often.


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