Devine Scripture

Luke 14:16

What does Luke 14:16 mean?

A plain-English look at Luke 14:16 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Luke 14:16 means

Jesus begins the parable: a certain man made a great supper and invited many. The image conveys abundance, generosity, and preparation. The host’s initiative drives the story—he plans and invites. Spiritually, it pictures God’s gracious offer of fellowship and salvation. The word great signals the richness of what is offered. The many invited shows the breadth of God’s call. The question becomes how the invited will respond when the time comes. The goodness of the feast removes any excuse for refusal; to decline such generosity exposes the heart’s true loyalties and appetites.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

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

KJV

King James Version · 1611

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

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

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

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And he said to them, A certain man gave a great feast, and sent word of it to a number of people.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

and he said to him, `A certain man made a great supper, and called many,

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

But he said to him: A certain man made a great supper and invited many.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

And he said to him, A certain man made a great supper and invited many.

Context

This opening frames the parable’s world: a banquet, a host, and invited guests. The next verse will announce that everything is now ready and the servant is sent to call the invitees. The ensuing verses (18–20) will list the excuses made by the invited, leading to the master’s anger and his turn to the poor and outcast (21–23). Finally, verse 24 will deliver the sober verdict on those who refused. Each movement underscores the gravity of rejecting God’s gracious invitation in favor of worldly preoccupations.

v.15And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.

v.16This passage

v.17and he sent forth his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Isaiah 25:6

    And in this mountain will Jehovah of hosts make unto all peoples 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.

  • Mark 16:15

    And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation.

  • Revelation 22:17

    And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And he that heareth, let him say, Come. And he that is athirst, let him come: he that will, let him take the water of life freely.

  • Matthew 22:2

    The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a certain king, who made a marriage feast for his son,

  • Isaiah 55:1

    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.

  • Revelation 3:20

    Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

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