Part 9

Jesus healed the afflicted man and then said, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fall into a pit and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day? Again, they could not answer Him.

Jesus told a parable. He said, When you are invited to a wedding, do not sit down in the highest room; lest one more honorable than you has been invited. The host would have to come and tell you the room was for someone else and, with shame, you move to the lowest room. Instead, sit down in the lowest room. Then the host may come to you and say, Friend, go up higher. You will, then, have the respect of the other guests. Whoever exalts himself shall be abased; and he who humbles himself shall be exalted.

Then Jesus said to his host, When you make a dinner or a supper, do not call your friends, or your brethren, or kinsmen, or rich neighbors; lest they also invite you in return, and you incur an obligation. When you make a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. You will be blessed because they cannot repay you; you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.

When one of them that sat at the table with Jesus heard these things, he said, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God. Then Jesus told another parable.

He said, A man made a great supper and invited many people. When it was supper time he sent his servant to say to those who were invited, Come. All things are now ready. One after another, each one made an excuse. The first said, I have bought some land and I must go to see it. Please have me excused. Another said, I just purchased five yoke of oxen and I must go to claim them. Please have me excused. Another said, I have just married and cannot come.

The servant returned and reported these things to his lord. Then the master of the house became angry and said, Go out into the streets and lanes of the city. Gather the poor, the maimed, the halt, and the blind and bring them here.

The servant returned and said, Lord, it is done as you commanded, and there is still room. The lord said, Go out, then, into all the highways and compel them to come in so my house may be filled. For I say to you, None of those who were invited shall taste of my supper.

Now there were great multitudes that followed along with Jesus. He turned around and said to them, If any man comes to me, and does not forsake his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yes, and his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his cross and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

Which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, to see whether you have what is needed to finish it? Lest, after you have laid the foundation, and are not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock you and say, This man began to build but was not able to finish.

Or what king, contemplating war against another king, does not first sit and consult whether he is able, with ten thousand, to meet him that comes against him with twenty thousand? If not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends his ambassadors to discuss conditions of peace.

So likewise, any of you that does not forsake all he has, cannot be my disciple. Salt is good: but if the salt has lost its savour, with what can it be seasoned? It is not fit for the land, yet not ready for the dunghill; so men cast it aside. He that has ears to hear, let him hear.

15 Seeing how Jesus was often surrounded by publicans and sinners who listened closely to his sayings, the Pharisees and scribes murmured, This man receives sinners and even eats with them. Thus, Jesus spoke another parable.

He said, What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and search for the one that is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. When he comes home, he calls his friends and neighbors together, saying, Rejoice with me. I have found my sheep which was lost. I say to you, there is more joy in heaven over one sinner that repents, than over ninety and nine just persons who need no repentance.

What woman, having ten pieces of silver, if she loses one piece, does not light a candle, sweep the house, and seek diligently until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls her friends and her neighbors together, saying, Rejoice with me. I have found the piece that was lost. I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repents.

And He said, A man had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of my inheritance. The father gave him his portion and the younger son journeyed into a far country.

After he spent everything on riotous living and had nothing left, there arose a mighty famine in that land. He began to be in want and the only work he could get was feeding swine in a countryman's field. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine ate because he had nothing to eat.

When he came to his senses, he said, How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee. I am no longer worthy to be called thy son; but make me one of thy hired servants.

He arose and went to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion. He ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. The son said to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am not worthy to be called thy son.

But the father said to his servants, Bring out the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet. Butcher the fatted calf. Let us eat and be merry for my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to celebrate.

The elder son was in the field. As he drew near the house, he heard music and dancing. He called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. The servant said, Thy brother is home and thy father has killed the fatted calf because he has received him safe and sound.

The elder son was angry and would not go inside. His father came out and entreated him; but he said to his father, Lo, these many years I have served thee. I have never once disobeyed you. Yet, you never gave me a fatted calf that I might make merry with my friends. But, as soon as he came home, who wasted all you gave him on harlots, you kill a fatted calf for him.

The father said to him, Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. It was fitting for us to celebrate and be glad for this, thy brother, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost and now is found.

16 Jesus said, There was a rich man who had a steward who was accused of wasting the rich man's goods. The master called him and said, How is it that I hear this of thee? Give me an account of your stewardship; for you may no longer be the steward.

The steward thought about his situation, then said to himself, I know what to do so when I am put out of this stewardship, I will find favor in other houses. He called on each of his lord's debtors. He said to the first, How much do you owe to my lord? The first said, A hundred measures of oil. He said, Take your bill and quickly write fifty. He said to another, How much do you owe? The other said, A hundred measures of wheat. He said, Take your bill and quickly write eighty. And so, likewise, the steward did with all his master's debtors. When he gave his accont, the rich man had to commend the unjust steward for his cleverness.

The children of this world are better at dealing with their own generation than the children of light. But, I tell you, use what you have wisely and do good with it and you shall find favor in heavenly houses.

The one who is faithful in that which is least, is faithful also in much. The one that is unjust in the least, is unjust also in much. If you are not trustworthy with worldly goods, who will commit to your trust the true riches? If you have not been faithful in that which belongs to another, who will give you what is your own? No servant can serve two masters: either he will hate the one, and love the other; or he will cleave to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

The Pharisees, who were covetous, heard all these things and derided Him. Jesus said to them, Ye are they who justify yourselves before men but God knows your hearts. That which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

The law and the prophets lasted up until John. From that time the kingdom of God is proclaimed and every man presses into it. Far easier it is for heaven and earth to pass away than for one letter of the law to fail.