11. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
12. Then he turned to his host. “When you put on a luncheon or a banquet,” he said, “don’t invite your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbors. For they will invite you back, and that will be your only reward.
13. Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind.
14. Then at the resurrection of the righteous, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you.”
15. Hearing this, a man sitting at the table with Jesus exclaimed, “What a blessing it will be to attend a banquet in the Kingdom of God!”
16. Jesus replied with this story: “A man prepared a great feast and sent out many invitations.
17. When the banquet was ready, he sent his servant to tell the guests, ‘Come, the banquet is ready.’
18. But they all began making excuses. One said, ‘I have just bought a field and must inspect it. Please excuse me.’