Luke · Chapter 14

[ edit] And it was don, whanne he had entrid in to þe hous of ſum prince of Phariſees, in þe ſaboþ, to ete breed, and þei aſpieden him. And loo! ſum man ſyk in ydropeſie was bifore him. And Jheſu anſweringe ſeide to þe wyſe men of lawe, and to Pharyſees, ſeiyinge, Where it is leeful for to heele in þe ſabotis? And þei heelden pees. Forſoþe Jheſu heelide him takun to, and lefte. And he anſweringe to hem, ſeyde, Whos aſſe eþer oxe of ȝoure ſchal falle in to a pitt, and not a non he ſchal drawe out him on þe day of ſabot? And þei myȝten not anſwere to him to þes þingis.

Forſoþe he ſeyde alſo a parable to men bodun to a feeſte, biholdinge how þei cheſiden þe firſte ſeetis, ſeyinge to hem, Whanne þou ſchalt be bedun to weddingis, ſitte þou not at þe mete in þe firſte place; leſt perauenture a worſchipfullere þan þou be bedun of him, and he comynge þat clepide þee and him, ſeye to þee, Ȝyue place to þis, and þanne þou ſchalt bigynne wiþ ſchame to holde þe laſte place. But whanne þou ſchalt be bedun to feeſte, go, and ſitte doun in þe laſte place, þat whanne he ſchal come, þat bad þee to feeſte, he ſeye to þee, Frend, ſtiȝe hiȝere. Þanne glorie ſchal be to þee bifore men ſyttinge to gidere at þe mete.

For ech þat enhaunſiþ him ſilf, ſchal be maad lowȝ; and he þat mekiþ him ſilf, ſchal be hiȝed. Forſoþ he ſeide alſo to him, þat hadde bedun him to þe feeſte, Whanne þou makiſt a mete, eþer ſouper, nyle þou clepe þi frendis, neþer þi briþeren, neþir coſyns, neþir neiȝeboris, neþer riche men; leſt perauenture and þei bidde þee aȝen to feeſte, and ȝeldinge aȝen be maad to þee. But whanne þou makiſt a feeſte, clepe pore men, feble men, crokid, and blynde, and þou ſchalt be bleſſid; for þei han not, wher of to ȝelde to þee, forſoþ it ſchal be ȝoldun to þee in þe riſyng aȝen of iuſte men.

Whanne ſum man of ſittinge at þe mete had herd þes þingis, he ſeide to hym, Bleſſid is he, þat ſchal ete breed in þe rewme of God. And he ſeide to him, Sum man maade a greet ſouper, and clepide manye. And he ſente his ſeruaunt in þe our of ſouper, to ſeye to men bedun to feeſte, þat þei ſchulden come, for now alle þingis ben redy. And alle bigunnen to gidere to excuſe. Þe firſte ſeide, I haue bouȝt a toun, and I haue nede to go out, and to ſe it; I preie þee, haue me excuſid. And þe toþir ſeide, I haue bouȝt fyue ȝokis of oxen, and I go to proue hem; I preie þee, haue me excuſid. And an oþir ſeide, I haue weddid a wyf; and þerfore I may not come.

And þe ſeruaunt turnyd aȝen, toolde þes þingis to þe lord. Þanne þe hoſebonde man wroþ, ſeide to his ſeruaunt, Go out ſoone in to grete ſtretis and ſmale ſtreetis of þe citee, and brynge in hidur pore men, and feble, and blynde, and crokid. And þe ſeruaunt ſeiþ, Lord, it is don, as þou haſt comaundid, and ȝit place is. And þe lord ſeiþ to þe ſeruaunt, Go þou into weyes and heggis, and conſtreyne for to entre, þat myn hous be fillid. Forſoþe I ſeie to ȝou, for noone of þo men þat ben clepid, ſchal taaſte my ſouper.

Soþli many cumpanyes wenten wiþ him; and he turned, ſeide to hem, If ony comeþ to me, and hatiþ not his fadir, and modir, and wyf, ſones, and briþeren, and douȝtris, ȝit forſoþ and his lyf, he may not be my diſciple. And he þat beriþ not his croſſ, and comeþ aftir me, may not be my diſciple. Forſoþ who of ȝou willinge to bylde a tour, wher he ſittinge countiþ not firſt þe ſpenſis þat ben nedful, if he haue to performe? Leſt aftir he haþ ſett þe foundement, and myȝte not performe, alle þat ſeen, bigynne to ſcorne him, ſeyinge, For þis man bigan to bilde, and myȝte not ende.

Eþer what kyng to goynge to make batel aȝens anoþer kyng, wher he ſittinge byþenkiþ not firſt, if he may wiþ ten þouſynd go aȝens him þat comeþ to him wiþ twenty þouſynd? Ellis him ȝit doinge a fer, he ſendinge a meſſanger, preieþ þo þingis þat ben of pees. So þerfore ech of ȝou, þat renounciþ not alle þingis whiche he weeldiþ, may not be my diſciple. Salt is good þing; forſoþ if ſalt ſchal vanyſche, in what þing ſchal it be ſauerid? Neþer in erþe, neþer in þe dunghil it is profitable, but it ſchal be ſent out. He þat haþ eeris of heeringe, heere.