| 16 | But he said to him, "A man once gave a great banquet, and invited many; |
| 17 | and at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, `Come; for all is now ready.' |
| 18 | But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, `I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it; I pray you, have me excused.' |
| 19 | And another said, `I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them; I pray you, have me excused.' |
| 20 | And another said, `I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.' |
| 21 | So the servant came and reported this to his master. Then the householder in anger said to his servant, `Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and maimed and blind and lame.' |
| 22 | And the servant said, `Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.' |
| 23 | And the master said to the servant, `Go out to the highways and hedges, and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. |
| 24 | For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.'" |