kest a feast, bid the poor,
the maimed, the lame, the blind: and thou shalt be blessed; because
they have not wherewith to recompense thee: for thou shalt be
recompensed in the resurrection of the just.

THE SLIGHTED INVITATION.

And 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."

But he said unto him, "A certain man made a great supper; and he bade
many: and he sent forth his servant at supper time to say to them that
were bidden, 'Come; for all things are now ready.' And they all with
one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, 'I have
bought a field, and I must needs go out and see it; I pray thee have
me excused.' And another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I
go to prove them; I pray thee have me excused.' And another said, 'I
have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.' And the servant
came, and told his lord these things. Then the master of the house,
being angry, said to his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and
lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor and maimed and blind
and lame.' And the servant said, 'Lord, what thou didst command is
done, and yet there is room.' And the lord said unto the servant, 'Go
out into the highways and hedges, and constrain them to come in, that
my house may be filled. For I say unto you, that none of those men
that were bidden shall taste of my supper.'"

COUNTING THE COST.

Now there went with him great multitudes: and he turned, and said unto
them, "If any man cometh unto me, and hateth not his own father, and
mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and
his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. Whosoever doth not bear
his own cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of
you, desiring to build a tower, doth not first sit down and count the
cost, whether he have wherewith to complete it? Lest haply, when he
hath laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, all that behold
begin to mock him, saying, 'This man began to build, and was not able
to finish.' Or what king, as he goeth to encounter another king in
war, will not sit down first and take counsel whether he is able with
ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?
Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an
ambassage, and asketh conditions of peace. So therefore whosoever he
be of you tha