Luke 14:13 Meaning: The Feast No One Can Repay
But when you make a feast, ask the poor, the maimed, the lame, or the blind;
But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:
But when thou makest a feast, bid the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:
but when thou mayest make a feast, be calling poor, maimed, lame, blind,
But when thou makest a feast, call poor, crippled, lame, blind:
Meaning in one sentence
Jesus commands inviting the poor, crippled, lame, and blind. This verse reveals that kingdom hospitality expects no repayment.
Context
Jesus is a dinner guest at a Pharisee's house. A man with dropsy has just been healed, and the room is thick with tension. Now Jesus turns to the host and says something that sounds like a direct challenge. Don't fill your table with friends and relatives who will invite you back. Instead, invite those who can never return the favor: the poor, the crippled, the blind. It is not a menu plan; it is a picture of God's own hospitality. The next scene will show a master sending servants into the streets to bring in everyone they find for a great banquet.
Key Words
The Greek word for 'feast' here is dochē, used only by Luke. It means a formal reception, a celebration. This is not a quick lunch; it is a table you set with intention. The word Jesus uses for 'call' is kaleō, the same verb he uses for the kingdom's invitation. It means to summon personally, warmly. And the word for 'poor' is ptōchos, not just someone short on cash but a person reduced to begging. Jesus reaches for the strongest word. Cared for the materially destitute, yes, but also those considered outside the circle of blessing. This invitation is personal, costly, and directed at people society overlooks.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions have seen in this verse a direct command for generous hospitality. The Geneva Bible notes call it a duty to the needy. Matthew Henry emphasizes the promise of resurrection reward. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown quote Bengel: 'Such God Himself calls.' Other readers highlight the connection to Old Testament commands to include the poor in celebrations. The common thread is that our tables are meant to reflect God's own open arms, welcoming those whom the world overlooks.
A common misunderstanding
A common misreading takes this verse as a rule against ever inviting friends or family to dinner. In fact, Jesus is not forbidding such invitations. He is exposing a heart issue. When we only invite people who can repay us, we are practicing a kind of social exchange, not generosity. The point is to also reach those who have nothing to give back, mirroring how God has welcomed us.
Living This Out
This week, look at your table. Who sits around it? Ask yourself: Is there someone you could invite who cannot pay you back? A coworker who is always left out, an elderly neighbor, a struggling single parent. The invitation does not have to be elaborate. Even a cup of coffee shared is a feast when offered without expectation. Jesus invites us to practice a hospitality that trusts God alone to honor the gift.
Main takeaway: Jesus calls his followers to a hospitality that expects no repayment, trusting God alone to honor the generous heart.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
When you have a party, who do you invite? Jesus says we should also invite people who cannot invite us back. That makes God happy.
For ages 9, 12
Think about the last time you had a birthday party or a get-together. Did you only invite your closest friends? Jesus challenges us to include people who might be lonely or left out. When we share with someone who can never repay us, we are showing the same kindness God showed us. It isn't about who is popular; it is about who needs to know they are loved.
Questions People Ask
What does 'call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind' mean in Luke 14:13?
Jesus commands us to invite those who are destitute and disabled to our feasts. They cannot repay us, so our hospitality is pure generosity, reflecting God's own heart for the outcast.
Does Luke 14:13 forbid inviting friends and family to meals?
No. Jesus is not forbidding invitations to friends. He is exposing the trap of inviting only those who can reciprocate. The point is to also include those who have no way to repay you, as genuine love expects nothing in return.
Why does Jesus list these specific four groups: poor, crippled, lame, blind?
These were the people often excluded from social and religious life in that culture. They could not host a dinner back. By naming them, Jesus makes his teaching concrete: invite those who cannot help you in return, showing the generous hospitality of God's kingdom.
For pastors & researchers
Greek interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study