Luke 14:18 kjv
And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.
Luke 14:18 nkjv
But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, 'I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.'
Luke 14:18 niv
"But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, 'I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.'
Luke 14:18 esv
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. Please have me excused.'
Luke 14:18 nlt
But they all began making excuses. One said, 'I have just bought a field and must inspect it. Please excuse me.'
Luke 14 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 55:1-2 | "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters... without money and without price." | God's free spiritual invitation and provision. |
| Prov 1:24-28 | "Because I have called, and ye refused... they shall call upon me, but I will not answer." | Warning against rejecting wisdom's call. |
| Matt 22:1-14 | "The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son..." | Parable of the Wedding Feast, guests making excuses and being replaced. |
| Luke 14:16-17 | "A certain man made a great supper... he sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready." | The prior context of the initial gracious invitation. |
| Luke 9:59-62 | "Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father... suffer me first to bid them farewell..." | Excuses given for delaying immediate discipleship. |
| Matt 6:24 | "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." | Impossibility of prioritizing worldly wealth and God. |
| Luke 12:15-21 | "Beware of covetousness... The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully..." | Parable of the rich fool prioritizing possessions over spiritual life. |
| 1 Jn 2:15-16 | "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world... the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." | The danger of loving worldly things. |
| Phil 3:7-8 | "What things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord." | Paul's surrender of worldly gain for Christ. |
| Deut 8:11-14 | "Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God... lest, when thou hast eaten... thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth." | Warning against forgetting God due to prosperity. |
| Heb 12:25 | "See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven." | Seriousness of refusing God's word. |
| Jn 5:39-40 | "Ye search the scriptures... and ye will not come to me, that ye might have life." | Jewish leaders rejecting Jesus for perceived self-sufficiency. |
| Acts 13:46 | "It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles." | Shift of God's invitation from rejecting Jews to Gentiles. |
| 2 Cor 4:4 | "In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." | Spiritual blindness hindering acceptance of truth. |
| Titus 3:5 | "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us..." | Salvation is a gracious invitation, not earned. |
| 2 Thess 1:8 | "Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power." | Consequences of refusing to obey the Gospel. |
| Rev 3:20 | "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." | Christ's continued gracious invitation. |
| Rev 19:9 | "Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb." | The ultimate, future fulfillment of the divine feast. |
| Jn 1:11 | "He came unto his own, and his own received him not." | Jesus' rejection by His own people. |
| Rom 1:21 | "Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened." | The heart's turning away from God leading to darkness. |
| Eph 5:16 | "Redeeming the time, because the days are evil." | Call to prioritize spiritual matters and be wise in using time. |
Luke 14 verses
Luke 14 18 Meaning
Luke 14:18 begins the series of excuses given by invited guests in Jesus' parable of the Great Banquet. It portrays a unified refusal to attend the lavish feast prepared by the host. The first guest, representing a segment of those initially invited, makes a seemingly plausible yet hollow excuse, prioritizing a worldly acquisition and its perceived urgency over the joyous communal celebration. This refusal is a subtle rejection of the generous invitation and an indication of preoccupation with material concerns.
Luke 14 18 Context
Luke chapter 14 describes Jesus' teaching at a Sabbath meal in the house of a prominent Pharisee. The surrounding narrative includes Jesus healing a man with dropsy (Luke 14:1-6), teaching on humility at feasts (Luke 14:7-11), and instructing the host to invite the poor and outcast (Luke 14:12-14). The Parable of the Great Banquet (Luke 14:15-24), where verse 18 is found, is a response to a guest who exclaims, "Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!" Jesus uses this as a springboard to illustrate who truly accepts God's invitation to His kingdom, implicitly critiquing those among the Jewish leadership who were called first but found worldly excuses to reject it. This parable subtly underscores the radical inclusivity of God's kingdom and the consequences of neglecting His gracious offer due to preoccupation with earthly pursuits. Historically and culturally, receiving a second summons (Luke 14:17) was the norm for banquets; refusing this final call, especially with flimsy excuses, was a serious insult to the host.
Luke 14 18 Word analysis
And they all: Signifies a collective action, emphasizing the widespread nature of this refusal among the initially invited guests. This points to a common attitude shared by a group rather than isolated incidents.
with one consent: The Greek word is homothumadon (ὁμοθυμαδόν), meaning "with one mind," "with one accord." While often used positively in Acts to describe the unity of early believers (e.g., Acts 1:14, 2:46), here it is used ironically to highlight their unanimous agreement in turning away from the host's generosity. This unified rejection amplifies the affront to the host.
began to make excuse: The Greek verb is paraiteomai (παραιτέομαι). It means "to ask to be excused," "to beg off," "to decline," or "to reject." It implies an attempt to politely avoid an obligation or request, often through an appeal to something else seen as necessary. It suggests a pretense of politeness masking an underlying unwillingness or disinterest. They did not simply refuse but justified their refusal.
The first said unto him: Introduces the specific reason given by one individual, but its presence immediately after "they all with one consent" implies it is representative of the types of excuses to follow.
I have bought a piece of ground: The Greek for "piece of ground" is agros (ἀγρός), referring to a field, land, or estate. This indicates a significant material investment, representing a person's livelihood, wealth, or future security. The crucial detail is "bought" – the transaction is complete.
and I must needs go and see it: The phrase "must needs" uses the Greek word anankē (ἀνάγκη), meaning "necessity," "compulsion," "that which is unavoidable." The guest portrays inspecting already purchased land as an urgent and unavoidable task. This implies a false necessity, prioritizing business and material security over the social and spiritual obligations of the feast. A more genuine necessity would be before purchase, not after. This points to a deeper commitment to worldly possessions.
I pray thee have me excused: This polite form of address maintains outward respect but conveys a firm rejection. It highlights the formal nature of the refusal and perhaps a desire to avoid outright offending the host while still prioritizing self-interest.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "And they all with one consent began to make excuse": This phrase portrays a coordinated and seemingly justified turning away from a generous invitation. It's not individual isolated rejections, but a unified decision rooted in shared values, specifically, prioritizing personal worldly matters over communal celebration. This suggests a pattern of behavior and a widespread disinterest in what the host is offering.
- "I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it": This phrase reveals the guest's perceived obligation. The fact that the land has already been "bought" makes the "necessity" of immediately seeing it questionable. It suggests a prioritizing of financial investment and practical management as an unchallengeable excuse, elevating worldly assets to a level of urgent, binding importance, even above the claims of hospitality or social honor. The perceived "necessity" is a self-imposed one, a rationalization of spiritual apathy.
Luke 14 18 Bonus section
The parable, including this verse, serves as a polemic against the self-righteousness and worldly preoccupations of those religious leaders in Jesus' day who were originally "invited" to the spiritual banquet of God's kingdom (represented by Israel's covenant relationship) but rejected the Messiah when he came, prioritizing their traditions and material concerns. Their polite refusal parallels the excuses of these guests. The "bought" land symbolizes attachment to material security and perceived stability, which can become a veil obscuring spiritual sight. This initial refusal leads the host (God) to extend the invitation to the "poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind" (Luke 14:21) – symbolic of the marginalized and ultimately the Gentiles – emphasizing that the feast will proceed, just with different guests.
Luke 14 18 Commentary
Luke 14:18 opens the exposition of human rationalizations for declining God's gracious invitation. The "excuses" offered are not outright rebellions but polite deflections, seemingly valid by worldly standards (business, property, family) yet profoundly dismissive of the generosity extended. This verse highlights the subtle dangers of worldly priorities becoming spiritual idols, preventing people from entering the kingdom. The guest's "necessity" to inspect bought land illustrates how legitimate earthly affairs can become primary allegiances, leading to the polite but firm rejection of the divine feast. It underscores that God's kingdom cannot be an afterthought or something one gets around to after other, "more pressing," commitments are fulfilled. This attitude ultimately disqualifies one from the blessed experience of dining with God.
- Example: A person saying they are "too busy" with work or managing investments to attend worship or engage in community service, even though they recognize the value of faith.