Luke 14:9 kjv
And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room.
Luke 14:9 nkjv
and he who invited you and him come and say to you, 'Give place to this man,' and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place.
Luke 14:9 niv
If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, 'Give this person your seat.' Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place.
Luke 14:9 esv
and he who invited you both will come and say to you, 'Give your place to this person,' and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place.
Luke 14:9 nlt
The host will come and say, 'Give this person your seat.' Then you will be embarrassed, and you will have to take whatever seat is left at the foot of the table!
Luke 14 9 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lk 14:11 | For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. | Principle of humility and exaltation. |
| Lk 18:14 | For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted. | Pharisee and tax collector parable summary. |
| Mt 23:12 | Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. | Jesus' teaching on spiritual authority. |
| Prv 16:18 | Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. | Wisdom on consequences of pride. |
| Prv 18:12 | Before a downfall the heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor. | Humility preceding honor. |
| Prv 29:23 | A person’s pride will humble him, but a humble spirit will obtain honor. | Pride leading to personal abasement. |
| Jas 4:10 | Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. | Divine command for humility. |
| 1 Pt 5:6 | Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. | Submission to God's will for elevation. |
| Php 2:8-9 | He humbled himself by becoming obedient to death... Therefore God exalted him... | Christ's supreme example of humility. |
| Isa 2:11 | The arrogant will be humbled; the Lord alone will be exalted. | Prophecy of God humbling the proud. |
| Isa 2:17 | The haughtiness of humans will be humbled, and the Lord alone will be exalted. | God's ultimate sovereignty and judgment. |
| Ps 18:27 | You save a humble people, but the haughty eyes you bring low. | God's deliverance of the lowly. |
| Ps 75:6-7 | Exaltation comes neither from the east nor from the west... God is the judge. He brings one down, he exalts another. | God as the dispenser of honor. |
| Lk 1:52 | He has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate. | Mary's song of God's reversal. |
| Rom 12:3 | Do not think of himself more highly than he ought to think... | Call to self-assessment in Christian living. |
| 1 Cor 4:6-7 | What do you have that you did not receive? And if you received it, why do you boast as if you did not? | Against boasting and self-sufficiency. |
| 2 Chr 32:26 | Then Hezekiah humbled himself... and the wrath of the Lord did not come upon them. | Humility averting divine judgment. |
| 2 Cor 12:7 | ...so to keep me from becoming conceited, a thorn was given me in the flesh... | God humbling Paul for a purpose. |
| Mt 6:2 | ...Truly, I tell you, they have received their reward in full. | Warning against seeking human praise. |
| Jn 5:44 | How can you believe if you accept praise from one another but do not seek the praise that comes from the one God? | Seeking God's approval over human praise. |
| Ez 21:26 | Remove the turban, and take off the crown. Things will not be as they were. The lowly will be exalted and the exalted will be brought low. | Divine judgment and reversal of status. |
| Job 22:29 | When others are cast down, you say, 'Lift them up!' He saves the humble. | God's favor towards the humble. |
Luke 14 verses
Luke 14 9 Meaning
Luke 14:9 describes the outcome for a guest who chooses a place of honor at a banquet without proper assessment. The host, realizing a more distinguished guest has arrived, publicly asks the presumptuous guest to move, causing them shame as they are forced to take a lower, less prominent position. Spiritually, it illustrates the principle that those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted, a foundational truth in the Kingdom of God. It highlights the disgrace that comes from seeking human recognition and illustrates God's ultimate assessment of our spiritual standing.
Luke 14 9 Context
Luke 14:9 is part of a parable Jesus tells at a Sabbath meal in the house of a leading Pharisee. He observes the guests choosing the places of honor. The verse follows Jesus' teaching in verses 7-8, where He advises choosing the lowest seat. The immediate context is a social custom at banquets, but Jesus immediately shifts the lesson to profound spiritual truths about humility and seeking honor from God, not from men. Historically, honor and shame were paramount in ancient Jewish society, influencing social interactions and perceived worth. Jesus challenges this ingrained cultural norm, advocating for a counter-cultural, Kingdom value system where status is granted by God based on true humility, not self-exaltation. This directly critiques the religious and social hierarchy of His day that prioritized outward display and human recognition.
Luke 14 9 Word analysis
- and he who invited you both: Implies the host (ὁ καλέσας σε – ho kalesas se, "the one who invited you"). This refers to the master of the feast, who holds authority over the seating arrangements and the guest list. He represents the ultimate authority or even God in the spiritual application of the parable.
- will come: (ἐλθών – elthōn, aorist active participle of ἔρχομαι, erchomai). Signifies an active approach by the host. The movement implies a direct, personal intervention.
- and say to you: (ἐρεῖ σοι – erei soi, future active indicative of ἐρέω, ereō). This indicates a direct address. The humiliation is personal and public.
- 'Give your place to this person,': (δὸς τούτῳ τόπον – dos toutō topon, "give this one a place"). A command, not a request. "Give your place" signifies yielding the position of honor. This highlights the perceived superiority of the other guest, leading to the first guest's demotion.
- and then you will begin: (καὶ τότε ἄρξῃ – kai tote arxē, future middle indicative of ἄρχομαι, archomai). Denotes the start of an action, emphasizing the initiation of a humiliating experience.
- with shame: (μετὰ αἰσχύνης – meta aischynēs). "Aischynē" refers to public disgrace, humiliation, or dishonor. In an honor-shame culture, this was a severe social penalty, causing deep distress and loss of social standing.
- to take: (κατέχειν – katechein, present active infinitive of κατέχω). Implies grasping or holding a position, but here, it means to occupy or move to.
- the lowest place: (τὸν ἔσχατον τόπον – ton eschaton topon, literally "the last place"). The extreme opposite of the highest place. This is not just a less honorable spot, but the very bottom, furthest from the host and prominence.
Words-group analysis
- and he who invited you both will come and say to you: This phrase establishes the authority and action of the host. His intervention is absolute and decisive, directly impacting the guest's status. It foreshadows God's ultimate judgment on pride.
- 'Give your place to this person,' and then you will begin with shame: This highlights the immediate, public, and humiliating consequence of presumption. The command to yield, combined with the onset of shame, portrays the depth of the disgrace experienced by the overzealous guest.
- with shame to take the lowest place: This phrase perfectly encapsulates the negative outcome. It's not just a physical displacement but a social demotion imbued with personal dishonor, observed by all present. The act of taking the lowest place yourself signifies personal responsibility for the misjudgment and its public cost.
Luke 14 9 Bonus section
The parable speaks to the principle of "divine vindication" or "God's justice." While society often values assertiveness and self-promotion, God's system operates on entirely different principles. The humiliation in the verse serves as a powerful deterrent against spiritual pride and a call to understand one's true standing before a holy God. This is not merely about manners; it's about the very heart attitude of those who would enter or function within the Kingdom. It reminds us that God is the ultimate assessor of worth, and any attempt to elevate oneself is ultimately futile and will result in abasement.
Luke 14 9 Commentary
Luke 14:9 is not merely a lesson on etiquette but a profound parable about humility within God's Kingdom. Jesus uses the relatable scenario of a Middle Eastern banquet to convey a timeless spiritual truth. The 'host' represents God, the ultimate giver of true honor. Guests seeking the highest place signify those who exalt themselves through self-righteousness, human achievements, or religious display, believing they deserve a place of prominence. The subsequent public demotion, filled "with shame," serves as a stern warning that seeking earthly honor often leads to spiritual dishonor in God's eyes. It emphasizes that true exaltation comes not from self-promotion but from God alone, who resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. This verse underpins the "great reversal" theme central to Luke's Gospel, where worldly values are inverted in God's economy. The lesson calls believers to genuine humility, prioritizing God's approval over human applause.