Luke 14 · Verse 7

Luke 14:7

And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them,

Luke 14:7, King James Version

Luke 14:7 in other translations

BSB	When Jesus noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, He told them a parable:
WEB	He spoke a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the best seats, and said to them,
ASV	And he spake a parable unto those that were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief seats; saying unto them,
YLT	And he spake a simile unto those called, marking how they were choosing out the first couches, saying unto them,
DARBY	And he spoke a parable to those that were invited, remarking how they chose out the first places, saying to them,
BBE	And he gave teaching in the form of a story to the guests who came to the feast, when he saw how they took the best seats; saying to them,
Webster	And he put forth a parable to those who were invited, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying to them,

What does Luke 14:7 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Luke 14:7-11

7-11. a parable--showing that His design was not so much to inculcate mere politeness or good manners, as underneath this to teach something deeper (Lu 14:11). chief rooms--principal seats, in the middle part of the couch on which they reclined at meals, esteemed the most honorable.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 7. A parable. The word parable, here, means rather a precept, an injunction. He gave a rule or precept about the proper manner of attending a feast, or about the humility which ought to be manifested on such occasions.

That were bidden. That were invited by the Pharisee. It seems that he had invited his friends to dine with him on that day.

When he marked. When he observed or saw.

Chief rooms. The word rooms here does not express the meaning of the original. It does not mean apartments, but the higher places at the table; those which were nearest the head of the table and to him who had invited them. Mt 23:6. That this was the common character of the Pharisees appears from Mt 23:6.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 7 They chose out the chief rooms - When custom and law have regulated and settled places in public assemblies, a man who is obliged to attend may take the place which belongs to him, without injury to himself or to others: when nothing of this nature is settled, the law of humility, and the love of order, are the only judges of what is proper. To take the highest place when it is not our due is public vanity: obstinately to refuse it when offered is another instance of the same vice; though private and concealed. Humility takes as much care to avoid the ostentation of an affected refusal, as the open seeking of a superior place. See Quesnel. In this parable our Lord only repeats advices which the rabbins had given to their pupils, but were too proud to conform to themselves. Rabbi Akiba said, Go two or three seats lower than the place that belongs to thee, and sit there till they say unto thee, Go up higher; but do not take the uppermost seat, lest they say unto thee, Come down: for it is better that they should say unto thee, Go up, go up; than that they should say, Come down, come down. See Schoettgen.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Luke 14:7-14

Even in the common actions of life, Christ marks what we do, not only in our religious assemblies, but at our tables. We see in many cases, that a man's pride will bring him low, and before honour is humility. Our Saviour here teaches, that works of charity are better than works of show. But our Lord did not mean that a proud and unbelieving liberality should be rewarded, but that his precept of doing good to the poor and afflicted should be observed from love to him.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Luke 14:7 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἜλεγενElegenHe was speakingG3004

δὲdethenG1161

πρὸςprostoG4314

τοὺςtousthoseG3588

κεκλημένουςkeklēmenousinvitedG2564

παραβολὴνparabolēna parableG3850

ἐπέχωνepechōnremarkingG1907

πῶςpōshowG4459

τὰςtastheG3588

πρωτοκλισίαςprōtoklisiasfirst placesG4411

ἐξελέγοντο,exelegontothey were choosing out,G1586

λέγωνlegōnsayingG3004

πρὸςprostoG4314

αὐτούς·autousthem;G846

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Luke 14:7

Philippians 2:3
Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
Luke 11:43
Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets.
Matthew 23:6
And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
Luke 20:46
Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts;
Mark 12:38-39
And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces, And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts:
3 John 1:9
I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.
Acts 8:18-19
And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.
Ezekiel 17:2
Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto the house of Israel;

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

put.
Jud 14:12; Pr 8:1; Eze 17:2; Mt 13:34
they.
11:43; 20:46; Mt 23:6; Mr 12:38,39; Ac 8:18,19; Php 2:3; 3Jo 1:9

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Luke 14:6
And they could not answer him again to these things.
Luke 14:7
And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them,
Luke 14:8
When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him;

Read all of Luke 14

Luke 14:7 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y observando cómo escogían los primeros asientos á la mesa, propuso una parábola á los convidados, diciéndoles:
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Or il dit une parabole aux conviés, observant comment ils choisissaient les premières places; et il leur disait:
German Elberfelder 1871	Er sprach aber zu den Eingeladenen ein Gleichnis, indem er bemerkte, wie sie die ersten Plätze wählten, und sagte zu ihnen:
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Dicebat autem et ad invitatos parabolam, intendens quomodo primos accubitus eligerent, dicens ad illos: