Luke 14:12

Then Jesus said to the man who had invited Him, “When you host a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or brothers or relatives or rich neighbors. Otherwise, they may invite you in return, and you will be repaid.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Jesus speaks to the host who invited Him during a meal, immediately following His teaching on humility in Luke 14:11. He issues this instruction on banquet invitations before directing the host to invite the marginalized in Luke 14:13.

The words — Ἔλεγεν (Elegen) means "He was saying," marking the ongoing nature of the teaching. κεκληκότι (keklēkoti) means "having invited," identifying the specific listener receiving the command.

The thread — The prohibition against transactional hospitality runs parallel to Matthew 5:46, which questions the value of loving only those who love you back. It also intersects with James 2:1 on rejecting favoritism and Proverbs 22:16 on the futility of enriching oneself through social advancement.

Why it lands — The text commands the rejection of reciprocal social arrangements by forbidding invitations aimed at securing a return favor. It requires the reader to examine the motive behind generosity and extend hospitality without calculating repayment.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

ἜλεγενElegenHe was saying δὲdethen καὶkaialso τῷtōto the [one]κεκληκότιkeklēkotihaving invited αὐτόν·autonHim;ὅτανhotanWhen ποιῇςpoiēasyou may make ἄριστονaristona dinner ἢēor δεῖπνον,deipnona supper,μὴmēnot φώνειphōneido call τοὺςtousthe φίλουςphilousfriends σουsouof you μηδὲmēdenor [call]τοὺςtousthe ἀδελφούςadelphousbrothers σουsouof you μηδὲmēdenor [call]τοὺςtousthe συγγενεῖςsungeneisrelatives σουsouof you μηδὲmēdenor [call]γείτοναςgeitonasneighbours πλουσίουςplousiousrich μήποτεmēpoteotherwise καὶkaialso αὐτοὶautoithey themselves ἀντικαλέσωσίνantikalesōsinmay invite in return σεseyou καὶkaiand γένηταιgenētaiit may become ἀνταπόδομάantapodomarecompense σοι.soito you.

King James Version

Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee.

Cross-references

Matthew 5:46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Do not even tax collectors do the same?
James 2:1 My brothers, as you hold out your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, do not show favoritism.
Proverbs 22:16 Oppressing the poor to enrich oneself or giving gifts to the rich will surely lead to poverty.
Luke 6:32 If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them.
Proverbs 14:20 The poor man is hated even by his neighbor, but many are those who love the rich.
Matthew 6:1 “Be careful not to perform your righteous acts before men to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
Luke 1:53 He has filled the hungry with good things, but has sent the rich away empty.
Zechariah 7:5 “Ask all the people of the land and the priests, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months for these seventy years, was it really for Me that you fasted?
Matthew 6:16 When you fast, do not be somber like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward.