Bible Strands
Luke 14:16
But Jesus replied, “A certain man prepared a great banquet and invited many guests.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Jesus addresses a dinner guest who just proclaimed that eating at the kingdom feast is blessed. He introduces a parable about a man who prepared a great banquet and invited many guests.
The words — The Greek τις ἄνθρωπος ἐποίει δεῖπνον (tis anthrōpos epoiei deipnon) literally means “a certain man was preparing a supper.” This phrasing identifies the parable’s protagonist and frames the banquet as an active, ongoing project.
The thread — The prepared feast motif appears in Matthew 22:2 with a king’s wedding banquet, while the open call to the thirsty runs through Isaiah 55:1 and Revelation 22:17. These passages establish a consistent biblical pattern of divine provision followed by a required response.
Why it lands — The text states that the banquet’s readiness is already complete and depends on the guests’ arrival. It requires the reader to treat the invitation as urgent and to stop treating the feast as a passive guarantee.
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
King James Version
Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many:
Cross-references
- Matthew 22:2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son.
- Revelation 22:17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” Let the one who hears say, “Come!” And let the one who is thirsty come, and the one who desires the water of life drink freely.
- Isaiah 55:1 “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you without money, come, buy, and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost!
- Isaiah 25:6 On this mountain the LORD of Hosts will prepare a lavish banquet for all the peoples, a feast of aged wine, of choice meat, of finely aged wine.
- Luke 14:16 But Jesus replied, “A certain man prepared a great banquet and invited many guests.
- Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him, and he with Me.
- Proverbs 9:1 Wisdom has built her house; she has carved out her seven pillars.
- Song of Solomon 5:1 I have come to my garden, my sister, my bride; I have gathered my myrrh with my spice. I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk. Eat, O friends, and drink; drink freely, O beloved.
- Zechariah 10:7 Ephraim will be like a mighty man, and their hearts will be glad as with wine. Their children will see it and be joyful; their hearts will rejoice in the LORD.
- Mark 16:15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.