Paragraph 14:12–14
In this paragraph Jesus taught that people should not invite to their feasts only people who can repay them by inviting them to a meal. They should also invite poor people who cannot repay them.
14:12a
Then Jesus said to the man who had invited Him: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the man who had invited Him is literally “the (one) having-invited him,” as in 14:9a. Here it refers to the Pharisee who had invited Jesus to eat dinner in his home (in 14:1a). See how you translated this same expression in 14:9a.
14:12b
When you host a dinner or a banquet: The phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as host a dinner or a banquet is literally “make a dinner or a banquet.” It refers to preparing a special meal or dinner for people to eat. The host may not actually make the food himself, but he pays for it and decides whom to invite. Other ways to translate the clause are:
When you are having guests for lunch or supper (Revised English Bible)
-or-
When you give a luncheon or dinner (New International Version)
a dinner or a banquet: Jewish people normally ate two meals a day, one in the late morning, the other in the late afternoon or evening. The second meal was the main meal of the day. Either meal could be a special meal/feast for guests. English versions identify these meals in different ways. See the examples in the preceding note.
The point of Jesus’ advice was not the time of the meal but rather the people who were invited. If it is awkward to specify different meals in your language, it may be better to use one general term. For example:
a feast
-or-
a meal
14:12c
do not invite your friends or brothers or relatives or rich neighbors: Jesus gave this command specifically to his host, so he used a singular form. However, Jesus intended what he said to apply to anyone who was wealthy enough to invite others to meals or parties.
This command is an example of hyperbole (deliberate exaggeration to emphasize a point). Jesus did not mean that a person should never invite his friends, brothers, relatives, or rich neighbors to a meal. Jesus himself invited his disciples to the Passover supper before he died, and before that he had many meals with his friends. Rather, he meant that his host should also invite other people who were too poor to invite him in return.
If the meaning of this hyperbole will not be clear, you may need to say something like:
rather than ⌊always⌋ inviting ⌊only⌋ your friends and brothers and other relatives, and your rich neighbors
brothers: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as brothers sometimes includes sisters as well. However, if women do not attend formal meals or feasts in your culture, you may use a word that refers specifically to male siblings. The Greek word also sometimes includes other close relatives, such as cousins. So if it is natural in your language, you may use an expression that includes other close relatives.
relatives: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as relatives is a general word that can refer to any family members or other relatives.
rich neighbors: The phrase rich neighbors refers to people who live nearby and who have a lot of money or property.
14:12d
Otherwise: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Otherwise is more literally “lest.” For example:
lest they also invite you in return (Revised Standard Version)
This Greek conjunction was also used in 14:8c–9. See the note on “for…If so…Then” in 14:8c–9. Here it introduces a future situation that the host should desire to avoid. One way to summarize the idea is: Avoid inviting only friends and rich people who will invite you back so that this will not be your only reward.
The relationship between 14:12c and 14:12d may also be explained as a command that you should obey in order to avoid a bad result. In other words, do not invite only friends and rich people, because they will invite you back and that will be your only reward.
In some languages it may be clearer to express this relationship in other ways. For example:
in case they may invite you in return (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
for they will invite you back (Good News Translation)
In some languages this relationship may not need to be made explicit. For example:
they will only ask you back again (Revised English Bible)
-or-
At another time they will invite you to eat with them (New Century Version)
they may invite you in return: The clause they may invite you in return means that the present guests may sometime invite their host to their own luncheon or dinner party. In some languages it may be necessary to say explicitly what they will invite the host to attend. For example:
they may also invite you ⌊to their own feast/party⌋
14:12e
and you will be repaid: The word repaid implies here that when guests invite their host back to a meal, that is like repaying or rewarding him for inviting them. The clause implies that the host only invited people whom he expected to invite him to a meal at a future time. It is also implied that being invited to other meals is the only reward this host can expect.
you will be repaid: The clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as you will be repaid is literally “it becomes a repayment to you.” The Berean Standard Bible translates this as a passive clause. Other ways to translate this clause are:
and so ⌊they⌋ will repay you
-or-
and this will be ⌊the extent of⌋ your reward/repayment
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