Luke 14:18 Meaning and Explanation
“And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →One by one the guests beg off; the first must go see a field he has just bought.
What Does Luke 14:18 Mean?
The refusals begin 'with one consent,' as though agreed upon. The first man pleads a piece of ground he has bought and now must go see — though a field will not vanish by morning. The courtesy is polite: I pray thee have me excused.
The excuses in this parable are all respectable. No one refuses for the sake of something evil; they refuse for property, for work, for home. That is the parable's quiet warning: it is rarely open wickedness that keeps people from the feast of God. It is lawful things, granted first place, politely declining the only invitation that matters.
Luke 14:18 in the Original Language
paraiteomai (παραιτέομαι), 'have me excused' -- to beg off, to ask release from an invitation.
Frequently Asked Questions About Luke 14:18
What does Luke 14:18 mean?
One by one the guests beg off; the first must go see a field he has just bought.