Matthew 22:23-46

Holman Christian Standard Bible

The Sadducees and the Resurrection

²³ The same day some Sadducees,^(A) who say there is no resurrection, came up to Him and questioned Him:^{(B) 24} “Teacher, Moses said, if a man dies, having no children, his brother is to marry his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.^{(C)[a] 25} Now there were seven brothers among us. The first got married and died. Having no offspring, he left his wife to his brother. ²⁶ The same happened to the second also, and the third, and so to all seven.^{[b] 27} Then last of all the woman died. ²⁸ In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will she be of the seven? For they all had married her.”^[c]

²⁹ Jesus answered them, “You are deceived, because you don’t know the Scriptures or the power of God. ³⁰ For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like^[d] angels in heaven.^{(D) 31} Now concerning the resurrection of the dead, haven’t you read what was spoken to you by God: ³² I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob?^(E)[e] He^[f] is not the God of the dead, but of the living.”

³³ And when the crowds heard this, they were astonished at His teaching.

The Primary Commands

³⁴ When^(F) the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they came together. ³⁵ And one of them, an expert in the law, asked a question to test Him:^{(G) 36} “Teacher, which command in the law is the greatest?”^[g]

³⁷ He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.^{(H)[h] 38} This is the greatest and most important^[i] command. ³⁹ The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.^{(I)[j] 40} All the Law and the Prophets depend^[k] on these two commands.”^(J)

The Question about the Messiah

⁴¹ While the Pharisees were together, Jesus questioned them,^{(K) 42} “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose Son is He?”

“David’s,” they told Him.

⁴³ He asked them, “How is it then that David, inspired by the Spirit,^[l] calls Him ‘Lord’^(L):

⁴⁵ “If David calls Him ‘Lord,’ how then can the Messiah be his Son?” ⁴⁶ No one was able to answer Him at all,^[o] and from that day no one dared to question Him anymore.^(N)