王宴客的比喻

22 耶穌又用比喻對他們說: 「天國就像一個王為兒子籌備婚宴。 他派奴僕去請受邀的客人,可是客人都不肯赴宴。 王再派其他奴僕去,說,『去告訴被邀請的人,我的宴席已經備好,公牛和肥畜都宰了,一切都預備妥當,來赴婚宴吧!』 那些人卻毫不理會地走了,一個去種田,一個去做買賣, 其餘的竟然抓住王的奴僕,把他們羞辱一番後殺了。 王大怒,派軍隊去剿滅凶手,燒毀他們的城。

「然後,他對奴僕說,『婚宴已預備好了,只是被邀請的人不配。 所以你們到街頭巷尾,把所有見到的人都請來。』 10 奴僕到街上把遇到的人都請了來,好人壞人都有,大廳裡滿了客人。

11 「王出來會見在座的客人,發現有一個人沒有穿禮服, 12 就問他,『朋友,你來這裡怎麼不穿婚宴的禮服呢?』那人無言以對。 13 王便吩咐侍從,『把他手腳綁起來丟到外面的黑暗裡,讓他在那裡哀哭切齒。』」

14 耶穌又說:「被邀請的人多,選上的人少。」

以納稅問題刁難耶穌

15 那時,法利賽人出去策劃怎樣從耶穌的話裡找把柄陷害祂。 16 他們派了自己的門徒跟希律黨人一同去問耶穌:「老師,我們知道你誠實無偽,按真理傳上帝的道,你不徇情面,不以貌取人。 17 那麼請告訴我們,納稅給凱撒對不對呢?」

18 耶穌看出了他們的惡意,就說:「你們這些偽君子,為什麼試探我呢? 19 拿一個納稅用的錢幣來給我看。」他們就拿給祂一個銀幣。

20 耶穌問他們:「上面刻的是誰的像和名號?」

21 他們說:「凱撒的。」

耶穌說:「那麼,屬於凱撒的東西應該給凱撒,屬於上帝的東西應該給上帝。」 22 他們聽了很驚奇,只好離開祂走了。

論復活

23 同一天,不相信死人會復活的撒都該人也來問耶穌, 24 說:「老師,摩西說,『如果一個人死了,沒有兒女,只留下妻子,他的兄弟就當娶嫂嫂,替哥哥傳宗接代。』 25 從前,我們這裡有弟兄七人,老大結了婚,沒有孩子就死了,把妻子留給了弟弟。 26 二弟、三弟一直到七弟都相繼娶了嫂嫂,都沒留下孩子。 27 最後,那女人也死了。 28 那麼,到復活的時候,她將是誰的妻子呢?因為他們都娶過她。」

29 耶穌說:「你們弄錯了。你們不明白聖經,也不知道上帝的能力。 30 因為到復活的時候,人們將不娶也不嫁,就像天上的天使一樣。

31 「關於死人復活的事,難道你們沒有讀過上帝對你們說過的話嗎? 32 祂說,『我是亞伯拉罕的上帝,以撒的上帝,雅各的上帝。』上帝不是死人的上帝,而是活人的上帝。」 33 眾人聽到祂的教導都很驚奇。

最大的誡命

34 法利賽人聽見耶穌使撒都該人無言以對,就聚集在一起。 35 其中有位律法專家試探耶穌說: 36 「老師,請問律法中哪一條誡命最重要呢?」

37 耶穌回答說:「『你要全心、全情、全意愛主——你的上帝』, 38 這是第一條也是最重要的誡命。 39 第二條也相似,就是『要愛鄰如己』。 40 律法和先知的全部教導都以這兩條誡命為基礎。」

基督的身分

41 耶穌趁著法利賽人聚在那裡,就問他們: 42 「你們對基督有何看法?祂是誰的後裔?」他們答道:「大衛的後裔。」

43 耶穌說:「那麼,為什麼大衛受聖靈感動,稱祂為主呢?大衛曾說,

44 『主對我主說,
你坐在我的右邊,
等我使你的仇敵伏在你腳下。』

45 既然大衛稱基督為主,基督又怎麼會是大衛的後裔呢?」 46 沒人能回答耶穌的問題。從此再沒有人敢用問題來刁難耶穌了。

王宴客的比喻

22 耶稣又用比喻对他们说: “天国就像一个王为儿子筹备婚宴。 他派奴仆去请受邀的客人,可是客人都不肯赴宴。 王再派其他奴仆去,说,‘去告诉被邀请的人,我的宴席已经备好,公牛和肥畜都宰了,一切都预备妥当,来赴婚宴吧!’ 那些人却毫不理会地走了,一个去种田,一个去做买卖, 其余的竟然抓住王的奴仆,把他们羞辱一番后杀了。 王大怒,派军队去剿灭凶手,烧毁他们的城。

“然后,他对奴仆说,‘婚宴已预备好了,只是被邀请的人不配。 所以你们到街头巷尾,把所有见到的人都请来。’ 10 奴仆到街上把遇到的人都请了来,好人坏人都有,大厅里满了客人。

11 “王出来会见在座的客人,发现有一个人没有穿礼服, 12 就问他,‘朋友,你来这里怎么不穿婚宴的礼服呢?’那人无言以对。 13 王便吩咐侍从,‘把他手脚绑起来丢到外面的黑暗里,让他在那里哀哭切齿。’”

14 耶稣又说:“被邀请的人多,选上的人少。”

以纳税问题刁难耶稣

15 那时,法利赛人出去策划怎样从耶稣的话里找把柄陷害祂。 16 他们派了自己的门徒跟希律党人一同去问耶稣:“老师,我们知道你诚实无伪,按真理传上帝的道,你不徇情面,不以貌取人。 17 那么请告诉我们,纳税给凯撒对不对呢?”

18 耶稣看出了他们的恶意,就说:“你们这些伪君子,为什么试探我呢? 19 拿一个纳税用的钱币来给我看。”他们就拿给祂一个银币。

20 耶稣问他们:“上面刻的是谁的像和名号?”

21 他们说:“凯撒的。”

耶稣说:“那么,属于凯撒的东西应该给凯撒,属于上帝的东西应该给上帝。” 22 他们听了很惊奇,只好离开祂走了。

论复活

23 同一天,不相信死人会复活的撒都该人也来问耶稣, 24 说:“老师,摩西说,‘如果一个人死了,没有儿女,只留下妻子,他的兄弟就当娶嫂嫂,替哥哥传宗接代。’ 25 从前,我们这里有弟兄七人,老大结了婚,没有孩子就死了,把妻子留给了弟弟。 26 二弟、三弟一直到七弟都相继娶了嫂嫂,都没留下孩子。 27 最后,那女人也死了。 28 那么,到复活的时候,她将是谁的妻子呢?因为他们都娶过她。”

29 耶稣说:“你们弄错了。你们不明白圣经,也不知道上帝的能力。 30 因为到复活的时候,人们将不娶也不嫁,就像天上的天使一样。

31 “关于死人复活的事,难道你们没有读过上帝对你们说过的话吗? 32 祂说,‘我是亚伯拉罕的上帝,以撒的上帝,雅各的上帝。’上帝不是死人的上帝,而是活人的上帝。” 33 众人听到祂的教导都很惊奇。

最大的诫命

34 法利赛人听见耶稣使撒都该人无言以对,就聚集在一起。 35 其中有位律法专家试探耶稣说: 36 “老师,请问律法中哪一条诫命最重要呢?”

37 耶稣回答说:“‘你要全心、全情、全意爱主——你的上帝’, 38 这是第一条也是最重要的诫命。 39 第二条也相似,就是‘要爱邻如己’。 40 律法和先知的全部教导都以这两条诫命为基础。”

基督的身份

41 耶稣趁着法利赛人聚在那里,就问他们: 42 “你们对基督有何看法?祂是谁的后裔?”他们答道:“大卫的后裔。”

43 耶稣说:“那么,为什么大卫受圣灵感动,称祂为主呢?大卫曾说,

44 “‘主对我主说,
你坐在我的右边,
等我使你的仇敌伏在你脚下。’

45 既然大卫称基督为主,基督又怎么会是大卫的后裔呢?” 46 没人能回答耶稣的问题。从此再没有人敢用问题来刁难耶稣了。

The Parable of the Wedding Banquet(A)

22 Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like(B) a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants(C) to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.

“Then he sent some more servants(D) and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’

“But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers(E) and burned their city.

“Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. So go to the street corners(F) and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ 10 So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good,(G) and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12 He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend(H)?’ The man was speechless.

13 “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’(I)

14 “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”(J)

Paying the Imperial Tax to Caesar(K)

15 Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. 16 They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians.(L) “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are. 17 Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax[a](M) to Caesar or not?”

18 But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? 19 Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, 20 and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”

21 “Caesar’s,” they replied.

Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s,(N) and to God what is God’s.”

22 When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.(O)

Marriage at the Resurrection(P)

23 That same day the Sadducees,(Q) who say there is no resurrection,(R) came to him with a question. 24 “Teacher,” they said, “Moses told us that if a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up offspring for him.(S) 25 Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died, and since he had no children, he left his wife to his brother. 26 The same thing happened to the second and third brother, right on down to the seventh. 27 Finally, the woman died. 28 Now then, at the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven, since all of them were married to her?”

29 Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures(T) or the power of God. 30 At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage;(U) they will be like the angels in heaven. 31 But about the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you, 32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’[b]?(V) He is not the God of the dead but of the living.”

33 When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at his teaching.(W)

The Greatest Commandment(X)

34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees,(Y) the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law,(Z) tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[c](AA) 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[d](AB) 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”(AC)

Whose Son Is the Messiah?(AD)

41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42 “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?”

“The son of David,”(AE) they replied.

43 He said to them, “How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’? For he says,

44 “‘The Lord said to my Lord:
    “Sit at my right hand
until I put your enemies
    under your feet.”’[e](AF)

45 If then David calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?” 46 No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions.(AG)

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 22:17 A special tax levied on subject peoples, not on Roman citizens
  2. Matthew 22:32 Exodus 3:6
  3. Matthew 22:37 Deut. 6:5
  4. Matthew 22:39 Lev. 19:18
  5. Matthew 22:44 Psalm 110:1

The Parable of the Wedding Feast(A)

22 And Jesus answered (B)and spoke to them again by parables and said: “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; (C)my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.” ’ But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. And the rest seized his servants, treated them [a]spitefully, and killed them. But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out (D)his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not (E)worthy. Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.’ 10 So those servants went out into the highways and (F)gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.

11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there (G)who did not have on a wedding garment. 12 So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was (H)speechless. 13 Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, [b]take him away, and cast him (I)into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

14 (J)“For many are called, but few are chosen.”

The Pharisees: Is It Lawful to Pay Taxes to Caesar?(K)

15 (L)Then the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle Him in His talk. 16 And they sent to Him their disciples with the (M)Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth; nor do You care about anyone, for You do not [c]regard the person of men. 17 Tell us, therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”

18 But Jesus [d]perceived their wickedness, and said, “Why do you test Me, you hypocrites? 19 Show Me the tax money.”

So they brought Him a denarius.

20 And He said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?”

21 They said to Him, “Caesar’s.”

And He said to them, (N)“Render[e] therefore to Caesar the things that are (O)Caesar’s, and to God the things that are (P)God’s.” 22 When they had heard these words, they marveled, and left Him and went their way.

The Sadducees: What About the Resurrection?(Q)

23 (R)The same day the Sadducees, (S)who say there is no resurrection, came to Him and asked Him, 24 saying: “Teacher, (T)Moses said that if a man dies, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. 25 Now there were with us seven brothers. The first died after he had married, and having no offspring, left his wife to his brother. 26 Likewise the second also, and the third, even to the seventh. 27 Last of all the woman died also. 28 Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had her.”

29 Jesus answered and said to them, “You are [f]mistaken, (U)not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God. 30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but (V)are like angels [g]of God in heaven. 31 But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, saying, 32 (W)‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” 33 And when the multitudes heard this, (X)they were astonished at His teaching.

The Scribes: Which Is the First Commandment of All?(Y)

34 (Z)But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35 Then one of them, (AA)a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”

37 Jesus said to him, (AB)“‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: (AC)‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 (AD)On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

Jesus: How Can David Call His Descendant Lord?(AE)

41 (AF)While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42 saying, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?”

They said to Him, “The (AG)Son of David.”

43 He said to them, “How then does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying:

44 ‘The(AH) Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your footstool” ’?

45 If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his Son?” 46 (AI)And no one was able to answer Him a word, (AJ)nor from that day on did anyone dare question Him anymore.

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 22:6 insolently
  2. Matthew 22:13 NU omits take him away, and
  3. Matthew 22:16 Lit. look at the face of
  4. Matthew 22:18 knew
  5. Matthew 22:21 Pay
  6. Matthew 22:29 deceived
  7. Matthew 22:30 NU omits of God