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。

Parable of the Marriage Feast

22 Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying, (A)The kingdom of heaven [a]is like [b]a king who [c]held a (B)wedding feast for his son. And he (C)sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding feast, and they were unwilling to come. Again he (D)sent other slaves, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited, “Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fattened cattle are all butchered and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast!”’ But they paid no attention and went their separate ways, one to his own [d]farm, another to his business, and the rest seized his slaves and treated them abusively, and then killed them. Now the king was angry, and he sent his armies and destroyed those murderers and set their city on fire. Then he *said to his slaves, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. So go to (E)the main roads, and invite whomever you find there to the wedding feast.’ 10 Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good; and the wedding hall was filled with [e]dinner guests.

11 “But when the king came in to look over the [f]dinner guests, he saw (F)a man there who was not dressed in wedding clothes, 12 and he *said to him, ‘(G)Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ And the man was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the servants, ‘Tie his hands and feet, and throw him into (H)the outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth in that place.’ 14 For many are [g](I)called, but few are (J)chosen.”

Poll-tax to Caesar

15 (K)Then the Pharisees went and [h]plotted together how they might trap Him [i]in what He said. 16 And they *sent their disciples to Him, along with the (L)Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are truthful and teach the way of God in truth, and [j]do not care what anyone thinks; for You [k]are not partial to anyone. 17 Tell us then, what do You think? Is it [l]permissible to pay a [m](M)poll-tax to (N)Caesar, or not?” 18 But Jesus perceived their [n]malice, and said, “Why are you testing Me, you hypocrites? 19 Show Me the (O)coin used for the poll-tax.” And they brought Him a [o]denarius. 20 And He *said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” 21 They *said to Him, “Caesar’s.” Then He *said to them, (P)Then pay to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s.” 22 And hearing this, they were amazed; and (Q)they left Him and went away.

Jesus Answers the Sadducees

23 (R)On that day some (S)Sadducees (who say (T)there is no resurrection) came to [p]Jesus and questioned Him, 24 saying, “Teacher, Moses said, ‘(U)If a man dies having no children, his brother as next of kin shall marry his wife, and raise up [q]children for his brother.’ 25 Now there were seven brothers among us; and the first married and died, and having no [r]children, he left his wife to his brother. 26 It was the same also with the second brother, and the third, down to the seventh. 27 Last of all, the woman died. 28 In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had her in marriage.”

29 But Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, (V)since you do not [s]understand the Scriptures nor the power of God. 30 For in the resurrection they neither (W)marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 31 But regarding the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God: 32 (X)I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” 33 When the crowds heard this, (Y)they were astonished at His teaching.

34 (Z)But when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced (AA)the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35 And one of them, [t](AB)a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him: 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And He said to him, “‘(AC)You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the great and [u]foremost commandment. 39 The second is like it, ‘(AD)You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 (AE)Upon these two commandments [v]hang the whole Law and the Prophets.”

41 (AF)Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question: 42 “What do you think about the [w]Christ? Whose son is He?” They *said to Him, “(AG)The son of David.” 43 He *said to them, “Then [x]how does David [y](AH)in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying,

44 (AI)The Lord said to my Lord,
Sit at My right hand,
Until I put Your enemies under Your feet”’?

45 Therefore, if David calls Him ‘Lord,’ [z]how is He his son?” 46 (AJ)No one was able to offer Him a word in answer, nor did anyone dare from that day on to ask Him any more questions.

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 22:2 Lit has been compared to
  2. Matthew 22:2 Lit a man, a king
  3. Matthew 22:2 Lit made
  4. Matthew 22:5 Or field
  5. Matthew 22:10 Lit those reclining at the table
  6. Matthew 22:11 Lit those reclining at the table
  7. Matthew 22:14 Or invited
  8. Matthew 22:15 Lit took counsel
  9. Matthew 22:15 Lit in word
  10. Matthew 22:16 Lit it is not a concern to You about anyone;
  11. Matthew 22:16 Lit do not look at the face of people
  12. Matthew 22:17 Or lawful; i.e., by Jewish law and tradition
  13. Matthew 22:17 I.e., a tax on each person in the census
  14. Matthew 22:18 Or wickedness
  15. Matthew 22:19 The denarius was a day’s wages for a laborer
  16. Matthew 22:23 Lit Him
  17. Matthew 22:24 Lit seed
  18. Matthew 22:25 Lit seed
  19. Matthew 22:29 Or know
  20. Matthew 22:35 I.e., an expert in the Mosaic Law
  21. Matthew 22:38 Or first
  22. Matthew 22:40 I.e., completely depend
  23. Matthew 22:42 I.e., Messiah
  24. Matthew 22:43 Or in what sense does
  25. Matthew 22:43 I.e., by inspiration
  26. Matthew 22:45 Or in what sense is

The Parable of the Wedding Banquet

22 And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a marriage feast for his son, and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the marriage feast; but they would not come. Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, Behold, I have made ready my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves are killed, and everything is ready; come to the marriage feast.’ But they made light of it and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the thoroughfares, and invite to the marriage feast as many as you find.’ 10 And those servants went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good; so the wedding hall was filled with guests.

11 “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment;[a] 12 and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and cast him into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.’ 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”

The Question about Paying Taxes

15 Then the Pharisees went and took counsel how to entangle him in his talk. 16 And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Hero′di-ans, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are true, and teach the way of God truthfully, and care for no man; for you do not regard the position of men. 17 Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” 18 But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? 19 Show me the money for the tax.” And they brought him a coin.[b] 20 And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” 21 They said, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 22 When they heard it, they marveled; and they left him and went away.

The Question about the Resurrection

23 The same day Sad′ducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection; and they asked him a question, 24 saying, “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies, having no children, his brother must marry the widow, and raise up children for his brother.’ 25 Now there were seven brothers among us; the first married, and died, and having no children left his wife to his brother. 26 So too the second and third, down to the seventh. 27 After them all, the woman died. 28 In the resurrection, therefore, to which of the seven will she be wife? For they all had her.”

29 But Jesus answered them, “You are wrong, because you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God. 30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels[c] in heaven. 31 And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God, 32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not God of the dead, but of the living.” 33 And when the crowd heard it, they were astonished at his teaching.

The Greatest Commandment

34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sad′ducees, they came together. 35 And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, to test him. 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.”

The Question about David’s Son

41 Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question, 42 saying, “What do you think of the Christ? Whose son is he?” They said to him, “The son of David.” 43 He said to them, “How is it then that David, inspired by the Spirit,[d] calls him Lord, saying,

44 ‘The Lord said to my Lord,
Sit at my right hand,
till I put thy enemies under thy feet’?

45 If David thus calls him Lord, how is he his son?” 46 And no one was able to answer him a word, nor from that day did any one dare to ask him any more questions.

Footnotes

  1. 22.11 The wedding garment represents the dispositions necessary for admission to the kingdom.
  2. Matthew 22:19 Greek a denarius
  3. Matthew 22:30 Other ancient authorities add of God
  4. Matthew 22:43 Or David in the Spirit