馬太福音 22
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Traditional)
王宴客的比喻
22 耶穌又用比喻對他們說： 2 「天國就像一個王為兒子籌備婚宴。 3 他派奴僕去請受邀的客人，可是客人都不肯赴宴。 4 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！』 5 那些人卻毫不理會地走了，一個去種田，一個去做買賣， 6 其餘的竟然抓住王的奴僕，把他們羞辱一番後殺了。 7 王大怒，派軍隊去剿滅凶手，燒毀他們的城。
8 「然後，他對奴僕說，『婚宴已預備好了，只是被邀請的人不配。 9 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。
Matthew 22
New King James Version
The Parable of the Wedding Feast(A)
22 And Jesus answered (B)and spoke to them again by parables and said: 2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, 3 and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. 4 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.” ’ 5 But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. 6 And the rest seized his servants, treated them [a]spitefully, and killed them. 7 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. 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not (E)worthy. 9 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
- Matthew 22:6 insolently
- Matthew 22:13 NU omits take him away, and
- Matthew 22:16 Lit. look at the face of
- Matthew 22:18 knew
- Matthew 22:21 Pay
- Matthew 22:29 deceived
- Matthew 22:30 NU omits of God
Matthew 22
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 22
The Parable of the Wedding Banquet.[a] 1 Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying, 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. 3 He sent forth his servants to summon those who had been invited to the banquet, but they refused to come. 4 Then he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited, “Behold, my banquet has been prepared, my oxen and my fattened cattle have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.” ’
5 “But they ignored his invitation. One went off to his farm, another to his business, 6 while the rest seized his servants, mistreated them, and killed them.
7 “The king was enraged, and he sent forth his troops who destroyed those murderers and burned their city to the ground. 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy of that honor. 9 Go forth, therefore, to the main roads and invite everyone you can find to the wedding banquet.’ 10 The servants went forth into the streets and gathered together everyone they could find, good and bad alike. And so the wedding hall was filled with guests.
11 [b]“But when the king came in to greet the guests, he noticed one man who was not properly dressed for a wedding. 12 ‘My friend,’ he said to him, ‘how did you gain entrance here without a wedding garment?’ The man was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind his hands and feet and cast him outside into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”[c]
15 God or Caesar.[d] Then the Pharisees went off and made plans to trap him in what he said. 16 They sent some of their disciples to him, along with the Herodians,[e] and said, “Teacher, we know that you are truthful and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Nor are you concerned with anyone’s opinion for you do not care about people’s opinions. 17 Tell us then what you think about this: Is it lawful or not for us to pay taxes to Caesar?”
18 Jesus was aware of their malicious intent, and he said, “You hypocrites! Why are you trying to trap me? 19 Show me the coin that is used for paying the tax.” When they brought him a denarius,[f] 20 he asked them, “Whose image is this, and whose inscription?” 21 They replied, “Caesar’s.” On hearing this, he said to them, “Give to Caesar what is due to Caesar, and to God what is due to God.”[g] 22 Stunned on hearing this reply, they went away and left him alone.
23 Marriage and the Resurrection.[h] On that same day, the Sadducees, who assert that there is no resurrection, approached him and posed this question, 24 “Teacher, Moses said that if a man dies without having children, his brother[i] is to marry his brother’s wife and raise up children for his brother. 25 Now there were seven brothers who belonged to our group. The first one married and died without issue, and therefore left his wife to his brother. 26 The same result occurred with the second brother and the third, right down to the seventh. 27 Finally, the woman herself died. 28 Now at the resurrection, whose wife of the seven will she be, inasmuch as all of them had her?”
29 Jesus answered them, “You are in error, for you do not understand the Scriptures or the power of God. 30 At the resurrection they will neither marry nor be given in marriage. They are like the angels in heaven.
31 “And in regard to the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what God himself said to you: 32 ‘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, they were astonished at his teaching.
34 The Greatest Commandment.[j] When the Pharisees learned that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, 35 and, to test him, one of them, a lawyer, asked this question, 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus 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 greatest and the first commandment. 39 The second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 Everything in the Law and the Prophets depends on these two commandments.”
41 Jesus Is Lord.[k] While the Pharisees were assembled together, Jesus asked them this question, 42 “What is your opinion about the Christ? Whose son is he?” They replied, “He is the son of David.” 43 He responded, “How is it then that David, under the inspiration of the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord,’ saying:
44 ‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand
until I put your enemies under your feet” ’?
45 If David calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?” 46 No one was able to give him an answer, and from that day onward no one dared to ask him any further questions.
Footnotes
- Matthew 22:1 The meaning of this parable is similar to that of the preceding one. The Messianic Kingdom is likened to a nuptial banquet. The king is God; the servants are the Prophets; the invited guests are the Israelites; the punishment of the city refers to the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70; the new invitees are the Gentiles. Some retouches have made the parable a warning to the Church of Matthew as well as a statement of God’s judgment on Israel.
- Matthew 22:11 Scholars speak of these verses almost as another parable, that of the wedding garment. In this world the good and the wicked are mixed together, for it is the time of patience and mercy. During this time Christians must cooperate with God’s grace, which is tantamount to wearing the wedding garment.
- Matthew 22:14 Many . . . chosen: this does not seem to allude to the number of the elect, since that is a secret that the Father had reserved to himself. It means that all the Israelites have been invited, but only a few of them have accepted the Gospel.
- Matthew 22:15 Here the series of controversies between Jesus and the religious authorities is resumed, beginning with the question of paying taxes to the Roman emperor. For over twenty years, the Roman emperor had been levying a tax on Palestine; the Jewish people regarded it as a sign of unjust oppression. To pay it was regarded as a denial of Jewish hopes; to challenge it meant taking the side of revolutionary agitators. Only the elderly and children were exempt; the Zealots forbade their members to pay it.
- Matthew 22:16 Herodians: partisans and courtiers of the reigning dynasty of the Herods. Though they were Jews in religion, their spirit was Gentile. They conspired with their enemies the Pharisees against Christ.
- Matthew 22:19 Denarius: the daily wage of a laborer.
- Matthew 22:21 Jesus emphasizes that it is not enough to give to Caesar what is due to Caesar; people must also give to God what is due to God, i.e., worship and good works (see Mt 21:41, 43).
- Matthew 22:23 Faith in a resurrection became common only toward the end of the Old Testament period. Not all shared the certainty; the Sadducees, the aristocrats of the priestly class and men concerned more with politics than with religion, considered it a rather debatable theological novelty. They debate it with Jesus, using arguments that emerge as caricature and prevent access to the heart of the question. Jesus answers in the name of the Jewish faith in God: God stands on the side of life.
- Matthew 22:24 If a man dies . . . his brother: this custom is known as the “law of the levirate,” from the Latin word for brother-in-law (levir). It was intended to continue the family line of the deceased brother (see Deut 25:6).
- Matthew 22:34 Instead of dividing the Law into a string of precepts (the Rabbis counted 248) and prohibitions (365), Jesus unifies it in two essential commandments: love of God (Deut 6:5) and neighbor (Lev 19:18). These form the basis of every precept.
- Matthew 22:41 For centuries people had been awaiting a Christ, or Messiah, who would be a son of David; they saw him pictured in an ancient royal psalm that became a song of Messianic expectation (Ps 110). But Christ is more than the heir to David’s throne; he possesses the authority of God. Only during his Passion will Jesus expressly claim to be the Messiah (Mt 26:63-64).
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
