Matthew 22
Amplified Bible
Parable of the Marriage Feast
22 Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying, 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. 3 And he sent his servants to call those who had [previously] been invited to the wedding feast, but they refused to come. 4 Then he sent out some other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited, “Look, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fattened calves are butchered and everything is ready; come to the wedding feast.”’ 5 But they paid no attention [they disregarded the invitation, treating it with contempt] and went away, one to his farm, another to his business. 6 The rest [of the invited guests] seized his servants and mistreated them [insulting and humiliating them] and killed them. 7 The king was enraged [when he heard this], and sent his soldiers and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding [feast] is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. 9 So go to the main highways that lead out of the city, and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ 10 Those servants went out into the streets and gathered together all the people they could find, both bad and good; so the wedding hall was filled with dinner guests [sitting at the banquet table].
11 “But when the king came in to see the dinner guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed [appropriately] in wedding clothes, 12 and he said, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without wearing the wedding clothes [that were provided for you]?’ And the man was speechless and without excuse. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him into the darkness outside; in that place there will be weeping [over sorrow and pain] and grinding of teeth [over distress and anger].’ 14 For many are called (invited, summoned), but few are chosen.”
Tribute to Caesar
15 Then the Pharisees went and conspired together plotting how to trap Him by [distorting] what He said.(A) 16 They sent their disciples to Him, along with the [a]Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are sincere and that You teach the way of God truthfully, without concerning Yourself about [what] anyone [thinks or says of Your teachings]; for You are impartial and do not seek anyone’s favor [and You treat all people alike, regardless of status]. 17 Tell us then, what do You think? Is it permissible [according to Jewish law and tradition] to pay a [b]poll-tax to Caesar, or not?” 18 But Jesus, aware of their malice, asked, “Why are you testing Me, you hypocrites? 19 Show me the coin used for the poll-tax.” And they brought Him a denarius [a day’s wage]. 20 And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” 21 They said, “[[c]The Emperor Tiberius] Caesar’s.” Then He said to them, “Then pay to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s.” 22 When they heard this, they were caught off guard, and they left Him and went away.
Jesus Answers the Sadducees
23 On that day some Sadducees, who say that there is no resurrection [of the dead], came to Him and asked Him a question,(B) 24 saying, “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies, leaving no children, his brother as next of kin shall [d]marry his widow, and raise children for his brother.’(C) 25 Now there were seven brothers among us; the first married and died, and having no children left his wife to his brother. 26 The second also [died childless], and the third, down to the seventh. 27 Last of all, the woman died. 28 So in the resurrection, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had married her.”
29 But Jesus replied to them, “You are all wrong because you know neither the Scriptures [which teach the resurrection] nor the power of God [for He is able to raise the dead]. 30 For in the resurrection neither do men marry nor are women given in marriage, but they are like angels in heaven [who do not marry nor produce children]. 31 But as to the resurrection of the dead—have you not read [in the Scripture] what God said to you: 32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead, but of the living.”(D) 33 When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at His teaching.
34 Now when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced (muzzled) the Sadducees, they gathered together.(E) 35 One of them, a lawyer [an expert in Mosaic Law], asked Jesus a question, to test Him: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”(F) 37 And Jesus replied to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’(G) 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for others].’(H) 40 The whole Law and the [writings of the] Prophets depend on these two commandments.”
41 Now while the Pharisees were [still] gathered together, Jesus asked them a question:(I) 42 “What do you [Pharisees] think of the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed)? Whose Son is He?” They said to Him, “[e]The son of David.” 43 Jesus asked them, “How is it then that David by the inspiration of the Spirit, calls Him ‘Lord,’ saying,
44 
‘The Lord (the Father) said to my Lord (the Son, the Messiah),
“Sit at My right hand,
Until I put Your enemies under Your feet”’?(J)
45 So then, if David calls Him (the Son, the Messiah) ‘Lord,’ [f]how is He David’s son?” 46 No one was able to say a word to Him in answer, nor from that day on did anyone dare to question Him again.
Footnotes
- Matthew 22:16 A Jewish political party loyal to Herod. The Pharisees, who strongly opposed Herod and Roman rule, and the Herodians, who were strong allies of Herod and Rome, set aside their political differences in order to conspire together against Jesus.
- Matthew 22:17 Every Jew was required to pay the poll-tax. It was considered a sign of subservience to Rome.
- Matthew 22:21 Tiberius Caesar came to the throne after the death of his stepfather, Augustus, in a.d. 14 and ruled the Roman Empire until his death in a.d. 37. He was a brilliant military general, but an incompetent, irresponsible ruler. Most biblical references to “Caesar” refer to Tiberius.
- Matthew 22:24 The purpose of this was to carry on the family line and keep property within the family.
- Matthew 22:42 The Pharisees may have thought of the Messiah merely as a human descendant of David.
- Matthew 22:45 See note Mark 12:35.
Matthew 22
New Living Translation
Parable of the Great Feast
22 Jesus also told them other parables. He said, 2 “The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a king who prepared a great wedding feast for his son. 3 When the banquet was ready, he sent his servants to notify those who were invited. But they all refused to come!
4 “So he sent other servants to tell them, ‘The feast has been prepared. The bulls and fattened cattle have been killed, and everything is ready. Come to the banquet!’ 5 But the guests he had invited ignored them and went their own way, one to his farm, another to his business. 6 Others seized his messengers and insulted them and killed them.
7 “The king was furious, and he sent out his army to destroy the murderers and burn their town. 8 And he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, and the guests I invited aren’t worthy of the honor. 9 Now go out to the street corners and invite everyone you see.’ 10 So the servants brought in everyone they could find, good and bad alike, and the banquet hall was filled with guests.
11 “But when the king came in to meet the guests, he noticed a man who wasn’t wearing the proper clothes for a wedding. 12 ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how is it that you are here without wedding clothes?’ But the man had no reply. 13 Then the king said to his aides, ‘Bind his hands and feet and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.”
Taxes for Caesar
15 Then the Pharisees met together to plot how to trap Jesus into saying something for which he could be arrested. 16 They sent some of their disciples, along with the supporters of Herod, to meet with him. “Teacher,” they said, “we know how honest you are. You teach the way of God truthfully. You are impartial and don’t play favorites. 17 Now tell us what you think about this: Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
18 But Jesus knew their evil motives. “You hypocrites!” he said. “Why are you trying to trap me? 19 Here, show me the coin used for the tax.” When they handed him a Roman coin,[a] 20 he asked, “Whose picture and title are stamped on it?”
21 “Caesar’s,” they replied.
“Well, then,” he said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.”
22 His reply amazed them, and they went away.
Discussion about Resurrection
23 That same day Jesus was approached by some Sadducees—religious leaders who say there is no resurrection from the dead. They posed this question: 24 “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies without children, his brother should marry the widow and have a child who will carry on the brother’s name.’[b] 25 Well, suppose there were seven brothers. The oldest one married and then died without children, so his brother married the widow. 26 But the second brother also died, and the third brother married her. This continued with all seven of them. 27 Last of all, the woman also died. 28 So tell us, whose wife will she be in the resurrection? For all seven were married to her.”
29 Jesus replied, “Your mistake is that you don’t know the Scriptures, and you don’t know the power of God. 30 For when the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage. In this respect they will be like the angels in heaven.
31 “But now, as to whether there will be a resurrection of the dead—haven’t you ever read about this in the Scriptures? Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, God said,[c] 32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’[d] So he is the God of the living, not the dead.”
33 When the crowds heard him, they were astounded at his teaching.
The Most Important Commandment
34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees with his reply, they met together to question him again. 35 One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”
37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’[e] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[f] 40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”
Whose Son Is the Messiah?
41 Then, surrounded by the Pharisees, Jesus asked them a question: 42 “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?”
They replied, “He is the son of David.”
43 Jesus responded, “Then why does David, speaking under the inspiration of the Spirit, call the Messiah ‘my Lord’? For David said,
44 ‘The Lord said to my Lord,
Sit in the place of honor at my right hand
    until I humble your enemies beneath your feet.’[g]
45 Since David called the Messiah ‘my Lord,’ how can the Messiah be his son?”
46 No one could answer him. And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions.
Matthew 22
Lexham English Bible
The Parable of the Wedding Celebration
22 And continuing, Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying, 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man—a king—who gave a wedding celebration for his son. 3 And he sent his slaves to summon those who had been invited to the wedding celebration, and they did not want to come. 4 Again he sent other slaves, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited, “Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fattened cattle have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding celebration!”’ 5 But they paid no attention and[a] went away—this one to his own field, that one to his business. 6 And the others, seizing his slaves, mistreated them[b] and killed them.[c] 7 And the king was angry and sent his troops and[d] destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his slaves, ‘The wedding celebration is ready, but those who had been invited were not worthy. 9 Therefore, go out to the places where the roads exit the city and invite to the wedding celebration as many people as you find.’ 10 And those slaves went out into the roads and[e] gathered everyone whom they found, both evil and good, and the wedding celebration was filled with dinner guests.[f] 11 But when[g] the king came in to see the dinner guests,[h] he saw a man there not dressed in wedding clothes. 12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here, not having wedding clothes?’ But he could say nothing.[i] 13 Then the king said to the servants, ‘Tie him up hand and foot[j] and[k] throw him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!’ 14 For many are called but few are chosen.”
Paying Taxes to Caesar
15 Then the Pharisees went and consulted[l] so that they could entrap him with a statement. 16 And they sent their disciples to him with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are truthful and teach the way of God in truth, and you do not care what anyone thinks,[m] because you do not regard the opinion of people.[n] 17 Therefore tell us what you think. Is it permitted to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” 18 But because he[o] knew their maliciousness, Jesus said, “Hypocrites! Why are you testing me? 19 Show me the coin for the tax!” 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.” Then he said to them, “Therefore give to Caesar the things of Caesar, and to God the things of God!” 22 And when they[p] heard this,[q] they were astonished, and they left him and[r] went away.
A Question About Marriage and the Resurrection
23 On that day Sadducees—who say there is no resurrection—came up to him and asked him, 24 saying, “Teacher, Moses said if someone dies without having children, his brother is to marry his wife and father[s] descendants for his brother. 25 Now there were seven brothers with us. And the first died after[t] getting married, and because he[u] did not have descendants, he left his wife to his brother. 26 So also the second and the third, up to the seventh. 27 And last of all the woman died. 28 In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had her as wife.”[v] 29 But Jesus answered and[w] said to them, “You are mistaken, because[x] you do not know the scriptures or the power of God! 30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God[y] in heaven. 31 Now concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, who said, 32 “I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob”?[z] He is not the God of the dead, but of the living!” 33 And when[aa] the crowds heard this,[ab] they were amazed at his teaching.
The Greatest Commandment
34 Now when[ac] the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they assembled at the same place.[ad] 35 And one of them, a legal expert, put a question to him[ae] to test him: 36 “Teacher, which commandment is greatest 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.’[af] 38 This is the greatest and first commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’[ag] 40 On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.”
David’s Son and Lord
41 Now while[ah] the Pharisees were assembled, Jesus asked them, 42 saying, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?” They said to him, “David’s.” 43 He said to them, “How then does David, by the Spirit, call him ‘Lord,’ saying,
44 ‘The Lord said to my Lord,
    “Sit at my right hand
until I put your enemies
    under your feet”’?[ai]
45 If then David calls him ‘Lord,’ how is he his son?” 46 And no one was able to answer him a word, nor did anyone dare from that day on to ask him any more questions.[aj]
Footnotes
- Matthew 22:5 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“paid no attention”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Matthew 22:6 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Matthew 22:6 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Matthew 22:7 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“sent”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Matthew 22:10 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“went out”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Matthew 22:10 Literally “with those reclining at table”
- Matthew 22:11 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“came in”) which is understood as temporal
- Matthew 22:11 Literally “ones reclining at table”
- Matthew 22:12 Literally “he was silent”
- Matthew 22:13 Literally “feet and hands”
- Matthew 22:13 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“tie”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Matthew 22:15 Literally “took counsel”
- Matthew 22:16 Literally “it is not a care to you concerning anyone”
- Matthew 22:16 Literally “because you do not look at the face of men”
- Matthew 22:18 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“knew”) which is understood as causal
- Matthew 22:22 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“heard”) which is understood as temporal
- Matthew 22:22 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Matthew 22:22 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“left”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Matthew 22:24 Literally “raise up”
- Matthew 22:25 Here “after” is supplied as a component of the participle (“getting married”) which is understood as temporal
- Matthew 22:25 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“have”) which is understood as causal
- Matthew 22:28 *The words “as wife” are not in the Greek text but are implied
- Matthew 22:29 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“answered”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Matthew 22:29 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“know”) which is understood as causal
- Matthew 22:30 Some manuscripts omit “of God”
- Matthew 22:32 A quotation from Exod 3:6
- Matthew 22:33 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“heard”) which is understood as temporal
- Matthew 22:33 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Matthew 22:34 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“heard”) which is understood as temporal
- Matthew 22:34 Or “they assembled together”
- Matthew 22:35 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Matthew 22:37 A quotation from Deut 6:5
- Matthew 22:39 A quotation from Lev 19:18
- Matthew 22:41 Here “while” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“assembled”)
- Matthew 22:44 A quotation from Ps 110:1
- Matthew 22:46 *The word “questions” is not in the Greek text but is implied
Matthew 22
Wycliffe Bible
22 And Jesus answered, and spake again in parables to them, and said,
2 The kingdom of heavens is made like to a king that made weddings to his son. [The kingdom of heavens is like to a man king that made weddings to his son.]
3 And he sent his servants to call men that were bidden to the weddings, and they would not come.
4 Again he sent other servants, and said [saying], Say to the men that be bidden to the feast, Lo! I have made ready my meat, my bulls and my volatiles be slain [my bulls and my volatiles, or my fat beasts, be slain], and all things be ready; come ye to the weddings.
5 But they despised, and went forth, one into his town, another to his merchandise. [Soothly they despised, or reckoned not, and they went away, one into his vineyard, forsooth another to his merchandise.]
6 But [the] others held his servants, and tormented them, and slew [them].
7 But the king, when he had heard, was wroth; and he sent his hosts, and destroyed those man-quellers, and burnt their city.
8 Then he said to his servants [Then he saith to his servants], The weddings be ready, but they that were called to the feast, were not worthy.
9 Therefore go ye into the ends of ways, and whomever ye find, call ye to the weddings. [Therefore go ye to the outgoings, or ends, of ways, and whomever ye shall find, call to the weddings.]
10 And his servants went out into the ways, and gathered together all that they found, good and evil; and the bridal [and the weddings] was full-filled with men sitting at the meat.
11 And the king entered, to see men sitting at the meat; and he saw there a man not clothed with bride clothes [and he saw there a man not clothed with bridal clothes].
12 And he said to him, Friend, how enteredest thou hither without bride clothes [And he saith to him, Friend, how enteredest thou hither, not having bride clothes]? And he was dumb.
13 Then the king bade his ministers, Bind him both hands and feet, and send ye him into outer-more darknesses; there shall be weeping and grinding of teeth. [Then the king said to the ministers, His hands and feet bound, send ye him into utter-more darknesses; there shall be weeping and beating together of teeth.]
14 For many be called, but few be chosen.
15 Then Pharisees went away, and took a counsel to take Jesus in word. [Then Pharisees, going away, took a counsel, that they should take him in word.]
16 And they send to him their disciples, with Herodians, and said [saying], Master, we know, that thou art soothfast, and thou teachest in truth the way of God, and thou carest not of any man [and there is no care, or charge, to thee of any man], for thou beholdest not the person of men.
17 Therefore say to us, what seemeth to thee. Is it leaveful that tribute be given to the emperor, either nay[a]?
18 And when Jesus had known the wickedness of them, he said, Hypocrites, what tempt ye me?
19 Show ye to me the print of the money. And they brought to him a penny.
20 And Jesus said to them [And Jesus saith to them], Whose is this image, and the writing above?
21 They say to him, The emperor's. Then he said to them, Therefore yield ye to the emperor those things that be the emperor's, and to God those things that be of God.[b]
22 And they heard, and wondered; and they left him, and went away. [And they hearing wondered; and, him left, they went away.]
23 In that day Sadducees, that say there is no rising again to life [that say there is no rising again], came to him, and asked him,
24 and said, Master, Moses said, if any man is dead [saying, Master, Moses said, if any man be dead], not having a son, that his brother wed his wife, and raise seed to his brother.
25 And there were seven brethren to us; and the first wedded a wife, and is dead. And he had no seed, and left his wife to his brother; [Forsooth seven brethren were with us; and the first, a wife wedded, is dead. And he not having seed, left his wife to his brother;]
26 also the second, and the third, till to the seventh.
27 But the last of all, [also] the woman is dead.
28 Also in the rising again to life [Therefore in the rising again], whose wife of the seven shall she be? for all had her.
29 Jesus answered, and said to them, Ye err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the virtue of God.
30 For in the rising again to life, neither they shall wed, neither shall be wedded [For in the rising again, neither they wed, neither be wedded]; but they be as the angels of God in heaven.
31 And of the rising again of dead men, have ye not read, that [it] is said of the Lord, that saith to you [that it is said of the Lord, saying to you],
32 I am God of Abraham, and God of Isaac, and God of Jacob? he is not God of dead men, but of living men.
33 And the people hearing [And the companies hearing], wondered on his teaching.
34 And the Pharisees heard that he had put silence to Sadducees, and came together.
35 And one of them, a teacher of the law, asked Jesus, and tempted him, [And one of them, a teacher of the law, asked Jesus, tempting him,]
36 Master, which is a great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said to him, Thou shalt love thy Lord God, of all thine heart, and in all thy soul, and in all thy mind [Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, of all thine heart, and of all thy soul, and in all thy mind].
38 This is the first and the most commandment.
39 And the second is like to this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 In these two commandments hangeth all the law and the prophets.
41 And when the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them,
42 and said [saying], What seemeth to you of Christ, whose son is he? They say to him, Of David.
43 He saith to them, How then David in spirit calleth him Lord, and saith [saying],
44 The Lord said to my Lord, Sit [thou] on my right half, till I put thine enemies a stool of thy feet?
45 Then if David calleth him Lord, how is he his son?
46 And no man might answer a word to him, neither any man was hardy from that day, to ask him more.
Footnotes
- Matthew 22:17 Is it leaveful that tribute be given to Caesar, rent, or nay
- Matthew 22:21 They say to him, Of Caesar. Then he saith to them, Therefore yield ye to Caesar those things that be Caesar's/those things that be of Caesar, and to God those things that be of God.
Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
2012 by Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software
2001 by Terence P. Noble

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