The Parable of the Wedding Celebration

22 And continuing, Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man—a king—who gave a wedding celebration for his son. And he sent his slaves to summon those who had been invited to the wedding celebration, and they did not want to come. 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!”’ But they paid no attention and[a] went away—this one to his own field, that one to his business. And the others, seizing his slaves, mistreated them[b] and killed them.[c] And the king was angry and sent his troops and[d] destroyed those murderers and burned their city. Then he said to his slaves, ‘The wedding celebration is ready, but those who had been invited were not worthy. 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

  1. Matthew 22:5 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“paid no attention”) has been translated as a finite verb
  2. Matthew 22:6 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  3. Matthew 22:6 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  4. Matthew 22:7 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“sent”) has been translated as a finite verb
  5. Matthew 22:10 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“went out”) has been translated as a finite verb
  6. Matthew 22:10 Literally “with those reclining at table”
  7. Matthew 22:11 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“came in”) which is understood as temporal
  8. Matthew 22:11 Literally “ones reclining at table”
  9. Matthew 22:12 Literally “he was silent”
  10. Matthew 22:13 Literally “feet and hands”
  11. Matthew 22:13 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“tie”) has been translated as a finite verb
  12. Matthew 22:15 Literally “took counsel”
  13. Matthew 22:16 Literally “it is not a care to you concerning anyone”
  14. Matthew 22:16 Literally “because you do not look at the face of men”
  15. Matthew 22:18 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“knew”) which is understood as causal
  16. Matthew 22:22 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“heard”) which is understood as temporal
  17. Matthew 22:22 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  18. Matthew 22:22 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“left”) has been translated as a finite verb
  19. Matthew 22:24 Literally “raise up”
  20. Matthew 22:25 Here “after” is supplied as a component of the participle (“getting married”) which is understood as temporal
  21. Matthew 22:25 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“have”) which is understood as causal
  22. Matthew 22:28 *The words “as wife” are not in the Greek text but are implied
  23. Matthew 22:29 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“answered”) has been translated as a finite verb
  24. Matthew 22:29 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“know”) which is understood as causal
  25. Matthew 22:30 Some manuscripts omit “of God”
  26. Matthew 22:32 A quotation from Exod 3:6
  27. Matthew 22:33 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“heard”) which is understood as temporal
  28. Matthew 22:33 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  29. Matthew 22:34 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“heard”) which is understood as temporal
  30. Matthew 22:34 Or “they assembled together”
  31. Matthew 22:35 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  32. Matthew 22:37 A quotation from Deut 6:5
  33. Matthew 22:39 A quotation from Lev 19:18
  34. Matthew 22:41 Here “while” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“assembled”)
  35. Matthew 22:44 A quotation from Ps 110:1
  36. Matthew 22:46 *The word “questions” is not in the Greek text but is implied

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