Parable of the Marriage Feast

22 Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying, (A)The kingdom of heaven [a]may be compared to [b]a king who [c]gave a (B)wedding feast for his son. And he (C)sent out his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding feast, and they were unwilling to come. Again he (D)sent out other slaves saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited, “Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fattened livestock are all butchered and everything is ready; come to the wedding feast.”’ But they paid no attention and went their way, one to his own [d]farm, another to his business, and the rest seized his slaves and mistreated them and killed them. But the king was enraged, and he sent his armies and destroyed those murderers and set their city on fire. Then he *said to his slaves, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Go therefore to (E)the main highways, and as many as you find there, invite to the wedding feast.’ 10 Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered together all they found, both evil and good; and the wedding hall was filled with [e]dinner guests.

11 “But when the king came in to look over the 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 come in here without wedding clothes?’ And the man was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into (H)the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 For many are [f](I)called, but few are (J)chosen.”

Tribute to Caesar

15 (K)Then the Pharisees went and [g]plotted together how they might trap Him [h]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 [i]defer to no one; for You are not partial to any. 17 Tell us then, what do You think? Is it [j]lawful to give a (M)poll-tax to (N)Caesar, or not?” 18 But Jesus perceived their [k]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 [l]denarius. 20 And He *said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” 21 They *said to Him, “Caesar’s.” Then He *said to them, (P)Then render 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)leaving Him, they went away.

Jesus Answers the Sadducees

23 (R)On that day some (S)Sadducees (who say (T)there is no resurrection) came to Jesus and questioned Him, 24 asking, “Teacher, Moses said, ‘(U)If a man dies having no children, his brother as next of kin shall marry his wife, and raise up children for his brother.’ 25 Now there were seven brothers with us; and the first married and died, and having no children left his wife to his brother; 26 so also the second, 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 married her.”

29 But Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, (V)not [m]understanding 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, and 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 themselves together. 35 One of them, [n](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 [o]foremost commandment. 39 The second is like it, ‘(AD)You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 (AE)On these two commandments depend 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 [p]the Christ, whose son is He?” They *said to Him, “(AG)The son of David.” 43 He *said to them, “Then how does David [q](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 beneath Your feet”’?

45 If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his son?” 46 (AJ)No one was able to answer Him a word, nor did anyone dare from that day on to ask Him [r]another question.

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 22:2 Lit was 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 22:14 Or invited
  7. Matthew 22:15 Lit took counsel
  8. Matthew 22:15 Lit in word
  9. Matthew 22:16 Lit it is not a concern to You about anyone; i.e. You do not seek anyone’s favor
  10. Matthew 22:17 Or permissible
  11. Matthew 22:18 Or wickedness
  12. Matthew 22:19 The denarius was a day’s wages
  13. Matthew 22:29 Or knowing
  14. Matthew 22:35 I.e. an expert in the Mosaic Law
  15. Matthew 22:38 Or first
  16. Matthew 22:42 I.e. the Messiah
  17. Matthew 22:43 Or by inspiration
  18. Matthew 22:46 Lit any longer

A Story About a Wedding Feast(A)

22 Jesus again used ·stories [parables] to teach them. He said, “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding ·feast [banquet] for his son. When the ·feast [banquet] was ready, the king sent his servants to ·tell [inform; call] the people who had been invited, but they refused to come.

“Then the king sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited that my ·feast [banquet] is ready. I have killed my best ·bulls [or oxen] and [L fattened] calves for the dinner, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding ·feast [banquet].’

“But the people ·refused to listen [paid no attention] to the servants and ·left to do other things [went their own way]. One went to ·work in his field [his field/farm], and another went to his business. ·Some of the other people [or The rest] grabbed the servants, ·beat [mistreated; insulted] them, and killed them. The king was furious and sent his army to ·kill [destroy] the murderers and burn their city [C probably an allusion to the destruction of Jerusalam in ad 70].

“After that, the king said to his servants, ‘The wedding ·feast [banquet] is ready. I invited those people, but they ·were not worthy [do not deserve] to come. So go to the ·street corners [crossroads; or main roads] and invite everyone you find to come to my ·feast [banquet].’ 10 So the servants went into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and ·bad [evil]. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.

11 [L But] When the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man who was not dressed ·for a wedding [in wedding clothes]. 12 The king said, ‘Friend, how were you allowed to come in here? You are not dressed for a wedding.’ But the man ·said nothing [was speechless/silent]. 13 So the king told some servants, ‘Tie this man’s hands and feet. Throw him out into the ·darkness [darkness outside; or outermost darkness], where ·people will cry and grind their teeth with pain [L there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth; C symbols of agony and torment].’

14 “·Yes [L For], many are ·invited [called], but only a few are chosen.”

Is It Right to Pay Taxes or Not?(B)

15 Then the Pharisees left that place and ·made plans [plotted] to ·trap [catch] Jesus in ·saying something wrong [his words]. 16 They sent some of their own ·followers [disciples] and some people from the group called Herodians [C a political group that supported king Herod and his family]. They said, “Teacher, we know that you are ·an honest man [true; sincere] and that you teach ·the truth [with sincerity/honesty] about God’s way. You are not ·afraid of [L concerned about] what other people think about you, because you ·pay no attention to who they are [play no favorites; are impartial; aren’t swayed by appearances]. 17 So tell us what you think. Is it ·right [permissible; lawful] to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” [C Saying “yes” would anger Jews who hated Roman rule; saying “no” could result in being charged with insurrection.]

18 But knowing ·that these leaders were trying to trick him [their evil/malicious motives], Jesus said, “You hypocrites! Why are you ·trying to trap [testing] me? 19 Show me a coin used for paying the tax.” So the men ·showed him a coin [L brought him a denarius; C a Roman coin worth a day’s wages]. 20 Then Jesus asked, “Whose ·image [likeness; portrait] and ·name [inscription] are on the coin?”

21 The men answered, “Caesar’s.” [C Ironically, the religious leaders were carrying coins bearing the idolatrous image of Caesar.]

Then Jesus said to them, “·Give [T Render] to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and give to God the things that are God’s.”

22 When the men heard what Jesus said, they were amazed and left him and went away.

Some Sadducees Try to Trick Jesus(C)

23 That same day some Sadducees came to Jesus and asked him a question. (Sadducees believed that people would not rise from the dead.) 24 They said, “Teacher, Moses said if a married man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and ·have children [L raise up offspring/seed] for him [Deut. 25:5]. 25 Once there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died. Since he had no ·children [offspring], his brother married the widow. 26 Then the second brother also died. The same thing happened to the third brother ·and all the other brothers [L down to the seventh]. 27 Finally, the woman died. 28 Since all seven men had married her, ·when people rise from the dead [L at the resurrection], whose wife will she be?”

29 Jesus answered, “You ·don’t understand [are mistaken/deceived], because you don’t know what the Scriptures say, and you don’t know about the power of God. 30 [L For] ·When people rise from the dead [L At the resurrection], they will not marry, nor will they be given to someone to marry. They will be like the angels in heaven. 31 ·Surely you have read [L Have you not read…?] what God said to you ·about rising [concerning the resurrection] from the dead. 32 God said, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob [Ex. 3:6; C God is still the God of the patriarchs, so they must have a continued existence after death].’ God is the God of the living, not the dead.”

33 When the people heard this, they were ·amazed [astounded] at Jesus’ teaching.

The Most Important Command(D)

34 When the Pharisees learned that ·the Sadducees could not argue with Jesus’ answers to them [L Jesus had silenced the Sadducees], the Pharisees met together. 35 One Pharisee, who was an expert on the law of Moses, asked Jesus this question to ·test [trap] him: 36 “Teacher, which command in the law is the ·most important [greatest]?”

37 Jesus answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind [Deut. 6:5].’ 38 This is the first and ·most important [greatest] command. 39 And the second command is like the first: ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself [Lev. 19:18].’ 40 All the law and the ·writings of the prophets [L prophets] ·depend [are based; L hang] on these two commands.”

Jesus Questions the Pharisees(E)

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

They answered, “The Son of David [see 2 Sam. 7:12].”

43 Then Jesus said to them, “Then why did David call him ‘Lord’? David, speaking ·by the power of the Holy Spirit [L in/by the Spirit], said,

44 ‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit by me at my right ·side [L hand; C the place of greatest honor beside the king],
    until I put your enemies ·under your control [L beneath your feet; C meaning defeated or made subject to your authority; Ps. 110:1].”’

45 David calls ·the Christ [the Messiah; L him] ‘Lord,’ so how can ·the Christ [the Messiah; L he] be his son?”

46 ·None of the Pharisees [L No one] could answer ·Jesus’ question [a word], and after that day no one ·was brave enough [dared] to ask him any more questions.

A parábola do banquete de casamento

22 Jesus lhes contou outras parábolas. Disse ele: “O reino dos céus pode ser ilustrado com a história de um rei que preparou um grande banquete de casamento para seu filho. Quando o banquete estava pronto, o rei enviou seus servos para avisar os convidados, mas todos se recusaram a vir.

“Então ele enviou outros servos para lhes dizer: ‘Já preparei o banquete; os bois e novilhos gordos foram abatidos, e tudo está pronto. Venham para a festa!’. Mas os convidados não lhes deram atenção e foram embora: um para sua fazenda, outro para seus negócios. Outros, ainda, agarraram os mensageiros, os insultaram e os mataram.

“O rei ficou furioso e enviou seu exército para destruir os assassinos e queimar a cidade deles. Disse a seus servos: ‘O banquete de casamento está pronto, e meus convidados não são dignos dessa honra. Agora, saiam pelas esquinas e convidem todos que vocês encontrarem’. 10 Então os servos trouxeram todos que encontraram, tanto bons como maus, e o salão do banquete se encheu de convidados.

11 “Quando o rei entrou para recebê-los, notou um homem que não estava vestido de forma apropriada para um casamento 12 e perguntou-lhe: ‘Amigo, como é que você se apresenta sem a roupa de casamento?’. O homem não teve o que responder. 13 Então o rei disse: ‘Amarrem-lhe as mãos e os pés e lancem-no para fora, na escuridão, onde haverá choro e ranger de dentes’.

14 “Pois muitos são chamados, mas poucos são escolhidos”.

Impostos para César

15 Então os fariseus se reuniram para tramar um modo de levar Jesus a dizer algo que desse motivo para o prenderem. 16 Enviaram alguns de seus discípulos, junto com os partidários de Herodes, para se encontrarem com ele. Disseram: “Mestre, sabemos como o senhor é honesto e ensina o caminho de Deus de acordo com a verdade. É imparcial e não demonstra favoritismo. 17 Agora, diga-nos o que o senhor pensa a respeito disto: É certo pagar impostos a César ou não?”.

18 Jesus, porém, sabia de sua má intenção e disse: “Hipócritas! Por que vocês tentam me apanhar numa armadilha? 19 Mostrem-me a moeda usada para pagar o imposto”. Quando lhe deram uma moeda de prata,[a] 20 ele disse: “De quem são a imagem e o título nela gravados?”.

21 “De César”, responderam.

“Então deem a César o que pertence a César, e deem a Deus o que pertence a Deus”, disse ele.

22 Sua resposta os deixou admirados, e eles foram embora.

Discussão sobre a ressurreição dos mortos

23 No mesmo dia, vieram a Jesus alguns saduceus, líderes religiosos que afirmam não haver ressurreição dos mortos, 24 e perguntaram: “Mestre, Moisés disse: ‘Se um homem morrer sem deixar filhos, o irmão dele deve se casar com a viúva e ter um filho, que dará continuidade ao nome do irmão’.[b] 25 Numa família havia sete irmãos. O mais velho se casou e morreu sem deixar filhos, de modo que seu irmão se casou com a viúva. 26 O segundo irmão também morreu, e o terceiro irmão se casou com ela. E assim por diante, até o sétimo irmão. 27 Por fim, a mulher também morreu. 28 Diga-nos, de quem ela será esposa na ressurreição? Afinal, os sete se casaram com ela”.

29 Jesus respondeu: “O erro de vocês está em não conhecerem as Escrituras nem o poder de Deus, 30 pois, quando os mortos ressuscitarem, não se casarão nem se darão em casamento. Nesse sentido, serão como os anjos do céu.

31 “Agora, quanto a haver ressurreição dos mortos, vocês não leram a esse respeito nas Escrituras? Deus disse: 32 ‘Eu sou o Deus de Abraão, o Deus de Isaque e o Deus de Jacó’.[c] Portanto, ele é o Deus dos vivos, e não dos mortos”.

33 Quando as multidões o ouviram, ficaram admiradas com seu ensino.

O mandamento mais importante

34 Sabendo os fariseus que Jesus tinha calado os saduceus com essa resposta, reuniram-se novamente para interrogá-lo. 35 Um deles, especialista na lei, tentou apanhá-lo numa armadilha com a seguinte pergunta: 36 “Mestre, qual é o mandamento mais importante da lei de Moisés?”.

37 Jesus respondeu: “‘Ame o Senhor, seu Deus, de todo o seu coração, de toda a sua alma e de toda a sua mente’.[d] 38 Este é o primeiro e o maior mandamento. 39 O segundo é igualmente importante: ‘Ame o seu próximo como a si mesmo’.[e] 40 Toda a lei e todas as exigências dos profetas se baseiam nesses dois mandamentos”.

De quem o Cristo é filho?

41 Então, rodeado pelos fariseus, Jesus lhes fez a seguinte pergunta: 42 “O que vocês pensam do Cristo? De quem ele é filho?”.

Eles responderam: “É filho de Davi”.

43 Jesus perguntou: “Então por que Davi, falando por meio do Espírito, chama o Cristo de ‘meu Senhor’? Pois Davi disse:

44 ‘O Senhor disse ao meu Senhor:

Sente-se no lugar de honra à minha direita

até que eu humilhe seus inimigos

debaixo de seus pés’.[f]

45 Portanto, se Davi chamou o Cristo de ‘meu Senhor’, como ele pode ser filho de Davi?”.

46 Ninguém conseguiu responder e, depois disso, não se atreveram a lhe fazer mais perguntas.

Footnotes

  1. 22.19 Em grego, 1 denário.
  2. 22.24 Dt 25.5-6.
  3. 22.32 Êx 3.6.
  4. 22.37 Dt 6.5.
  5. 22.39 Lv 19.18.
  6. 22.44 Sl 110.1.