Matthew 22:23-33
New English Translation
Marriage and the Resurrection
23 The same day Sadducees[a] (who say there is no resurrection)[b] came to him and asked him,[c] 24 “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and father children[d] for his brother.’[e] 25 Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died, and since he had no children he left his wife to his brother. 26 The second did the same, and the third, down to the seventh. 27 Last[f] of all, the woman died. 28 In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had married her.”[g] 29 Jesus[h] answered them, “You are deceived,[i] because you don’t 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[j] in heaven. 31 Now as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God,[k] 32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?[l] He is not the God of the dead but of the living!”[m] 33 When the crowds heard this, they were amazed at his teaching.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Matthew 22:23 sn See the note on Sadducees in 3:7.
- Matthew 22:23 sn This remark is best regarded as a parenthetical note by the author.
- Matthew 22:23 tn Grk “and asked him, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
- Matthew 22:24 tn Grk “and raise up seed,” an idiom for fathering children (L&N 23.59).
- Matthew 22:24 sn A quotation from Deut 25:5. This practice is called levirate marriage (see also Ruth 4:1-12; Mishnah, m. Yevamot; Josephus, Ant. 4.8.23 [4.254-256]). The levirate law is described in Deut 25:5-10. The brother of a man who died without a son had an obligation to marry his brother’s widow. This served several purposes: It provided for the widow in a society where a widow with no children to care for her would be reduced to begging, and it preserved the name of the deceased, who would be regarded as the legal father of the first son produced from that marriage.
- Matthew 22:27 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
- Matthew 22:28 tn Grk “For all had her.”
- Matthew 22:29 tn Grk “And answering, Jesus said to them.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation.
- Matthew 22:29 tn Or “mistaken” (cf. BDAG 822 s.v. πλανάω 2.c.γ).
- Matthew 22:30 tc Most witnesses have “of God” after “angels,” although some mss read ἄγγελοι θεοῦ (angeloi theou; א L ƒ13 28 33 892 1241 1424) while others have ἄγγελοι τοῦ θεοῦ (angeloi tou theou; W Γ Δ 0102 0161 565 579 M). Whether with or without the article, the reading “of God” appears to be a motivated addition. A few significant witnesses lack the adjunct (B D Θ 0233 ƒ1 700 sa); this coupled with strong internal evidence argues for the authenticity of the shorter reading.sn Angels do not die, nor do they eat according to Jewish tradition (1 En. 15:6; 51:4; Wis 5:5; 2 Bar. 51:10; 1QH 3.21-23).
- Matthew 22:31 tn Grk “spoken to you by God, saying.” The participle λέγοντος (legontos) is redundant here in contemporary English and has not been translated.
- Matthew 22:32 sn A quotation from Exod 3:6.
- Matthew 22:32 sn He is not God of the dead but of the living. Jesus’ point was that if God could identify himself as God of the three old patriarchs, then they must still be alive when God spoke to Moses; and so they must be raised.
Matthew 22:23-33
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Question about the Resurrection
23 The same day some Sadducees came to him saying there is no resurrection,[a] and they asked him a question:(A) 24 “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies childless, his brother shall marry the widow and raise up children for his brother.’(B) 25 Now there were seven brothers among us; the first married and died childless, leaving the widow to his brother. 26 The second did the same, so also the third, down to the seventh. 27 Last of all, the woman herself died. 28 In the resurrection, then, whose wife of the seven will she be? For all of them had married her.”
29 Jesus answered them, “You are wrong because you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God.(C) 30 For in the resurrection people neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like angels of God[b] 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, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is God not of the dead but of the living.”(D) 33 And when the crowds heard it, they were astounded at his teaching.(E)
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