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22 And Jesus answered and spoke unto them again in parables and said,

“The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a certain king, who made a marriage for his son.

And he sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding, and they would not come.

Again he sent forth other servants, saying, ‘Tell them that are bidden, “Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready. Come unto the marriage.”’

But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his farm, and another to his merchandise,

and the remnant took his servants and treated them spitefully and slew them.

But when the king heard thereof he was wroth, and he sent forth his armies and destroyed those murderers and burned up their city.

Then said he to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but they that were bidden were not worthy.

Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.’

10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered all together as many as they found, both bad and good, and the wedding was furnished with guests.

11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man who did not have on a wedding garment.

12 And he said unto him, ‘Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless.

13 Then said the king to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”

15 Then the Pharisees went and took counsel how they might entangle Him in His talk.

16 And they sent out unto Him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, “Master, we know that thou art true and teachest the way of God in truth; neither carest thou for any man, for thou regardest not the person of men.

17 Tell us therefore, what thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?”

18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness and said, “Why tempt ye Me, ye hypocrites?

19 Show Me the tribute money.” And they brought unto Him a penny.

20 And He said unto them, “Whose is this image and superscription?”

21 And they said unto Him, “Caesar’s.” Then said He unto them, “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s.”

22 When they had heard these words, they marveled, and left Him and went their way.

23 The same day the Sadducees, who say that there is no resurrection, came to Him and asked Him,

24 saying, “Master, Moses said, ‘If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife and raise up seed unto his brother.’

25 Now there were with us seven brethren. And the first, when he had married a wife, died; and having no issue, he left his wife unto his brother.

26 Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh.

27 And last of all, the woman died also.

28 Therefore in the resurrection, whose wife shall she be of the seven? For they all had her.”

29 Jesus answered and said unto them, “Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God.

30 For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in Heaven.

31 But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,

32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, and 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 multitude heard this, they were astonished at His doctrine.

34 But when the Pharisees had heard that He had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together.

35 Then one of them, who was a lawyer, asked Him a question, tempting Him and saying,

36 “Master, which is the great commandment in the law?”

37 Jesus said unto him, “‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.’

38 This is the first and great commandment.

39 And the second is like unto it: ‘Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.’

40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them,

42 saying, “What think ye of Christ? Whose Son is He?” They said unto Him, “The son of David.”

43 He said unto them, “How then doth David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying,

44 ‘The Lord said unto my Lord, “Sit Thou on My right hand until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool”’?

45 If David then call Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his son?”

46 And no man was able to answer Him a word; neither dared any man from that day forth ask Him any more questions.

The Parable of the Wedding Banquet(A)

22 Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like(B) a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants(C) to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.

“Then he sent some more servants(D) and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’

“But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers(E) and burned their city.

“Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. So go to the street corners(F) and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ 10 So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good,(G) and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12 He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend(H)?’ The man was speechless.

13 “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’(I)

14 “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”(J)

Paying the Imperial Tax to Caesar(K)

15 Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. 16 They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians.(L) “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are. 17 Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax[a](M) to Caesar or not?”

18 But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? 19 Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, 20 and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”

21 “Caesar’s,” they replied.

Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s,(N) and to God what is God’s.”

22 When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.(O)

Marriage at the Resurrection(P)

23 That same day the Sadducees,(Q) who say there is no resurrection,(R) came to him with a question. 24 “Teacher,” they said, “Moses told us that if a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up offspring for him.(S) 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 same thing happened to the second and third brother, right on down to the seventh. 27 Finally, the woman died. 28 Now then, at the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven, since all of them were married to her?”

29 Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures(T) or the power of God. 30 At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage;(U) they will be like the angels in heaven. 31 But about the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you, 32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’[b]?(V) He is not the God of the dead but of the living.”

33 When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at his teaching.(W)

The Greatest Commandment(X)

34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees,(Y) the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law,(Z) tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[c](AA) 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[d](AB) 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”(AC)

Whose Son Is the Messiah?(AD)

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

“The son of David,”(AE) they replied.

43 He said to them, “How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’? For he says,

44 “‘The Lord said to my Lord:
    “Sit at my right hand
until I put your enemies
    under your feet.”’[e](AF)

45 If then David calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?” 46 No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions.(AG)

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 22:17 A special tax levied on subject peoples, not on Roman citizens
  2. Matthew 22:32 Exodus 3:6
  3. Matthew 22:37 Deut. 6:5
  4. Matthew 22:39 Lev. 19:18
  5. Matthew 22:44 Psalm 110:1

12 And He began to speak unto them by parables: “A certain man planted a vineyard, and set a hedge about it, and dug a place for the wine vat, and built a watchtower; and he leased it out to husbandmen and went into a far country.

And at the harvest season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard.

And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty.

And again he sent unto them another servant, and at him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully handled.

And again he sent another, and him they killed, and many others, beating some and killing some.

Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, ‘They will reverence my son.’

But those husbandmen said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours.’

And they took him and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard.

What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others.

10 And have ye not read this Scripture? ‘The stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner;

11 this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes.’”

12 And they sought to lay hold on Him, but they feared the people, for they knew that He had spoken the parable against them. And they left Him, and went their way.

13 And they sent unto Him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians to catch Him in His words.

14 And when they had come, they said unto Him, “Master, we know that thou art true and carest for no man; for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?

15 Shall we give, or shall we not give?” But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, “Why tempt ye Me? Bring Me a penny, that I may see it.”

16 And they brought it, and He said unto them, “Whose image and superscription is this?” And they said unto Him, “Caesar’s.”

17 And Jesus answering, said unto them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they marveled at Him.

18 Then came unto Him the Sadducees, who say that there is no resurrection. And they asked Him, saying,

19 “Master, Moses wrote unto us that if a man’s brother die, and leave his wife behind him, and leave no children, then his brother should take his wife and raise up seed unto his brother.

20 Now there were seven brethren; and the first took a wife, and dying, left no seed.

21 And the second took her and died, neither leaving any seed. And the third likewise.

22 So the seven had her and left no seed. Last of all the woman died also.

23 In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise, whose wife shall she be, for all seven had her for a wife?”

24 And Jesus answering, said unto them, “Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the Scriptures, neither the power of God?

25 For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels who are in Heaven.

26 And concerning the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spoke unto him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?

27 He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. Ye therefore do greatly err.”

28 And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, “Which is the first commandment of all?”

29 And Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord.

30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength;’ this is the first commandment.

31 And the second is like, namely this: ‘Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

32 And the scribe said unto Him, “Well, Master, thou hast said the truth, for there is one God, and there is none other than He.

33 And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

34 And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, He said unto him, “Thou art not far from the Kingdom of God.” And no man after that dared ask Him any question.

35 And Jesus answered and said, while He taught in the temple, “How say the scribes that Christ is the Son of David?

36 For David himself said by the Holy Ghost: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit Thou at My right hand until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool.”’

37 David therefore himself calleth Him ‘Lord’; and whence is He then his son?” And the common people heard Him gladly.

38 And He said unto them in His doctrine, “Beware of the scribes, who love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces,

39 and the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts,

40 who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.”

41 And Jesus sat opposite the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury. And many who were rich cast in much.

42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.

43 And He called unto Him His disciples and said unto them, “Verily I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast more in than all they that have cast into the treasury;

44 for they all cast in of their abundance, but she of her want cast in all that she had, even all her living.”

The Parable of the Tenants(A)

12 Jesus then began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard.(B) He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the winepress and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. But they seized him, beat him and sent him away empty-handed. Then he sent another servant to them; they struck this man on the head and treated him shamefully. He sent still another, and that one they killed. He sent many others; some of them they beat, others they killed.

“He had one left to send, a son, whom he loved. He sent him last of all,(C) saying, ‘They will respect my son.’

“But the tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ So they took him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.

“What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others. 10 Haven’t you read this passage of Scripture:

“‘The stone the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone;(D)
11 the Lord has done this,
    and it is marvelous in our eyes’[a]?”(E)

12 Then the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders looked for a way to arrest him because they knew he had spoken the parable against them. But they were afraid of the crowd;(F) so they left him and went away.(G)

Paying the Imperial Tax to Caesar(H)

13 Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians(I) to Jesus to catch him(J) in his words. 14 They came to him and said, “Teacher, we know that you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay the imperial tax[b] to Caesar or not? 15 Should we pay or shouldn’t we?”

But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. “Why are you trying to trap me?” he asked. “Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” 16 They brought the coin, and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”

“Caesar’s,” they replied.

17 Then Jesus said to them, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”(K)

And they were amazed at him.

Marriage at the Resurrection(L)

18 Then the Sadducees,(M) who say there is no resurrection,(N) came to him with a question. 19 “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.(O) 20 Now there were seven brothers. The first one married and died without leaving any children. 21 The second one married the widow, but he also died, leaving no child. It was the same with the third. 22 In fact, none of the seven left any children. Last of all, the woman died too. 23 At the resurrection[c] whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?”

24 Jesus replied, “Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures(P) or the power of God? 25 When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.(Q) 26 Now about the dead rising—have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the account of the burning bush, how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’[d]?(R) 27 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are badly mistaken!”

The Greatest Commandment(S)

28 One of the teachers of the law(T) came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.[e] 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’[f](U) 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[g](V) There is no commandment greater than these.”

32 “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him.(W) 33 To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”(X)

34 When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”(Y) And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.(Z)

Whose Son Is the Messiah?(AA)(AB)

35 While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts,(AC) he asked, “Why do the teachers of the law say that the Messiah is the son of David?(AD) 36 David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit,(AE) declared:

“‘The Lord said to my Lord:
    “Sit at my right hand
until I put your enemies
    under your feet.”’[h](AF)

37 David himself calls him ‘Lord.’ How then can he be his son?”

The large crowd(AG) listened to him with delight.

Warning Against the Teachers of the Law

38 As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, 39 and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets.(AH) 40 They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”

The Widow’s Offering(AI)

41 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put(AJ) and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.

43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”(AK)

Footnotes

  1. Mark 12:11 Psalm 118:22,23
  2. Mark 12:14 A special tax levied on subject peoples, not on Roman citizens
  3. Mark 12:23 Some manuscripts resurrection, when people rise from the dead,
  4. Mark 12:26 Exodus 3:6
  5. Mark 12:29 Or The Lord our God is one Lord
  6. Mark 12:30 Deut. 6:4,5
  7. Mark 12:31 Lev. 19:18
  8. Mark 12:36 Psalm 110:1