Matthew 22

The Parable of the Wedding Celebration

1 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 went away—this one to his own field, that one to his business.6 And the others, seizing his slaves, mistreated them and killed them.7 And the king was angry and sent his troops and 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 gathered everyone whom they found, both evil and good, and the wedding celebration was filled with dinner guests.t11 But when the king came in to see the dinner guests,t 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.t13 Then the king said to the servants, ‘Tie him up hand and foott and 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 consultedt 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,t because you do not regard the opinion of people.t17 Therefore tell us what you think. Is it permitted to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”18 But because he 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 heard this, they were astonished, and they left him and 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 fathert descendants for his brother.25 Now there were seven brothers with us. And the first died after getting married, and because he 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.”29 But Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, because 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 Godt 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”?t He is not the God of the dead, but of the living!”

33 And when the crowds heard this, they were amazed at his teaching.

The Greatest Commandment

34 Now when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they assembled at the same place.t35 And one of them, a legal expert, put a question to him 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.’t38 This is the greatest and first commandment.39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’t

40 On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.”

David’s Son and Lord

41 Now while 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” ’?t
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.

Matthew 22

1 And Jesus answered and spake again in parables unto them, saying,2 The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a certain king, who made a marriage feast for his son,3 and sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the marriage feast: and they would not come.4 Again he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them that are bidden, Behold, I have made ready my dinner; my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come to the marriage feast.5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his merchandise;6 and the rest laid hold on his servants, and treated them shamefully, and killed them.7 But the king was wroth; and he sent his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they that were bidden were not worthy.9 Go ye therefore unto the partings of the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage feast.10 And those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was filled with guests.11 But when the king came in to behold the guests, he saw there a man who had not on a wedding-garment:12 and he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding-garment? And he was speechless.13 Then the king said to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and cast him out into the outer darkness; there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.14 For many are called, but few chosen.

15 Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might ensnare him in his talk.16 And they send to him their disciples, with the Herodians, saying, Teacher, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, and carest not for any one: 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 make ye trial of me, ye hypocrites?19 Show me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a denarius.20 And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription?21 They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.22 And when they heard it, they marvelled, and left him, and went away.

23 On that day there came to him Sadducees, they that say that there is no resurrection: and they asked him,24 saying, Teacher, 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 married and deceased, and having no seed left his wife unto his brother;26 in like manner the second also, and the third, unto the seventh.27 And after them all, the woman died.28 In the resurrection therefore whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her.29 But 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 angels in heaven.31 But as touching 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 multitudes heard it, they were astonished at his teaching.

34 But the Pharisees, when they heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, gathered themselves together.35 And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, trying him:36 Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?37 And he 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 great and first commandment.39 And a second like unto it is this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.40 On these two commandments the whole law hangeth, and the prophets.

41 Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question,42 saying, What think ye of the Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The son of David.43 He saith 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, Till I put thine enemies underneath thy feet?

45 If David then calleth him Lord, how is he his son?46 And no one was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.