Matthew 22

The Story of the Wedding Dinner

1 Jesus told them more stories. He said,2 "Here is what the kingdom of heaven is like. A king prepared a wedding dinner for his son.3 He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the dinner. The servants told them to come. But they refused.
4 "Then he sent some more servants. He said, 'Tell those who were invited that I have prepared my dinner. I have killed my oxen and my fattest cattle. Everything is ready. Come to the wedding dinner.'
5 "But the people paid no attention. One went away to his field. Another went away to his business.6 The rest grabbed his servants. They treated them badly and then killed them.
7 "The king became very angry. He sent his army to destroy them. They killed those murderers and burned their city.
8 "Then the king said to his servants, 'The wedding dinner is ready. But those I invited were not fit to come.9 Go to the street corners. Invite to the dinner anyone you can find.'10 So the servants went out into the streets. They gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad. Soon the wedding hall was filled with guests.
11 "The king came in to see the guests. He noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes.12 'Friend,' he asked, 'how did you get in here without wedding clothes?' The man couldn't think of anything to say.
13 "Then the king told his servants, 'Tie up his hands and feet. Throw him outside into the darkness. Out there people will sob and grind their teeth.'
14 "Many are invited, but few are chosen."

Is It Right to Pay Taxes to Caesar?

15 The Pharisees went out. They made plans to trap Jesus with his own words.16 They sent their followers to him. They sent the Herodians with them.
"Teacher," they said, "we know you are a man of honor. You teach the way of God truthfully. You don't let others tell you what to do or say. You don't care how important they are.17 Tell us then, what do you think? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?"
18 But Jesus knew their evil plans. He said, "You pretenders! Why are you trying to trap me?19 Show me the coin people use for paying the tax."
They brought him a silver coin.
20 He asked them, "Whose picture is this? And whose words?"
21 "Caesar's," they replied.
Then he said to them, "Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar. And give to God what belongs to God."
22 When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.

Marriage When the Dead Rise

23 That same day the Sadducees came to Jesus with a question. They do not believe that people rise from the dead.
24 "Teacher," they said, "here is what Moses told us. If a man dies without having children, his brother must get married to the widow. He must have children to carry on his brother's name.25 There were seven brothers among us. The first one got married and died. Since he had no children, he left his wife to his brother.26 The same thing happened to the second and third brothers. It happened right on down to the seventh brother.27 Finally, the woman died.28 Now then, when the dead rise, whose wife will she be? All seven of them were married to her."
29 Jesus replied, "You are mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures. And you do not know the power of God.30 When the dead rise, they won't get married. And their parents won't give them to be married. They will be like the angels in heaven.
31 "What about the dead rising? Haven't you read what God said to you?32 He said, 'I am the God of Abraham. I am the God of Isaac. And I am the God of Jacob.' (Exodus 3:6) He is not the God of the dead. He is the God of the living."
33 When the crowds heard this, they were amazed by what he taught.

The Most Important Commandment

34 The Pharisees heard that the Sadducees weren't able to answer Jesus. So the Pharisees got together.35 One of them was an authority on the law. So he tested Jesus with a question.36 "Teacher," he asked, "which is the most important commandment in the Law?"
37 Jesus replied, " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Love him with all your mind.' (Deuteronomy 6:5)38 This is the first and most important commandment.39 And the second is like it. 'Love your neighbor as you love yourself.' (Leviticus 19:18)40 Everything that is written in the Law and the Prophets is based on these two commandments."

Whose Son Is the Christ?

41 The Pharisees were gathered together. Jesus asked them,42 "What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?"
"The son of David," they replied.

43 He said to them, "Then why does David call him 'Lord'? The Holy Spirit spoke through David himself. David said,
44 " 'The Lord said to my Lord,
"Sit at my right hand
until I put your enemies
under your control." ' (Psalm 110:1)

45 So if David calls him 'Lord,' how can he be David's son?"
46 No one could answer him with a single word. From that day on, no one dared 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.