Matthew 22:3

Matthew 22:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.
• New International Version (NIV)He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.
• English Standard Version (ESV)and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come.
• New King James Version (NKJV)and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come.

Context of Matthew 22:3

1Jesus continued to teach the people with stories. 2He said, ‘This is what the kingdom of heaven is like. A king prepared a special meal for his son's marriage. He asked many people to come. When the meal was ready, he sent his servants out to tell those people to come. But they refused to come. 4So the king then sent out other servants. He said to them, “Tell this message to all those people that I have asked to come. Tell them that the master says, ‘My servants have prepared the meal. They have killed my large oxen and some fat young cows to eat. Everything is ready. Now come to the marriage party!’ ” 5But the people did not think that the king's message was important. They went away to do their own work. One man went to his farm and another man went to his business.

Matthew 22:3 word by word

καὶ ἀπέστειλεν τοὺς δούλους αὐτοῦ καλέσαι τοὺς κεκλημένους εἰς τοὺς γάμους, καὶ οὐκ ἤθελον ἐλθεῖν.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• sent forthἀποστέλλωapostellō · to sendG649
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• servantsδοῦλοςdoulos · slaveG1401
• to callκαλέωkaleō · to call: callG2564
• toεἰςeis · towardG1519
• the weddingγάμοςgamos · weddingG1062
• they wouldθέλωthelō ethelō · to will/desireG2309
• notοὐou · noG3756
• comeἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064

Cross-references for Matthew 22:3

• Matthew 3:2He told people, ‘You have done many wrong things. You must turn away from them and change how you live. Do this now, because the kingdom of heaven has come very near.’
• Matthew 10:6Instead, you must go to the people of Israel. They are like lost sheep with nobody to take care of them.
• Psalms 68:11The Lord gives a command! Very many women take his message to other places.
• Proverbs 9:1The woman who is called ‘Wisdom’ has built her house with seven pillars to make it strong.
• Isaiah 55:1‘Listen! All of you who are thirsty, come here for water to drink! You may have no money, but come here and buy food to eat! Come and buy wine and milk! You do not need to pay any money. It is free!
• Jeremiah 25:4The Lord has also sent his servants, the prophets, to speak to you many times. You have refused to listen to them too.
• Jeremiah 35:15I have sent my servants the prophets to warn you many times. They told you, ‘You must all stop doing wicked things. Instead, start doing the things that are right. Do not serve other gods and worship them. Then you will continue to live in this land that I gave to you and to your ancestors.’ But you did not listen to my message. You did not obey me.
• Mark 6:7Jesus asked his 12 apostles to come to him. He started to send them out to tell God's message to people. He sent them out two by two and he gave them authority over bad spirits.
• Luke 9:1Jesus asked his 12 apostles to come to him. He gave them power and authority. They could make sick people well. They could also send bad spirits out of people.
• Luke 14:15The people who were sitting at the meal heard what Jesus said. One of them said to Jesus, ‘One day, there will be a big meal in the kingdom of God. How happy are those people who will eat together at that big meal.’
• Revelation 22:17God's Spirit and all God's people answer Jesus. They say, ‘Yes, come!’ God's people are like a bride for Jesus. Everyone who hears this should also say to Jesus, ‘Come!’ Anyone who is thirsty should come to Jesus. Then that person will receive from Jesus the water that gives life. Anyone who wants it may take it. They will not have to pay anything for it.
• 1 Samuel 9:13When you go into the town, you will find him before he goes up there. The people will not start to eat until he comes. First, he must bless the sacrifice. Then he will eat with the people who are there. Go up into the town now and you will find him.’
• Zephaniah 1:7Be quiet! The Lord God is here. It will soon be the day of the Lord. The Lord has made his sacrifice ready. He has made the people ready who will give the sacrifice to him.’
• Matthew 23:37Jerusalem, Jerusalem! Your people have killed God's prophets. They have thrown stones to kill other people that God has sent to you. Many times, I have wanted to bring all of your people near to me. A female bird covers her babies with her body to make them safe. But you would not let me keep you from danger like that.
• Psalms 81:10I am the Lord, your God. I brought you out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it with many good things.”
• Proverbs 1:24I called out to you, but you refused to listen. I reached out to you, but you turned your backs to me.

Commentaries on Matthew 22:3

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3And sent forth his servants - These represent the messengers that God has sent to invite people to his kingdom. To call them that were bidden - That is, to give notice to those who had before been invited that the feast was ready. It appears that there were two invitations - one considerably previous to the time of the feast, that they might have opportunity to prepare for it, and the other to give notice of the precise time when they were expected. The…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-5those he had invited: This refers to the nation of Israel. They ignored God's servants, the prophets (see study note on Matthew 21:33–46).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. and sent forth his servants--representing all preachers of the Gospel. to call them that were bidden--here meaning the Jews, who were "bidden," from the first choice of them onwards through every summons addressed to them by the prophets to hold themselves in readiness for the appearing of their King. to the wedding--or the marriage festivities, when the preparations were all concluded. and they would not come--as the issue of the whole ministry of the…Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 22:3

• Covetousness
• Feasts
• Hospitality
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Kingdom of Heaven
• Wicked (People)
• Worldliness

In the dictionaries

• Abundance
• Banquet
• Commandment
• Darkness
• Dinner
• Entangle
• Entertain
• Friend
• Guest
• Image

Commentaries on Matthew 22

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings