Matthew 22

Parable of the Marriage Feast

1Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying, 2“1The kingdom of heaven 2is like 3a king who 4held a 5wedding feast for his son. 3And he 6sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding feast, and they were unwilling to come. 4Again he 7sent other slaves, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited, “Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fattened cattle are all butchered and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast!”’ 5But they paid no attention and went their separate ways, one to his own 8farm, another to his business, 6and the rest seized his slaves and treated them abusively, and then killed them. 7Now the king was angry, and he sent his armies and destroyed those murderers and set their city on fire. 8Then he said to his slaves, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. 9So go to 9the main roads, and invite whomever you find there to the wedding feast.’ 10Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good; and the wedding hall was filled with 10dinner guests.

11“But when the king came in to look over the 11dinner guests, he saw 12a man there who was not dressed in wedding clothes, 12and he said to him, ‘13Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ And the man was speechless. 13Then the king said to the servants, ‘Tie his hands and feet, and throw him into 14the outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth in that place.’ 14For many are 1516called, but few are 17chosen.”

Poll-tax to Caesar

1518Then the Pharisees went and 19plotted together how they might trap Him 20in what He said. 16And they sent their disciples to Him, along with the 21Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are truthful and teach the way of God in truth, and 22do not care what anyone thinks; for You 23are not partial to anyone. 17Tell us then, what do You think? Is it 24permissible to pay a 2526poll-tax to 27Caesar, or not?” 18But Jesus perceived their 28malice, and said, “Why are you testing Me, you hypocrites? 19Show Me the 29coin used for the poll-tax.” And they brought Him a 30denarius. 20And He said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” 21They said to Him, “Caesar’s.” Then He said to them, “31Then pay to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s.” 22And hearing this, they were amazed; and 32they left Him and went away.

Jesus Answers the Sadducees

2333On that day some 34Sadducees (who say 35there is no resurrection) came to 36Jesus and questioned Him, 24saying, “Teacher, Moses said, ‘37If a man dies having no children, his brother as next of kin shall marry his wife, and raise up 38children for his brother.’ 25Now there were seven brothers among us; and the first married and died, and having no 39children, he left his wife to his brother. 26It was the same also with the second brother, and the third, down to the seventh. 27Last of all, the woman died. 28In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had her in marriage.”

29But Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, 40since you do not 41understand the Scriptures nor the power of God. 30For in the resurrection they neither 42marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 31But regarding the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God: 32‘43I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” 33When the crowds heard this, 44they were astonished at His teaching.

3445But when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced 46the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35And one of them, 4748a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him: 36“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37And He said to him, “‘49You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38This is the great and 50foremost commandment. 39The second is like it, ‘51You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 4052Upon these two commandments 53hang the whole Law and the Prophets.”

4154Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question: 42“What do you think about the 55Christ? Whose son is He?” They said to Him, “56The son of David.” 43He said to them, “Then 57how does David 5859in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying,44‘60The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Until I put Your enemies under Your feet”’? 45Therefore, if David calls Him ‘Lord,’ 61how is He his son?” 4662No one was able to offer Him a word in answer, nor did anyone dare from that day on to ask Him any more questions.