Matthew 22

The Parable of the Wedding Banquet

22:1 Jesus spoke1 to them again in parables, saying: 22:2 “The kingdom of heaven can be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. 22:3 He sent his slaves2 to summon those who had been invited to the banquet, but they would not come. 22:4 Again he sent other slaves, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited, “Look! The feast I have prepared for you is ready.3 My oxen and fattened cattle have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.”’ 22:5 But they were indifferent and went away, one to his farm, another to his business. 22:6 The4 rest seized his slaves, insolently mistreated them, and killed them. 22:7 The5 king was furious! He sent his soldiers, and they put those murderers to death6 and set their city7 on fire. 22:8 Then he said to his slaves, ‘The wedding is ready, but the ones who had been invited were not worthy. 22:9 So go into the main streets and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.’ 22:10 And those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all they found, both bad and good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. 22:11 But when the king came in to see the wedding guests, he saw a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 22:12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ But he had nothing to say.8 22:13 Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Tie him up hand and foot and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!’ 22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Paying Taxes to Caesar

22:15 Then the Pharisees9 went out and planned together to entrap him with his own words.10 22:16 They sent to him their disciples along with the Herodians,11 saying, “Teacher, we know that you are truthful, and teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.12 You do not court anyone’s favor because you show no partiality.13 22:17 Tell us then, what do you think? Is it right14 to pay taxes15 to Caesar16 or not?”

22:18 But Jesus realized their evil intentions and said, “Hypocrites! Why are you testing me? 22:19 Show me the coin used for the tax.” So17 they brought him a denarius.18 22:20 Jesus19 said to them, “Whose image20 is this, and whose inscription?” 22:21 They replied,21 “Caesar’s.” He said to them,22 “Then give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”23 22:22 Now when they heard this they were stunned,24 and they left him and went away.

Marriage and the Resurrection

22:23 The same day Sadducees25 (who say there is no resurrection)26 came to him and asked him,27 22:24 “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and father children28 for his brother.’29 22:25 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. 22:26 The second did the same, and the third, down to the seventh. 22:27 Last30 of all, the woman died. 22:28 In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had married her.”31 22:29 Jesus32 answered them, “You are deceived,33 because you don’t know the scriptures or the power of God. 22:30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels34 in heaven. 22:31 Now as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God,35 22:32I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?36 He is not the God of the dead but of the living!”37 22:33 When the crowds heard this, they were amazed at his teaching.

The Greatest Commandment

22:34 Now when the Pharisees38 heard that he had silenced the Sadducees,39 they assembled together.40 22:35 And one of them, an expert in religious law,41 asked him a question to test42 him: 22:36 “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?”43 22:37 Jesus44 said to him, “‘Love45 the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’46 22:38 This is the first and greatest47 commandment. 22:39 The second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’48 22:40 All the law and the prophets depend49 on these two commandments.”

The Messiah: David’s Son and Lord

22:41 While50 the Pharisees51 were assembled, Jesus asked them a question:52 22:42 “What do you think about the Christ?53 Whose son is he?” They said, “The son of David.”54 22:43 He said to them, “How then does David by the Spirit call him ‘Lord,’ saying,

22:44The Lord said to my lord,55

Sit at my right hand,

until I put your enemies under your feet”’?56

22:45 If David then calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?”57 22:46 No one58 was able to answer him a word, and from that day on no one dared to question him any longer.

Next Chapter