< Matthew 22 >

1 And responding, Jesus again spoke to them in parables, saying:
Jesus answered and spoke to them again in parables, saying,
2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who was king, who celebrated a wedding for his son.
“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king, who made a wedding feast for his son,
3 And he sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding. But they were not willing to come.
and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come.
4 Again, he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell the invited: Behold, I have prepared my meal. My bulls and fatlings have been killed, and all is ready. Come to the wedding.’
Again he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “Behold, I have prepared my dinner. My cattle and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding feast!”’
5 But they ignored this and they went away: one to his country estate, and another to his business.
But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his merchandise;
6 Yet truly, the rest took hold of his servants and, having treated them with contempt, killed them.
and the rest grabbed his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them.
7 But when the king heard this, he was angry. And sending out his armies, he destroyed those murderers, and he burned their city.
When the king heard that, he was angry, and sent his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.
8 Then he said to his servants: ‘The wedding, indeed, has been prepared. But those who were invited were not worthy.
“Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited weren’t worthy.
9 Therefore, go out to the ways, and call whomever you will find to the wedding.’
Go therefore to the intersections of the highways, and as many as you may find, invite to the wedding feast.’
10 And his servants, departing into the ways, gathered all those whom they found, bad and good, and the wedding was filled with guests.
Those servants went out into the highways and gathered together as many as they found, both bad and good. The wedding was filled with guests.
11 Then the king entered to see the guests. And he saw a man there who was not clothed in a wedding garment.
“But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man who didn’t have on wedding clothing,
12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how is it that you have entered here without having a wedding garment?’ But he was dumbstruck.
and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here not wearing wedding clothing?’ He was speechless.
13 Then the king said to the ministers: ‘Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and throw him into the outer darkness. That is where the weeping and grinding of teeth will be.’
14 For many are called, but few are chosen.’”
For many are called, but few chosen.”
15 Then the Pharisees, going out, took counsel as to how they might entrap him in speech.
Then the Pharisees went and took counsel how they might entrap him in his talk.
16 And they sent their disciples to him, with the Herodians, saying: “Teacher, we know that you are truthful, and that you teach the way of God in truth, and that the influence of others is nothing to you. For you do not consider the reputation of men.
They sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are honest, and teach the way of God in truth, no matter whom you teach; for you aren’t partial to anyone.
17 Therefore, tell us, how does it seem to you? Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar, or not?”
Tell us therefore, what do you think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”
18 But Jesus, knowing their wickedness, said: “Why do you test me, you hypocrites?
But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, “Why do you test me, you hypocrites?
19 Show me the coin of the census tax.” And they offered him a denarius.
Show me the tax money.” They brought to him a denarius.
20 And Jesus said to them, “Whose image is this, and whose inscription?”
He asked them, “Whose is this image and inscription?”
21 They said to him, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Then render to Caesar what is of Caesar; and to God what is of God.”
They said to him, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Give therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
22 And hearing this, they wondered. And having left him behind, they went away.
When they heard it, they marveled, and left him and went away.
23 In that day, the Sadducees, who say there is to be no resurrection, approached him. And they questioned him,
On that day Sadducees (those who say that there is no resurrection) came to him. They asked him,
24 saying: “Teacher, Moses said: If anyone will have died, having no son, his brother shall marry his wife, and he shall raise up offspring to his brother.
saying, “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.’
25 Now there were seven brothers with us. And the first, having taken a wife, died. And having no offspring, he left his wife to his brother:
Now there were with us seven brothers. The first married and died, and having no offspring left his wife to his brother.
26 similarly with the second, and the third, even to the seventh.
In the same way, the second also, and the third, to the seventh.
27 And last of all, the woman also passed away.
After them all, the woman died.
28 In the resurrection, then, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had her.”
In the resurrection therefore, whose wife will she be of the seven? For they all had her.”
29 But Jesus responded to them by saying: “You have gone astray by knowing neither the Scriptures, nor the power of God.
But Jesus answered them, “You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God.
30 For in the resurrection, they shall neither marry, nor be given in marriage. Instead, they shall be like the Angels of God in heaven.
For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like God’s angels in heaven.
31 But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken by God, saying to you:
But concerning the resurrection of the dead, haven’t you read that which was spoken to you by God, saying,
32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?’ He is not the God of the dead, but of the living.”
‘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 crowds heard this, they wondered at his doctrine.
When the multitudes heard it, they were astonished at his teaching.
34 But the Pharisees, hearing that he had caused the Sadducees to be silent, came together as one.
But the Pharisees, when they heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, gathered themselves together.
35 And one of them, a doctor of the law, questioned him, to test him:
One of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, testing him.
36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?”
37 Jesus said to him: “‘You shall love the Lord your God from all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’
38 This is the greatest and first commandment.
This is the first and great commandment.
39 But the second is similar to it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
A second likewise is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
40 On these two commandments the entire law depends, and also the prophets.”
The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”
41 Then, when the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus questioned them,
Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question,
42 saying: “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?” They said to him, “David’s.”
saying, “What do you think of the Christ? Whose son is he?” They said to him, “Of David.”
43 He said to them: “Then how can David, in the Spirit, call him Lord, saying:
He said to them, “How then does David in the Spirit call him Lord, saying,
44 ‘The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool?’
‘The Lord said to my Lord, sit on my right hand, until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet’?
45 So then, if David calls him Lord, how can he be his son?”
“If then David calls him Lord, how is he his son?”
46 And no one was able to respond to him a word. And neither did anyone dare, from that day forward, to question him.
No one was able to answer him a word, neither did any man dare ask him any more questions from that day forward.

< Matthew 22 >