Mateus 22

¹ Once more Jesus answered them in parables.

² "The kingdom of heaven," he said, "may be compared to a king who made a wedding-feast for his son.

³ "He sent out his slaves to summon the invited guests to the feast, but they did not want to come.

⁴ "Again he sent out other slaves. Tell the invited guests, he said, that my luncheon is now ready; my oxen and fat cattle are killed; everything is ready; come to the wedding-feast.

⁵ "They, however, paid no attention, but went off, one to his own farm, another to his business;

⁶ "while the rest seized his slaves and maltreated and murdered them.

⁷ "Then the kings wrath was roused, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.

⁸ "Then he said to his slaves, "The wedding-feast indeed is ready, but the invited guests were not worthy.

⁹ "So go out into the partings of the highways, and summon everybody you find there to the wedding-feast.

¹⁰ "So those slaves went out into the roads, and gathered together all whom they found, good or bad, and the banquet-hall was filled with the guests.

¹¹ "Then the king came in to inspect his guests, and he discovered there a man who had not put on a wedding-garment. He said to him,

¹² "Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding-garment? "The man was speechless.

¹³ "Bind him hand and foot, said the king to his officers, and cast him into the outer darkness; there will be the wailing and the gnashing of teeth.

¹⁴ "For there are many called, but few are chosen."

¹⁵ Then the Pharisees went and took counsel how they might ensnare him during conversation.

¹⁶ So they sent their disciples to him, with the Herodians. "Teacher," they said, "we know that you are honest, and that you are teaching the way of God in sincerity; and are not afraid of any one, for you do not court mens favor.

¹⁷ "Give us your advice, then. Is it allowable to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?"

¹⁸ And Jesus, because he knew their malice, said.

¹⁹ "Hypocrites! Why are you tempting me? Show me the tribute money." So they brought him a shilling.

²⁰ "Whose likeness and inscription is this?" he asked.

²¹ "Caesars," they answered. Then he said to them, "Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesars, and unto God the things that are Gods."

²² When they heard this they were astonished, and left him and went away.

²³ That very day there came to him some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection. and they questioned him.

²⁴ "Master," they said, "Moses taught that if a man dies without issue, his brother is to marry the widow, and raise up a family for his brother.

²⁵ "Now there were of our number seven brothers; and the first married and died. As he had no children, he left his wife to his brother;

²⁶ "In the same way the second also died, and the third, unto the seventh.

²⁷ "Last of all the woman died.

²⁸ "In the resurrection, then, whose wife will she be? They all had her."

²⁹ In answer Jesus said. "You err because you do not know the Scriptures, nor the power of God.

³⁰ "For in the resurrection men do not marry, nor are women given in marriage, but they are like angels in heaven.

³¹ "But concerning the resurrection of the dead, did you never read what was spoken to you by God,

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 crowds heard it, they were astonished at his teaching.

³⁴ As soon as the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered themselves together,

³⁵ and one of them, a lawyer, tested him by asking a question.

³⁶ "Master, which is the great commandment in the law?"

³⁷ Jesus answered, "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 "The second, which is like it, is this, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

⁴⁰ "On those two commandments hang the whole law and the prophets."

⁴¹ Now while the Pharisees were together, Jesus put this question to them.

⁴² "What is your opinion concerning the Christ? Whose Son is he?" "Davids," they answered.

⁴³ "How then, "he said, "does David in the Spirit call him Lord, saying,

⁴⁴ "The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand Until I put thine enemies beneath thy feet?

⁴⁵ "If David calls him Lord, how can he be his Son?"

⁴⁶ No one could answer him a word, nor did any one dare from that day to ask him another question.