Matthew 22

Jesus tells the parable of the marriage feast, where those first invited refuse to come and the king sends his servants into the highways. The Pharisees, Sadducees, and Herodians test Him with questions about paying tribute to Caesar, the resurrection, and the greatest commandment.

v	King James Version	Modern English
1	And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,	Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying,
2	The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,	"The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for His son.
3	And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.	He sent His servants to call those who had been invited to the banquet, but they refused to come.
4	Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.	Then He sent more servants and said, 'Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner. My oxen and fattened cattle have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.'
5	But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:	But they paid no attention and went away — one to His field, another to His business.
6	And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.	The rest seized His servants, mistreated them, and killed them.
7	But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.	The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.
8	Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.	Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited were not worthy.
9	Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.	Go to the street corners and invite anyone you find to the banquet.'
10	So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.	So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both bad and good. The wedding hall was filled with guests.
11	And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:	But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes.
12	And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.	"Friend," he asked, "how did you get in here without wedding clothes?" The man had no answer.
13	Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.	Then the king told the servants, "Tie him hand and foot and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
14	For many are called, but few are chosen.	For many are called, but few are chosen."
15	Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk.	Then the Pharisees went out and made plans to trap Jesus in His words.
16	And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men.	They sent their disciples to Him along with the Herodians. "Master," they said, "we know You are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God truthfully. You are not influenced by others, because You pay no attention to who they are.
17	Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?	Tell us then, what is Your opinion? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?"
18	But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites?	But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, "You hypocrites, why are You trying to trap Me?
19	Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny.	Show Me the coin used for paying the tax." They brought Him a denarius.
20	And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription?	He asked them, "Whose image is this, and whose inscription?"
21	They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.	"Caesar's," they replied. He said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and give to God what is God's."
22	When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way.	When they heard this, they were amazed. They left Him and went away.
23	The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him,	That same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him with a question.
24	Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.	"Master," they said, "Moses told us that if a man dies without children, his brother must marry the widow and have children for him.
25	Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother:	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.
26	Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh.	The same thing happened to the second and third brother, right on down to the seventh.
27	And last of all the woman died also.	Last of all, the woman died.
28	Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her.	So then, at the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven? They all had her."
29	Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.	Jesus replied, "You are wrong because You know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God.
30	For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.	At the resurrection, people will neither marry nor be given in marriage. They will be like the angels in heaven.
31	But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,	But about the resurrection of the dead — have You not read what God said to You:
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.	'I 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."
33	And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at his doctrine.	When the crowd heard this, they were astonished at His teaching.
34	But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together.	When the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they came together.
35	Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,	One of them, a lawyer, tested Him with this question:
36	Master, which is the great commandment in the law?	"Master, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"
37	Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.	Jesus replied, "Love the Lord Your God with all Your heart and with all Your soul and with all Your mind.
38	This is the first and great commandment.	This is the first and greatest commandment.
39	And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.	And the second is like it: Love Your neighbor as Yourself.
40	On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.	All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
41	While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them,	While the Pharisees were gathered, Jesus asked them,
42	Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The son of David.	"What do You think about the Christ? Whose son is He?" "The son of David," they replied.
43	He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying,	He said to them, "How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls Him 'Lord'? For He says,
44	The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool?	'The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand until I put Your enemies under Your feet."'
45	If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?	If then David calls him 'Lord,' how can he be his son?"
46	And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.	No one could answer him a word, and from that day on no one dared to question him any further.