New Testament · Matthew

Matthew 22

The Parable of the Banquet

(Luke 14:15–24)

1Yeshua answered and spoke to them again in parables, saying: 2"The kingdom of the heavens is like a king who prepared a wedding feast for his son. 3And he sent out his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding feast, but they were unwilling to come.

4Again he sent out other slaves, saying: 'Tell those who have been invited: "Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fattened livestock are all slaughtered and everything is ready — come to the wedding feast."'

5But they paid no attention and went away — one to his own farm, another to his business, 6and the rest seized his slaves and mistreated them and killed them.

7And when that king heard it, he was enraged, 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. 9Go therefore to the main highways, and as many as you find there, invite to the wedding feast.'

10Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered together all they found, both evil and good; and the wedding hall was filled with dinner guests.

11But when the king came in to look over the dinner guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed in wedding clothes, 12and he said to him: 'Friend, how did you come in here without wedding clothes?' And he was speechless.

13Then the king said to the servants: 'Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and throw him into the outer darkness — in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

14For many are called but few are chosen."

Paying Taxes to Caesar

(Mark 12:13–17; Luke 20:19–26)

15Then the Pharisees went and plotted together how they might trap Him in a word^a. 16And they sent their disciples to Him, along with the Herodians, saying: "Teacher, we know that You are truthful and teach the way of God in truth^b, and defer to no one — for You are not partial to anyone. 17Tell us then, what do You think? Is it permitted to give a poll-tax to Caesar or not?"

18But Yeshua perceived their wickedness and said: "Why are you testing Me, hypocrites? 19Show Me the coin used for the poll-tax." And they brought Him a denarius.^c

20And He said to them: "Whose likeness and inscription is this?"

21They said to Him: "Caesar's." Then He said to them: "Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."

22And hearing this, they were amazed, and leaving Him they went away.

The Sadducees and the Resurrection

(Mark 12:18–27; Luke 20:27–40)

23On that day some Sadducees — who say there is no resurrection — came to Him and questioned Him, 24saying: "Teacher, Moses said: 'If a man dies having no children, his brother as next-of-kin shall marry his wife and raise up children for his brother.' 25Now there were seven brothers with us, and the first married and died, and having no children left his wife to his brother. 26So also the second, 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."

29But Yeshua answered and said to them: "You are mistaken, not understanding the scriptures nor the power^e of God.^d 30For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven. 31But regarding the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, saying: 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."

33When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at His teaching.

The Greatest Commandment

(Deuteronomy 6:1–19; Mark 12:28–34)

34But when the Pharisees heard that Yeshua had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered themselves together. 35One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him: 36"Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law^f?"

37And Yeshua said to him: "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart^g and with all your soul^h and with all your intellectⁱ.' 38This is the great and foremost commandment. 39The second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' 40On these two commandments depend the whole law and the Prophets."

Whose Son Is the Messiah?

(Mark 12:35–37; Luke 20:41–44)

41Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Yeshua asked them a question: 42"What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is He?" They said to Him: "The son of David."

43He said to them: "Then how does David in the spirit^j call Him 'Lord,' saying:

44'The Lord said to my Lord: "Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet"'?

45If David then calls Him 'Lord,' how is He his son?"

46And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor did anyone dare from that day on to ask Him another question.