1 J esus spoke to them again in parables, saying,

And again Jesus spoke to them in parables (comparisons, stories used to illustrate and explain), saying,

2 “ The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son.

The kingdom of heaven is like a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son

3 A nd he sent out his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding feast, and they were unwilling to come.

And sent his servants to summon those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they refused to come.

4 A gain 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 butchered and everything is ready; come to the wedding feast.”’

Again he sent other servants, saying, Tell those who are invited, Behold, I have prepared my banquet; my bullocks and my fat calves are killed, and everything is prepared; come to the wedding feast.

5 B ut they paid no attention and went their way, one to his own farm, another to his business,

But they were not concerned and paid no attention and they went away—one to his farm, another to his business,

6 a nd the rest seized his slaves and mistreated them and killed them.

While the others seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and put them to death.

7 B ut the king was enraged, and he sent his armies and destroyed those murderers and set their city on fire.

the king was infuriated; and he sent his soldiers and put those murderers to death and burned their city.

8 T hen he said to his slaves, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy.

Then he said to his servants, The wedding is prepared, but those invited were not worthy.

9 G o therefore to the main highways, and as many as you find there, invite to the wedding feast.’

So go to the thoroughfares where they leave the city and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.

10 T hose 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.

And those servants went out on the crossroads and got together as many as they found, both bad and good, so the wedding feast was filled with guests.

11 “ But when the king came in to look over the dinner guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed in wedding clothes,

But when the king came in to view the guests, he looked intently at a man there who had on no wedding garment.

12 a nd he said to him, ‘ Friend, how did you come in here without wedding clothes?’ And the man was speechless.

And he said, Friend, how did you come in here without putting on the wedding garment? And he was speechless ( muzzled, gagged).

13 T hen the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Then the king said to the attendants, Tie him hand and foot, and throw him into the darkness outside; there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.

14 F or many are called, but few are chosen.” Tribute to Caesar

For many are called (invited and summoned), but few are chosen.

15 T hen the Pharisees went and plotted together how they might trap Him in what He said.

Then the Pharisees went and consulted and plotted together how they might entangle Jesus in His talk.

16 A nd 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, and defer to no one; for You are not partial to any.

And they sent their disciples to Him along with the Herodians, saying, Teacher, we know that You are sincere and what You profess to be and that You teach the way of God truthfully, regardless of consequences and being afraid of no man; for You are impartial and do not regard either the person or the position of anyone.

17 T ell us then, what do You think? Is it lawful to give a poll-tax to Caesar, or not?”

Tell us then what You think about this: Is it lawful to pay tribute to Caesar or not?

18 B ut Jesus perceived their malice, and said, “Why are you testing Me, you hypocrites?

But Jesus, aware of their malicious plot, asked, Why do you put Me to the test and try to entrap Me, you pretenders (hypocrites)?

19 S how Me the coin used for the poll-tax.” And they brought Him a denarius.

Show me the money used for the tribute. And they brought Him a denarius.

20 A nd He said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?”

And Jesus said to them, Whose likeness and title are these?

21 T hey 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.”

They said, Caesar’s. Then He said to them, Pay therefore to Caesar the things that are due to Caesar, and pay to God the things that are due to God.

22 A nd hearing this, they were amazed, and leaving Him, they went away. Jesus Answers the Sadducees

When they heard it they were amazed and marveled; and they left Him and departed.

23 O n that day some Sadducees (who say there is no resurrection) came to Jesus and questioned Him,

The same day some Sadducees, who say that there is no resurrection, came to Him and they asked Him a question,

24 a sking, “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.’

Saying, Teacher, Moses said, If a man dies, leaving no children, his brother shall marry the widow and raise up a family for his brother.

25 N ow there were seven brothers with us; and the first married and died, and having no children left his wife to his brother;

Now there were seven brothers among us; the first married and died, and, having no children, left his wife to his brother.

26 s o also the second, and the third, down to the seventh.

The second also died childless, and the third, down to the seventh.

27 L ast of all, the woman died.

Last of all, the woman died also.

28 I n the resurrection, therefore, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had married her.”

Now, in the resurrection, to which of the seven will she be wife? For they all had her.

29 B ut Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures nor the power of God.

But Jesus replied to them, You are wrong because you know neither the Scriptures nor God’s power.

30 F or in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.

For in the resurrected state neither do marry nor are given in marriage, but they are like the angels in heaven.

31 B ut regarding the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God:

But as to the resurrection of the dead—have you never read what was said to you by God,

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? He is not the God of the dead but of the living!

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

And when the throng heard it, they were astonished and filled with '> glad] amazement at His teaching.

34 B ut when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered themselves together.

Now when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced ( muzzled) the Sadducees, they gathered together.

35 O ne of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him,

And one of their number, a lawyer, asked Him a question to test Him.

36 “ Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”

Teacher, which kind of commandment is great and important (the principal kind) in the Law?

37 A nd He said to him, “‘ You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’

And He replied to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (intellect).

38 T his is the great and foremost commandment.

This is the great (most important, principal) and first commandment.

39 T he second is like it, ‘ You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’

And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

40 O n these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”

These two commandments sum up and upon them depend all the Law and the Prophets.

41 N ow while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question:

Now while the Pharisees were still assembled there, Jesus asked them a question,

42 “ What do you think about the Christ, whose son is He?” They said to Him, “ The son of David.”

Saying, What do you think of the Christ? Whose Son is He? They said to Him, The Son of David.

43 H e said to them, “Then how does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying,

He said to them, How is it then that David, under the influence of the Spirit, calls Him Lord, saying,

44 ‘ The Lord said to my Lord, “ Sit at My right hand, Until I put Your enemies beneath Your feet ”’?

The Lord said to My Lord, Sit at My right hand until I put Your enemies under Your feet?

45 I f David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his son?”

If then David thus calls Him Lord, how is He his Son?

46 N o one was able to answer Him a word, nor did anyone dare from that day on to ask Him another question.

And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day did anyone venture or dare to question Him.