1 A gain Jesus spoke to them in picture-stories. He said,

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

2 “ The holy nation of heaven is like a king who gave a wedding supper for his son.

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

3 H e sent his servants to tell the people, who had been asked, to come to the supper. But the people did not want to come.

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

4 “ He sent other servants, saying to them, ‘Tell those who have been asked to come, “See! My supper is ready. My cows and fat calves are killed. Everything is ready. Come to the wedding supper!”’

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 did not listen and went on working. One went to his farm. Another went to his store.

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

6 T he others took hold of his servants, and hurt them and killed them.

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

7 “ When the king heard this, he was very angry. He sent his soldiers to put those to death who had killed his servants. He burned their city.

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 servants, ‘The wedding supper is ready. Those who were asked to come to the supper were not good enough.

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

9 G o out into the roads and as many people as you can find, ask them to come to the wedding supper.’

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

10 “ The servants went out into the roads and brought all they could find, both bad and good. The wedding supper room was full of people.

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 T he king came in to see those who had come. He saw one man who did not have on wedding supper 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 H e said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without wedding supper clothes?’ The man could not speak!

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 his servants, ‘Tie his hands and feet, and throw him out into the darkness. In that place there will be loud crying and grinding 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.” The Proud Religious Law-Keepers Try to Trap Jesus

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

15 T hen the proud religious law-keepers got together to think how they could trap Jesus in His talk.

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

16 T hey sent their followers to Jesus with some of King Herod’s men. They asked, “Teacher, we know that You are true. We know that You are teaching the truth about God. We know You are not afraid of what men think or say about You.

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 what You think of this. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”

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

18 J esus knew their sinful thoughts and said, “You pretend to be someone you are not! Why do you try to trap Me?

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 a piece of money.” They brought Him a piece.

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

20 J esus said to them, “Whose picture is this? Whose name is on it?”

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

21 T hey said to Him, “Caesar’s.” Then He said to them, “Pay to Caesar the things that belong to Caesar. Pay to God the things that belong to God.”

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 W hen they heard this, they were surprised and wondered about it. Then they went away from Him. They Ask about Being Raised from the Dead

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

23 T he same day some people from the religious group who believe no one will be raised from the dead came to Jesus. They asked,

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

24 “ Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man should die without having children, then his brother must marry his wife. He should have 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 T here were seven brothers with us. The first was married but died before he had any children. The second brother then married the first brother’s wife.

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

26 T he second brother died and the same with the third and on to the seventh.

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

27 T hen the woman died also.

Last of all, the woman died also.

28 W hen people are raised from the dead, whose wife will she be of the seven? They all had her for a wife.”

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

29 J esus said to them, “You are wrong because you do not know the Holy Writings or the power of God.

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

30 A fter people are raised from the dead, they do not marry. They are like the 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 H ave you not read what God said to you about those who are raised from the dead? He said,

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 people heard this, they were surprised and wondered about His teaching. The Great Law

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

34 T he proud religious law-keepers got together when they heard that the religious group of people who believe no one will be raised from the dead were not able to talk anymore to Jesus.

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

35 A proud religious law-keeper who knew the Law tried to trap Jesus. He said,

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

36 “ Teacher, which one is the greatest of the Laws?”

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

37 J esus said to him, “‘You must 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 first and greatest of the Laws.

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

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

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

40 A ll the Laws and the writings of the early preachers depend on these two most important Laws.”

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

41 T he proud religious law-keepers were gathered together. Then Jesus asked,

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 J esus said to them, “Then how is it that David, being led by the Holy Spirit, calls Him ‘Lord’? He said,

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 side until I make those who hate You a place to rest 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 calls Him ‘Lord,’ then how can He be the Son of David?”

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

46 N o one could answer a word, and after that day no one asked Him anything.

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