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

Jesus answered and spoke again in parables to them, 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 certain king, who made a marriage feast 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 out his servants to call those who were invited to the marriage feast, but they would not 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 out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “Behold, I have prepared my dinner. My cattle and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the marriage feast!”’

5 B ut they did not listen and went on working. One went to his farm. Another went to his store.

But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his merchandise,

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

and the rest grabbed his servants, and treated them shamefully, and killed them.

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.

When the king heard that, he was angry, and sent his armies, destroyed those murderers, 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 ready, but those who were invited weren’t worthy.

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

Go therefore to the intersections of the highways, and as many as you may find, invite to the marriage feast.’

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.

Those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together as many as they found, both bad and good. The wedding 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 see the guests, he saw there a man who didn’t have on wedding clothing,

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 to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here not wearing wedding clothing?’ He was speechless.

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 servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and throw him into the outer darkness; there is where the weeping and grinding of teeth will be.’

14 F or many are called but few are chosen.” The Proud Religious Law-Keepers Try to Trap Jesus

For many are called, but few 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 took counsel how they might entrap him 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.

They sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are honest, and teach the way of God in truth, no matter whom you teach, for you aren’t partial to anyone.

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

Tell us therefore, what do you think? Is it lawful to pay taxes 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 perceived their wickedness, and said, “Why do you test me, you hypocrites?

19 S how Me a piece of money.” They brought Him a piece.

Show me the tax money.” They brought to him a denarius.

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

He asked them, “Whose is this image and inscription?”

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 to him, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Give therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

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 marveled, and left him, and went away.

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,

On that day Sadducees (those who say that there is no resurrection) came to him. They asked him,

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, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up offspring 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 with us seven brothers. The first married and died, and having no offspring left his wife to his brother.

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

In the same way, the second also, and the third, to the seventh.

27 T hen the woman died also.

After them all, the woman died.

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

In the resurrection therefore, whose wife will she be of the seven? 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 answered them, “You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God.

30 A fter people are raised from the dead, they do not marry. They are like the angels in heaven.

For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are like God’s 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 concerning the resurrection of the dead, haven’t you read that which was spoken to you by God, saying,

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?’ God 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

When the multitudes heard it, they were astonished 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.

But the Pharisees, when they heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, gathered themselves together.

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

One of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, testing him.

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

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment 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.’

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

38 T his is the first and greatest of the Laws.

This is the first and great commandment.

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

A second likewise is this, ‘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.”

The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”

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

Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, 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, “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 then does David in the Spirit call 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 on my right hand, until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet?’

45 I f David calls Him ‘Lord,’ then how can He be the Son of David?”

“If then David 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.

No one was able to answer him a word, neither did any man dare ask him any more questions from that day forward.