Add parallel Print Page Options

22 And Jesus answering, again spake to them in similes, saying,

`The reign of the heavens was likened to a man, a king, who made marriage-feasts for his son,

and he sent forth his servants to call those having been called to the marriage-feasts, and they were not willing to come.

`Again he sent forth other servants, saying, Say to those who have been called: Lo, my dinner I prepared, my oxen and the fatlings have been killed, and all things [are] ready, come ye to the marriage-feasts;

and they, having disregarded [it], went away, the one to his own field, and the other to his merchandise;

and the rest, having laid hold on his servants, did insult and slay [them].

`And the king having heard, was wroth, and having sent forth his soldiers, he destroyed those murderers, and their city he set on fire;

then saith he to his servants, The marriage-feast indeed is ready, and those called were not worthy,

be going, then, on to the cross-ways, and as many as ye may find, call ye to the marriage-feasts.

10 `And those servants, having gone forth to the ways, did gather all, as many as they found, both bad and good, and the marriage-feast apartment was filled with those reclining.

11 `And the king having come in to view those reclining, saw there a man not clothed with clothing of the marriage-feast,

12 and he saith to him, Comrade, how didst thou come in hither, not having clothing of the marriage-feast? and he was speechless.

13 `Then said the king to the ministrants, Having bound his feet and hands, take him up and cast forth to the outer darkness, there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of the teeth;

14 for many are called, and few chosen.'

15 Then the Pharisees having gone, took counsel how they might ensnare him in words,

16 and they send to him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, `Teacher, we have known that thou art true, and the way of God in truth thou dost teach, and thou art not caring for any one, for thou dost not look to the face of men;

17 tell us, therefore, what dost thou think? is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar or not?'

18 And Jesus having known their wickedness, said, `Why me do ye tempt, hypocrites?

19 show me the tribute-coin?' and they brought to him a denary;

20 and he saith to them, `Whose [is] this image and the inscription?'

21 they say to him, `Caesar's;' then saith he to them, `Render therefore the things of Caesar to Caesar, and the things of God to God;'

22 and having heard they wondered, and having left him they went away.

Read full chapter

The Parable of the Wedding Banquet(A)

22 Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like(B) a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants(C) to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.

“Then he sent some more servants(D) and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’

“But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers(E) and burned their city.

“Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. So go to the street corners(F) and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ 10 So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good,(G) and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12 He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend(H)?’ The man was speechless.

13 “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’(I)

14 “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”(J)

Paying the Imperial Tax to Caesar(K)

15 Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. 16 They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians.(L) “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are. 17 Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax[a](M) to Caesar or not?”

18 But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? 19 Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, 20 and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”

21 “Caesar’s,” they replied.

Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s,(N) and to God what is God’s.”

22 When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.(O)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 22:17 A special tax levied on subject peoples, not on Roman citizens