Matthew

The Parable of the Banquet

1Once again, Jesus spoke to them in parables:

2“The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son.

3He sent his servants to call those he had invited to the banquet, but they refused to come.

4Again, he sent other servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner. My oxen and fattened cattle have been killed, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’

5But they paid no attention and went away, one to his field, another to his business.

6The rest seized his servants, mistreated them, and killed them.

7The king was enraged, and he sent his troops to destroy those murderers and burn their city.

8Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited were not worthy.

9Go therefore to the crossroads and invite to the banquet as many as you can find.’

10So the servants went out into the streets and gathered everyone they could find, both evil and good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

11But when the king came in to see the guests, he spotted a man who was not dressed in wedding clothes.

12‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ But the man was speechless.

13Then the king told the servants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

14For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Paying Taxes to Caesar

15Then the Pharisees went out and conspired to trap Jesus in His words.

16They sent their disciples to Him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that You are honest and that You teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You seek favor from no one, because You pay no attention to external appearance.

17So tell us what You think: Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

18But Jesus knew their evil intent and said, “You hypocrites, why are you testing Me?

19Show Me the coin used for the tax.” And they brought Him a denarius.

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

21“Caesar’s,” they answered. So Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

22And when they heard this, they were amazed. So they left Him and went away.

The Sadducees and the Resurrection

23That same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus and questioned Him.

24“Teacher,” they said, “Moses declared that if a man dies without having children, his brother is to marry the widow and raise up offspring for him.

25Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died without having children. So he left his wife to his brother.

26The same thing happened to the second and third brothers, down to the seventh.

27And last of all, the woman died.

28In the resurrection, then, whose wife will she be of the seven? For all of them were married to her.”

29Jesus answered, “You are mistaken because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God.

30In the resurrection, people will neither marry nor be given in marriage. Instead, they will be like the angelsin heaven.

31But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what God said to you:

32‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He 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

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

35One of them, an expert in the law, tested Him with a question:

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

37Jesus declared, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’

38This is the first and greatest commandment.

39And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Whose Son Is the Christ?

41While the Pharisees were assembled, Jesus questioned them:

42“What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is He?” “David’s,” they answered.

43Jesus said to them, “How then does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord’? For he says:

44‘The Lord said to my Lord,“Sit at My right handuntil I put Your enemiesunder Your feet.”’

45So if David calls Him ‘Lord,’ how can He be David’s son?”

46No one was able to answer a word, and from that day on no one dared to question Him any further.

1And Jesus answering, spoke again in parables to them, saying:

2The kingdom of heaven is likened to a king, who made a marriage for his son.

3And he sent his servants, to call them that were invited to the marriage; and they would not come.

4Again he sent other servants, saying: Tell them that were invited, Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my beeves and fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come ye to the marriage.

5But they neglected, and went their own ways, one to his farm, and another to his merchandise.

6And the rest laid hands on his servants, and having treated them contumeliously, put them to death.

7But when the king had heard of it, he was angry, and sending his armies, he destroyed those murderers, and burnt their city.

8Then he saith to his servants: The marriage indeed is ready; but they that were invited were not worthy.

9Go ye therefore into the highways; and as many as you shall find, call to the marriage.

10And his servants going forth into the ways, gathered together all that they found, both bad and good: and the marriage was filled with guests.

11And the king went in to see the guests: and he saw there a man who had not on a wedding garment.

12And he saith to him: Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? But he was silent.

13Then the king said to the waiters: Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the exterior darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

14For many are called, but few are chosen.

15Then the Pharisees going, consulted among themselves how to insnare him in his speech.

16And they sent to him their disciples with the Herodians, saying: Master, we know that thou art a true speaker, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou dost not regard the person of men.

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

18But Jesus knowing their wickedness, said: Why do you tempt me, ye hypocrites?

19Shew me the coin of the tribute. And they offered him a penny.

20And Jesus saith to them: Whose image and inscription is this?

21They say to him: Caesar’s. Then he saith to them: Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God, the things that are God’s.

22And hearing this they wondered, and leaving him, went their ways.

23That day there came to him the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection; and asked him,

24Saying: Master, Moses said: If a man die having no son, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up issue to his brother.

25Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first having married a wife, died; and not having issue, left his wife to his brother.

26In like manner the second, and the third, and so on to the seventh.

27And last of all the woman died also.

28At the resurrection therefore whose wife of the seven shall she be? for they all had her.

29And Jesus answering, said to them: You err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God.

30For in the resurrection they shall neither marry nor be married; but shall be as the angels of God in heaven.

31And concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read that which was spoken by God, saying to you:

32I 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.

33And the multitudes hearing it, were in admiration at his doctrine.

34But the Pharisees hearing that he had silenced the Sadducees, came together:

35And one of them, a doctor of the law, asking him, tempting him:

36Master, which is the greatest commandment in the law?

37Jesus said to him: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind.

38This is the greatest and the first commandment.

39And the second is like to this: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

40On these two commandments dependeth the whole law and the prophets.

41And the Pharisees being gathered together, Jesus asked them,

42Saying: What think you of Christ? whose son is he? They say to him: David’s.

43He saith to them: How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying:

44The Lord said to my Lord, Sit on my right hand, until I make thy enemies thy footstool?

45If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?

46And no man was able to answer him a word; neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.