Matthew 22 Free Bible Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 Jesus spoke to them using more illustrated stories.
1 Καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ Ἰησοῦς πάλιν εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ἐν παραβολαῖς λέγων·
2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who organized a wedding celebration for his son,” Jesus explained.
2 ὡμοιώθη ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν ἀνθρώπῳ βασιλεῖ, ὅστις ἐποίησε γάμους τῷ υἱῷ αὐτοῦ.
3 “He sent out his servants to everyone who was invited to the wedding to tell them to come, but they refused.
3 καὶ ἀπέστειλε τοὺς δούλους αὐτοῦ καλέσαι τοὺς κεκλημένους εἰς τοὺς γάμους, καὶ οὐκ ἤθελον ἐλθεῖν.
4 So he sent out more servants, with the instructions, ‘Tell those who are invited that I've prepared the wedding banquet. The bulls and fattened calves have been killed—everything's ready. So come to the wedding!’
4 πάλιν ἀπέστειλεν ἄλλους δούλους λέγων· εἴπατε τοῖς κεκλημένοις· ἰδοὺ τὸ ἄριστόν μου ἡτοίμασα, οἱ ταῦροί μου καὶ τὰ σιτιστὰ τεθυμένα, καὶ πάντα ἕτοιμα· δεῦτε εἰς τοὺς γάμους.
5 But they ignored the invitation and left. One went to his fields; another to take care of his business.
5 οἱ δὲ ἀμελήσαντες ἀπῆλθον, ὁ μὲν εἰς τὸν ἴδιον ἀγρόν, ὁ δὲ εἰς τὴν ἐμπορίαν αὐτοῦ·
6 The rest grabbed the king's servants, mistreated them, and killed them.
6 οἱ δὲ λοιποὶ κρατήσαντες τοὺς δούλους αὐτοῦ ὕβρισαν καὶ ἀπέκτειναν.
7 The king became furious. He sent his soldiers to destroy those murderers and burn down their town.
7 ἀκούσας δὲ ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐκεῖνος ὠργίσθη, καὶ πέμψας τὰ στρατεύματα αὐτοῦ ἀπώλεσε τοὺς φονεῖς ἐκείνους καὶ τὴν πόλιν αὐτῶν ἐνέπρησε.
8 Then the king said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those who were invited didn't deserve to attend.
8 τότε λέγει τοῖς δούλοις αὐτοῦ· ὁ μὲν γάμος ἕτοιμός ἐστιν, οἱ δὲ κεκλημένοι οὐκ ἦσαν ἄξιοι·
9 Go into the streets and invite everyone you find to come to the wedding.’
9 πορεύεσθε οὖν ἐπὶ τὰς διεξόδους τῶν ὁδῶν, καὶ ὅσους ἐὰν εὕρητε καλέσατε εἰς τοὺς γάμους.
10 So the servants went out into the streets and brought back everyone they could find, both the good and the bad. The wedding hall was full.
10 καὶ ἐξελθόντες οἱ δοῦλοι ἐκεῖνοι εἰς τὰς ὁδοὺς συνήγαγον πάντας ὅσους εὗρον, πονηρούς τε καὶ ἀγαθούς· καὶ ἐπλήσθη ὁ γάμος ἀνακειμένων.
11 But when the king came in to meet the guests, he noticed a man who didn't have a wedding robe on.
11 εἰσελθὼν δὲ ὁ βασιλεὺς θεάσασθαι τοὺς ἀνακειμένους εἶδεν ἐκεῖ ἄνθρωπον οὐκ ἐνδεδυμένον ἔνδυμα γάμου,
12 He asked him, ‘My friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?’ The man had nothing to say.
12 καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· ἑταῖρε, πῶς εἰσῆλθες ὧδε μὴ ἔχων ἔνδυμα γάμου; ὁ δὲ ἐφιμώθη.
13 Then the king told his servants, ‘Bind his hands and feet, and throw him out into the dark, where there'll be crying and grinding of teeth.’
13 τότε εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τοῖς διακόνοις· δήσαντες αὐτοῦ πόδας καὶ χεῖρας ἄρατε αὐτὸν καὶ ἐκβάλετε εἰς τὸ σκότος τὸ ἐξώτερον· ἐκεῖ ἔσται ὁ κλαυθμὸς καὶ ὁ βρυγμὸς τῶν ὀδόντων.
14 For many are invited, but few are chosen.”
14 πολλοὶ γάρ εἰσι κλητοί, ὀλίγοι δὲ ἐκλεκτοί.
15 Then the Pharisees left and met together to plot how they could trap him by what he said.
15 Τότε πορευθέντες οἱ Φαρισαῖοι συμβούλιον ἔλαβον ὅπως αὐτὸν παγιδεύσωσιν ἐν λόγῳ.
16 They sent their disciples to him, together with some of Herod's supporters. “Teacher, we know you are a honest man, and that you teach God's way is the truth,” they began. “You don't allow yourself to be influenced by anyone, and you don't care about rank or status.
16 καὶ ἀποστέλλουσιν αὐτῷ τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτῶν μετὰ τῶν Ἡρῳδιανῶν λέγοντες· διδάσκαλε, οἴδαμεν ὅτι ἀληθὴς εἶ καὶ τὴν ὁδὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν ἀληθείᾳ διδάσκεις, καὶ οὐ μέλει σοι περὶ οὐδενός· οὐ γὰρ βλέπεις εἰς πρόσωπον ἀνθρώπων·
17 So let us know your opinion. Is it right to pay Caesar's taxes, or not?”
17 εἰπὲ οὖν ἡμῖν, τί σοι δοκεῖ; ἔξεστι δοῦναι κῆνσον Καίσαρι ἢ οὔ;
18 Jesus knew their motives were evil. He asked them, “Why are you trying to trap me, you hypocrites?
18 γνοὺς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς τὴν πονηρίαν αὐτῶν εἶπε· τί με πειράζετε, ὑποκριταί;
19 Show me the coin that is used to pay the tax.” They brought a denarius coin to him.
19 ἐπιδείξατέ μοι τὸ νόμισμα τοῦ κήνσου. οἱ δὲ προσήνεγκαν αὐτῷ δηνάριον.
20 “Whose image and whose title is inscribed here?” he asked them.
20 καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· τίνος ἡ εἰκὼν αὕτη καὶ ἡ ἐπιγραφή;
21 “Caesar's,” they replied. “You should give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God,” he told them.
21 λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· Καίσαρος. τότε λέγει αὐτοῖς· ἀπόδοτε οὖν τὰ Καίσαρος Καίσαρι καὶ τὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῷ Θεῷ.
22 When they heard Jesus' answer they were stunned. They went away and left him.
22 καὶ ἀκούσαντες ἐθαύμασαν, καὶ ἀφέντες αὐτὸν ἀπῆλθον.
23 Later the same day some Sadducees came to see him. (They are the ones who say there's no resurrection.)
23 Ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ προσῆλθον αὐτῷ Σαδδουκαῖοι, οἱ λέγοντες μὴ εἶναι ἀνάστασιν, καὶ ἐπηρώτησαν αὐτὸν
24 They asked him, “Teacher, Moses said that if a married man dies without having children, his brother should marry his widow and have children on behalf of his brother.
24 λέγοντες· διδάσκαλε, Μωσῆς εἶπεν, ἐάν τις ἀποθάνῃ μὴ ἔχων τέκνα, ἐπιγαμβρεύσει ὁ ἀδελφὸς αὐτοῦ τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀναστήσει σπέρμα τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ.
25 Well, once there were seven brothers here with us. The first married, and died, and since he had no children he left his widow to his brother.
25 ἦσαν δὲ παρ᾽ ἡμῖν ἑπτὰ ἀδελφοί· καὶ ὁ πρῶτος γαμήσας ἐτελεύτησε, καὶ μὴ ἔχων σπέρμα ἀφῆκε τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ·
26 The same thing happened to the second and third husband, right up to the seventh.
26 ὁμοίως καὶ ὁ δεύτερος καὶ ὁ τρίτος, ἕως τῶν ἑπτά.
27 In the end the woman died too.
27 ὕστερον δὲ πάντων ἀπέθανε καὶ ἡ γυνή.
28 So when the resurrection takes place, whose wife of the seven brothers will she be, for she married all of them?”
28 ἐν τῇ οὖν ἀναστάσει τίνος τῶν ἑπτὰ ἔσται ἡ γυνή; πάντες γὰρ ἔσχον αὐτήν.
29 Jesus replied, “Your mistake is you don't know Scripture or what God can do.
29 ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· πλανᾶσθε μὴ εἰδότες τὰς γραφὰς μηδὲ τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ Θεοῦ.
30 For in the resurrection people don't marry, and they aren't given in marriage either—they're like the angels in heaven.
30 ἐν γὰρ τῇ ἀναστάσει οὔτε γαμοῦσιν οὔτε ἐκγαμίζονται, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς ἄγγελοι Θεοῦ ἐν οὐρανῷ εἰσι.
31 As for the resurrection of the dead—haven't you read what God said to you,
31 περὶ δὲ τῆς ἀναστάσεως τῶν νεκρῶν οὐκ ἀνέγνωτε τὸ ῥηθὲν ὑμῖν ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ λέγοντος,
32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He's not the God of the dead, but of the living.”
32 ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ Θεὸς Ἀβραὰμ καὶ ὁ Θεὸς Ἰσαὰκ καὶ ὁ Θεὸς Ἰακώβ; οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ Θεὸς Θεὸς νεκρῶν, ἀλλὰ ζώντων.
33 When the crowds heard what he said, they were amazed at his teaching.
33 καὶ ἀκούσαντες οἱ ὄχλοι ἐξεπλήσσοντο ἐπὶ τῇ διδαχῇ αὐτοῦ.
34 When the Pharisees heard that he'd left the Sadducees speechless, they got together and went to ask some more questions.
34 Οἱ δὲ Φαρισαῖοι ἀκούσαντες ὅτι ἐφίμωσε τοὺς Σαδδουκαίους, συνήχθησαν ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτό,
35 One of them, who was a legal expert, asked him a question to try to trap him:
35 καὶ ἐπηρώτησεν εἷς ἐξ αὐτῶν, νομικός, πειράζων αὐτὸν καὶ λέγων·
36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?”
36 διδάσκαλε, ποία ἐντολὴ μεγάλη ἐν τῷ νόμῳ;
37 Jesus told them, “‘Love the Lord your God in all you think, in all you feel, and in all you do.’
37 ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς ἔφη αὐτῷ· ἀγαπήσεις Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ καρδίᾳ σου καὶ ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ ψυχῇ σου καὶ ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ διανοίᾳ σου.
38 This is the greatest commandment, the first commandment.
38 αὕτη ἐστὶ πρώτη καὶ μεγάλη ἐντολή.
39 The second is just like it, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
39 δευτέρα δὲ ὁμοία αὐτῇ· ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτόν.
40 All biblical law and the writings of the prophets depend on these two commandments.”
40 ἐν ταύταις ταῖς δυσὶν ἐντολαῖς ὅλος ὁ νόμος καὶ οἱ προφῆται κρέμανται.
41 While the Pharisees were gathered there, Jesus asked them a question.
41 Συνηγμένων δὲ τῶν Φαρισαίων ἐπηρώτησεν αὐτοὺς ὁ Ἰησοῦς
42 “What do you think about the Messiah?” he asked. “Whose son is he?” “The son of David,” they replied.
42 λέγων· τί ὑμῖν δοκεῖ περὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ; τίνος υἱός ἐστι; λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· τοῦ Δαυΐδ.
43 “But how can David under inspiration call him ‘Lord’?” Jesus asked them. “He says,
43 λέγει αὐτοῖς· πῶς οὖν Δαυῒδ ἐν Πνεύματι Κύριον αὐτὸν καλεῖ λέγων,
44 ‘The Lord said to my Lord, Sit down at my right hand until I defeat all your enemies.’
44 εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος τῷ Κυρίῳ μου, κάθου ἐκ δεξιῶν μου ἕως ἂν θῶ τοὺς ἐχθρούς σου ὑποπόδιον τῶν ποδῶν σου;
45 If David called him Lord, how can he be his son?”
45 εἰ οὖν Δαυῒδ καλεῖ αὐτὸν Κύριον, πῶς υἱὸς αὐτοῦ ἐστι;
46 Nobody could answer him, and from then on nobody dared to ask him any more questions.
46 καὶ οὐδεὶς ἐδύνατο αὐτῷ ἀποκριθῆναι λόγον, οὐδὲ ἐτόλμησέ τις ἀπ᾽ ἐκείνης τῆς ἡμέρας ἐπερωτῆσαι αὐτὸν οὐκέτι.
Cross references (42)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Matthew 20:1–16; Matthew 12:43–45; Luke 8:10; Mark 4:33–34; Matthew 13:3–11
- 2 Revelation 19:7–9; Matthew 13:24; Ephesians 5:24–32; Psalm 45:10–16; 2 Corinthians 11:2
- 3 Revelation 22:17; Luke 14:15–17; John 5:40; Psalm 81:10–12; Hosea 11:7
- 4 Acts 13:46; John 6:50–57; Matthew 21:36; Psalm 86:5; Nehemiah 9:17
- 5 Luke 14:18–20; Hebrews 2:3; 1 John 2:15–16; Matthew 24:38–39; Luke 17:26–32
- 6 John 15:19–20; Matthew 10:22–25; Matthew 5:10–12; Acts 8:1; John 16:2–3
- 7 Luke 19:27; 1 Peter 4:17–18; Luke 21:24; Joel 2:25; Luke 21:21
- 8 2 Thessalonians 1:5; Revelation 3:4; Acts 13:46; Luke 20:35; Revelation 22:14
- 9 Luke 14:21–24; Mark 16:15–16; Proverbs 1:20–23; Proverbs 9:4–6; Isaiah 55:1–3
- 10 1 John 2:19; 1 Corinthians 6:9–11; 2 Corinthians 12:21; Matthew 13:47–48; Revelation 7:9
- 11 Revelation 3:4–5; Revelation 19:8; Zechariah 3:3–4; Hebrews 4:12–13; Revelation 16:15
- 12 Job 5:16; Matthew 20:13; 1 Samuel 2:9; Acts 5:2–11; Jeremiah 2:23
- 13 Matthew 8:12; Matthew 25:30; Matthew 24:51; 2 Peter 2:4; Revelation 21:27
- 14 2 Peter 1:10; Luke 13:23–24; Revelation 17:14; Matthew 7:13–14; Matthew 20:16
- 15 Luke 20:20–26; Mark 12:13–17; Psalm 2:2; Psalm 56:5–7; Psalm 59:3
- 16 Mark 3:6; Luke 20:21; Mark 8:15; Mark 12:14; John 7:18
- 17 Luke 2:1; Romans 13:6–7; Matthew 17:25; Acts 28:22; Acts 5:37
- 18 John 8:6; Luke 5:22; John 2:25; Acts 5:9; Revelation 2:23
- 19 Matthew 20:2; Matthew 18:28; Revelation 6:6
- 20 Luke 20:24
- 21 Romans 13:7; Proverbs 24:21; Acts 4:19; Malachi 1:6–8; Matthew 22:37
- 22 Mark 12:12; Matthew 22:46; Matthew 10:16; Proverbs 26:4–5; Matthew 22:33
- 23 Acts 4:1; Acts 23:6–8; Matthew 3:7; Luke 20:27–40; Mark 12:18–27
- 24 Deuteronomy 25:5–10; Luke 20:28; Matthew 7:21; Mark 12:19; Matthew 22:16
- 25 Hebrews 9:27; Mark 12:19–23; Luke 20:29–33
- 29 John 20:9; Romans 15:4; Luke 1:37; Jeremiah 32:17; Daniel 12:2–3
- 30 Luke 20:34–36; Mark 12:24–25; John 5:28–29; 1 Corinthians 7:29–31; Matthew 24:38
- 31 Matthew 21:16; Matthew 12:3
- 32 Exodus 3:6; Mark 12:26–27; Acts 7:32; Luke 20:37–38; Exodus 3:15–16
- 33 Luke 20:39–40; Matthew 7:28–29; John 7:46; Matthew 22:22; Mark 6:2
- 34 Mark 12:28–31; Matthew 25:3–5
- 35 Luke 7:30; Luke 10:25–37; Luke 11:52; Luke 11:45–46; Luke 14:3
- 36 Mark 12:28–33; Matthew 5:19–20; Luke 11:42; Matthew 23:23–24; Hosea 8:12
- 37 Mark 12:29–30; Luke 10:27; Deuteronomy 6:5; Deuteronomy 10:12; Mark 12:33
- 39 Mark 12:31; Luke 10:27–37; Leviticus 19:18; Romans 13:9–10; Galatians 5:14
- 40 Romans 13:9; Matthew 7:12; 1 John 4:19–21; James 2:8; John 1:17
- 41 Mark 12:35–37; Luke 20:41–44; Matthew 22:34; Matthew 22:15
- 42 Jeremiah 23:5–6; John 6:68–69; Amos 9:11; Ezekiel 34:23–24; Matthew 16:13–17
- 43 2 Samuel 23:2; Revelation 4:2; Mark 12:36; Hebrews 3:7; 2 Peter 1:21
- 44 Psalm 110:1; Hebrews 1:13; Acts 2:34–35; 1 Corinthians 15:25; Hebrews 10:12–13
- 45 Revelation 22:16; Romans 1:3–4; John 8:58; 1 Timothy 3:16; Philippians 2:6–8
- 46 Mark 12:34; Luke 20:40; Luke 14:6; Acts 4:14; Matthew 21:27
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
All the faithful know the marriage of the king's son, and his feast, and the spreading of the Lord's Table is open to them all who will. But it is of importance to each one to see how he approaches, even when he is not forbidden to approach It.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
Seest thou both in the former parable and in this the difference between the Son and the servants? Seest thou at once the great affinity between both parables, and the great difference also? For this also indicates God's long-suffering, and His great providential care, and the Jews' ingratitude. But this parable hath something also more than the other.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
… if one ought to pay tribute to Cæsar; and He answered, "Tell Me, whose image does the coin bear?" And they said, "Cæsar's." And again He answered them, "Render therefore to Cæsar the things that are Cæsar's, and to God the things that are God's." Whence to God alone we render worship, but in other things we gladly serve you, …
To those, therefore, who are ignorant of these matters, and on this account imagine that they have discovered another Father, justly does one say, "Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God."
Can it at any time or place be an unrighteous thing for a man to love God with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his mind, and his neighbour as himself? Therefore those offences which be contrary to nature are everywhere and at all times to be held in detestation and punished; such were those of …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)