Matthew 22:1-46 NIrV

[1] Jesus told them more stories. He said, [2] “Here is what the kingdom of heaven is like. A king prepared a wedding dinner for his son. [3] He sent his slaves to those who had been invited to the dinner. The slaves told them to come. But they refused. [4] “Then he sent some more slaves. He said, ‘Tell those who were invited that I have prepared my dinner. I have killed my oxen and my fattest cattle. Everything is ready. Come to the wedding dinner.’ [5] “But the people paid no attention. One went away to his field. Another went away to his business. [6] The rest grabbed his slaves. They treated them badly and then killed them. [7] The king became very angry. He sent his army to destroy them. They killed those murderers and burned their city. [8] “Then the king said to his slaves, ‘The wedding dinner is ready. But those I invited were not fit to come. [9] So go to the street corners. Invite to the dinner anyone you can find.’ [10] So the slaves went out into the streets. They gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good. Soon the wedding hall was filled with guests. [11] “The king came in to see the guests. He noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. [12] ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ The man couldn’t think of anything to say. [13] “Then the king told his slaves, ‘Tie up his hands and feet. Throw him outside into the darkness. Out there people will weep and grind their teeth.’ [14] “Many are invited, but few are chosen.” [15] The Pharisees went out. They made plans to trap Jesus with his own words. [16] They sent their followers to him. They sent the Herodians with them. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are a man of honor. You teach the way of God truthfully. You don’t let others tell you what to do or say. You don’t care how important they are. [17] Tell us then, what do you think? Is it right to pay the royal tax to Caesar or not?” [18] But Jesus knew their evil plans. He said, “You pretenders! Why are you trying to trap me? [19] Show me the coin people use for paying the tax.” They brought him a silver coin. [20] He asked them, “Whose picture is this? And whose words?” [21] “Caesar’s,” they replied. Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar. And give back to God what belongs to God.” [22] When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away. [23] That same day the Sadducees came to Jesus with a question. They do not believe that people rise from the dead. [24] “Teacher,” they said, “here is what Moses told us. If a man dies without having children, his brother must get married to the widow. He must provide children to carry on his brother’s name. [25] There were seven brothers among us. The first one got married and died. Since he had no children, he left his wife to his brother. [26] The same thing happened to the second and third brothers. It happened right on down to the seventh brother. [27] Finally, the woman died. [28] Now then, when the dead rise, whose wife will she be? All seven of them were married to her.” [29] Jesus replied, “You are mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures. And you do not know the power of God. [30] When the dead rise, they won’t get married. And their parents won’t give them to be married. They will be like the angels in heaven. [31] What about the dead rising? Haven’t you read what God said to you? [32] He said, ‘I am the God of Abraham. I am the God of Isaac. And I am the God of Jacob.’ (Exodus 3:6) He is not the God of the dead. He is the God of the living.” [33] When the crowds heard this, they were amazed by what he taught. [34] The Pharisees heard that the Sadducees weren’t able to answer Jesus. So the Pharisees got together. [35] One of them was an authority on the law. So he tested Jesus with a question. [36] “Teacher,” he asked, “which is the most important commandment in the Law?” [37] Jesus replied, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Love him with all your mind.’ (Deuteronomy 6:5) [38] This is the first and most important commandment. [39] And the second is like it. ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’ (Leviticus 19:18) [40] Everything that is written in the Law and the Prophets is based on these two commandments.” [41] The Pharisees were gathered together. Jesus asked them, [42] “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?” “The son of David,” they replied. [43] He said to them, “Then why does David call him ‘Lord’? The Holy Spirit spoke through David himself. David said, [44] “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your control.” ’ (Psalm 110:1) [45] So if David calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be David’s son?” [46] No one could give any answer to him. From that day on, no one dared to ask him any more questions.