Chapter 22

The parable of the marriage feast: Christ orders tribute to be paid to Caesar: he confutes the Sadducees: shews which is the first commandment in the law: and puzzles the Pharisees.

1. 1

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

2. 2

   The kingdom of heaven is like to a man being a king, who made a marriage for his son.

3. 3

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

4. 4

   Again 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 wedding.

5. 5

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

6. 6

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

7. 7

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

8. 8

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

9. 9

   Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as you shall find, invite to the wedding.

10. 10

    And his servants going out into the highways, gathered together all that they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was filled with guests.

11. 11

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

12. 12

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

13. 13

    Then the king said to the waiters: Bind him hand and foot, and cast him into the exterior darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

14. 14

    For many are called, but few are chosen.

15. 15

    Then the Pharisees going away, consulted among themselves how to ensnare him in his speech.

16. 16

    And they send 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.

17. 17

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

18. 18

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

19. 19

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

20. 20

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

21. 21

    They 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.

22. 22

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

23. 23

    The same day the Sadducees came to him, who say there is no resurrection: and asked him,

24. 24

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

25. 25

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

26. 26

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

27. 27

    And last of all the woman died also.

28. 28

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

29. 29

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

30. 30

    For in the resurrection they shall neither marry, nor be given in marriage: but shall be as the angels of God in heaven.

31. 31

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

32. 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.

33. 33

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

34. 34

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

35. 35

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

36. 36

    Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

37. 37

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

38. 38

    This is the greatest and first commandment.

39. 39

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

40. 40

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

41. 41

    And the Pharisees being gathered together, Jesus asked them,

42. 42

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

43. 43

    He saith to them: How then doth David in spirit call him Lord: Saying:

44. 44

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

45. 45

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

46. 46

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