Matthew 22 Reader-Friendly Bible: Purple Letter Edition

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◄ Matthew 22 ►

Reader-Friendly Bible: Purple Letter Edition

1And Jesus again spoke to them in parables, and said, 2“The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king, who prepared a marriage for his son, 3And he sent out his servants to call those that were invited to the wedding; and they would not come. 4He again sent out more servants, saying, ‘Tell those that were invited, “I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fatted cattle are all butchered, and all things are ready; come to the marriage.”’ 5But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his business; 6And the rest abused and killed his servants. 7But when the king learned of it, he was enraged and sent out his army to destroy those murderers, and burn their town. 8Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but they who were invited were not worthy. 9So, therefore, go into the street-corners, and invite as many as you find to the marriage’. 10So those servants went out into the street-corners, and gathered all, as many as they found, both bad and good; and the wedding hall was filled with guests. 11But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a there man who had no a wedding garment on. 12And he said to him, ‘Friend, how is it that you came in here not having a wedding garment?’ And the man was speechless. 13Then the king told his servants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him out into outer darkness; where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth’. 14For many are called, but few are chosen.”

15Then the Pharisees went and took counsel how they might entangle Him in His words. 16And they sent their disciples out to Him with the Herodians to say, “Master (Teacher), we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth, nor are You partial to any man; nor are You swayed by the appearance or prestige of men. 17So tell us Your opinion: Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar, or not?” 18But Jesus perceived their evil intent and said, “Why are you trying to trap Me, you hypocrites? 19Show me the coin used to pay the tax.” And they brought to Him a denarius. 20And He asked them, “Whose image and superscription are these coins?” 21“Caesar's”, they replied. Then He said to them, “Render (pay) to Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and to God the things that are God's.” 22When they had heard these words, they marveled, and left Him, and went away.

Herodians: Known for their sensuality and corrupt living, the Herodians were supporters of the policies and government of the Herodian (Herod) family. They were a political, rather than religious party. They distinguished themselves from the two great religious/political parties of the day (Pharisees and Sadducees) by the fact that they were sincerely supporters of Herod the Great and his dynasty. The ruling dynasty that the Herodians supported was begun by Julius Caesar in 47 B.C., when he appointed Antipater I, the Idumaen, to be financial overseer of Judea. His son, Herod (the Great), began to rule Judea in 37 B.C. Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great, became tetrarch of Galilee and Perea in 4 B.C. after the death of his father. It was this Herod who jailed and beheaded John the Baptist and who sent Jesus to Pilate after his arrest.

23That same day the Sadducees, who say that there is no resurrection, came to Him and asked Him, 24 “Master (Teacher), Moses said, ‘If a man dies, having no children, his brother must marry his widow, and raise up offspring to his brother’. 25Now there were seven brothers among us; and the first, who had a wife, died, and, having no offspring, left his wife to his brother; 26The same thing happened to the second, and also the third; this continued on down to the seventh. 27And last of all, the woman also died. 28Now, therefore, at the resurrection, whose wife shall she be of the seven? For they were all married to her.” 29Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the scriptures, nor the power of God. 30At the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but will be like the angels of God in heaven. 31But regarding the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what God said, 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.” 33And when the crowds heard this, they were astonished at His doctrine (teaching).

34But when the Pharisees heard that He had put the Sadducees to silence, they came together. 35Then one of them, an expert in the law, tested Him with this question, 36“Master, which is the greatest commandment in the law?” 37Jesus replied, “You shall 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 much like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’. 40All of the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

41While the Pharisees were gathered there, Jesus asked them a question: 42“What do you think about Christ (the Messiah)? Whose son is He?” They replied, “The Son of David.” 43Then He asked them, “How then, does David, speaking in the Spirit, call Him Lord, when he said, 44‘The LORD said to my Lord, “Sit on My right hand, until I make Your enemies Your footstool”’ (Ps.110:1)? 45If David called Him ‘Lord’, how then is He his son?” 46And no one could answer Him a word, nor did any man from that day forth dare ask Him any more questions.