Matthew 22:1-14

The Parable of the Wedding Celebration

1 And continuing, Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying,

2 "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man--a king--who gave a wedding celebration for his son.

3 And he sent his slaves to summon those who had been invited to the wedding celebration, and they did not want to come.

4 Again he sent other slaves, saying, 'Tell those who have been invited, "Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fattened [cattle] have been slaughtered, and everything [is] ready. Come to the wedding celebration!" '

5 But they paid no attention [and] went away--this one to his own field, that one to his business.

6 And the others, seizing his slaves, mistreated [them] and killed [them].

7 And the king was angry and sent his troops [and] destroyed those murderers and burned their city.

8 Then he said to his slaves, 'The wedding celebration is ready, but those who had been invited were not worthy.

9 Therefore, go out to the [places where] the roads exit the city and invite to the wedding celebration as many [people] as you find.'

10 And those slaves went out into the roads [and] gathered everyone whom they found, both evil and good, and the wedding celebration was filled {with dinner guests}.

11 But [when] the king came in to see the {dinner guests}, he saw a man there not dressed [in] wedding clothes.

12 And he said to him, 'Friend, how did you come in here, not having wedding clothes?' But {he could say nothing}.

13 Then the king said to the servants, 'Tie him up {hand and foot} [and] throw him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!'

14 For many are called but few [are] chosen."

Footnotes

• [a]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("paid no attention") has been translated as a finite verb
• [b]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [c]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [d]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("sent") has been translated as a finite verb
• [e]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("went out") has been translated as a finite verb
• [f]. Literally "with those reclining at table"
• [g]. *Here "[when]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("came in") which is understood as temporal
• [h]. Literally "ones reclining at table"
• [i]. Literally "he was silent"
• [j]. Literally "feet and hands"
• [k]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("tie") has been translated as a finite verb