Matthew 22:18-46

18 Jesus, however, was aware of their evil plan, and so he said, "You hypocrites! Why are you trying to trap me?

19 Show me the coin for paying the tax!" They brought him the coin,

20 and he asked them, "Whose face and name are these?"

21 "The Emperor's," they answered. So Jesus said to them, "Well, then, pay to the Emperor what belongs to the Emperor, and pay to God what belongs to God."

22 When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away.

23 That same day some Sadducees came to Jesus and claimed that people will not rise from death. ¹

24 "Teacher," they said, "Moses said that if a man who has no children dies, his brother must marry the widow so that they can have children who will be considered the dead man's children. ²

25 Now, there were seven brothers who used to live here. The oldest got married and died without having children, so he left his widow to his brother.

26 The same thing happened to the second brother, to the third, and finally to all seven.

27 Last of all, the woman died.

28 Now, on the day when the dead rise to life, whose wife will she be? All of them had married her."

29 Jesus answered them, "How wrong you are! It is because you don't know the Scriptures or God's power.

30 For when the dead rise to life, they will be like the angels in heaven and will not marry. ³

31 Now, as for the dead rising to life: haven't you ever read what God has told you? He said,

32 "I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.' He is the God of the living, not of the dead." ⁴

33 When the crowds heard this, they were amazed at his teaching.

34 When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they came together,

35 and one of them, a teacher of the Law, tried to trap him with a question.

36 "Teacher," he asked, "which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"

37 Jesus answered, " "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' ⁵

38 This is the greatest and the most important commandment.

39 The second most important commandment is like it: "Love your neighbor as you love yourself.' ⁶

40 The whole Law of Moses and the teachings of the prophets depend on these two commandments." ⁷

41 When some Pharisees gathered together, Jesus asked them,

42 "What do you think about the Messiah? Whose descendant is he?" "He is David's descendant," they answered.

43 "Why, then," Jesus asked, "did the Spirit inspire David to call him "Lord'? David said,

44 "The Lord said to my Lord: ⁸ Sit here at my right side until I put your enemies under your feet.'

45 If, then, David called him "Lord,' how can the Messiah be David's descendant?"

46 No one was able to give Jesus any answer, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Cross References

• 1. 22.23Acts 23.8.
• 2. 22.24Deuteronomy 25.5.
• 3. +222.30Wisdom 5.5.
• 4. 22.32Exodus 3.6.
• 5. 22.37Deuteronomy 6.5.
• 6. 22.39Leviticus 19.18.
• 7. 22.35-40Luke 10.25-28.
• 8. 22.44Psalms 110.1.