Matthew 22:23-46

The Sadducees and the Resurrection

23 The same day some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came up to Him and questioned Him:

24 "Teacher, Moses said, if a man dies, having no children, his brother is to marry his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. ^[a]

25 Now there were seven brothers among us. The first got married and died. Having no offspring, he left his wife to his brother.

26 The same happened to the second also, and the third, and so to all seven.^[b]

27 Then last of all the woman died.

28 Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven? For they all had married her."^[c]

29 Jesus answered them, "You are deceived, because you don't know the Scriptures or the power of God.

30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like ^[d] angels in heaven.

31 Now concerning the resurrection of the dead, haven't you read what was spoken to you by God:

32 I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob ? ^[e] He ^[f] is not the God of the dead, but of the living."

33 And when the crowds heard this, they were astonished at His teaching.

The Primary Commandments

34 When the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they came together in the same place.

35 And one of them, an expert in the law, asked a question to test Him:

36 "Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?"^[g]

37 He said to him, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. ^[h]

38 This is the greatest and most important ^[i] commandment.

39 The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. ^[j]

40 All the Law and the Prophets depend ^[k] on these two commandments."

The Question about the Messiah

41 While the Pharisees were together, Jesus questioned them,

42 "What do you think about the Messiah? Whose Son is He?" "David's," they told Him.

43 He asked them, "How is it then that David, inspired by the Spirit, ^[l] calls Him 'Lord':

44 The Lord declared to my Lord, 'Sit at My right hand until I put Your enemies under Your feet' ? ^{[m] [n]}

45 "If David calls Him 'Lord,' how then can the Messiah be his Son?"

46 No one was able to answer Him at all,^[o] and from that day no one dared to question Him any more.

Footnotes

• [a]. Dt 25:5
• [b]. Lit so until the seven
• [c]. Lit all had her
• [d]. Other mss add God's
• [e]. Ex 3:6, 15-16
• [f]. Other mss read God
• [g]. Lit is great
• [h]. Dt 6:5
• [i]. Lit and first
• [j]. Lv 19:18
• [k]. Or hang
• [l]. Lit David in Spirit
• [m]. Other mss read until I make Your enemies Your footstool
• [n]. Ps 110:1
• [o]. Lit answer Him a word