Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying, 2 “^aThe kingdom of heaven ¹is like ²a king who ³held a ^bwedding feast for his son. 3 And he ^asent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding feast, and they were unwilling to come. 4 Again he ^asent other slaves, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited, “Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fattened cattle are all butchered and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast!”’ 5 But they paid no attention and went their separate ways, one to his own ¹farm, another to his business, 6 and the rest seized his slaves and treated them abusively, and then killed them. 7 Now the king was angry, and he sent his armies and destroyed those murderers and set their city on fire. 8 Then he *said to his slaves, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. 9 So go to ^athe main roads, and invite whomever you find there to the wedding feast.’ 10 Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good; and the wedding hall was filled with ¹dinner guests.

11 “But when the king came in to look over the ¹dinner guests, he saw ^aa man there who was not dressed in wedding clothes, 12 and he *said to him, ‘^aFriend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ And the man was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the servants, ‘Tie his hands and feet, and throw him into ^athe outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth in that place.’ 14 For many are ^1acalled, but few are ^bchosen.”

15 ^aThen the Pharisees went and ¹plotted together how they might trap Him ²in what He said. 16 And they *sent their disciples to Him, along with the ^aHerodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are truthful and teach the way of God in truth, and ¹do not care what anyone thinks; for You ²are not partial to anyone. 17 Tell us then, what do You think? Is it ¹permissible to pay a ^2apoll-tax to ^bCaesar, or not?” 18 But Jesus perceived their ¹malice, and said, “Why are you testing Me, you hypocrites? 19 Show Me the ^acoin used for the poll-tax.” And they brought Him a ¹denarius. 20 And He *said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” 21 They *said to Him, “Caesar’s.” Then He *said to them, “^aThen pay to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s.” 22 And hearing this, they were amazed; and ^athey left Him and went away.

23 ^aOn that day some ^bSadducees (who say ^cthere is no resurrection) came to ¹Jesus and questioned Him, 24 saying, “Teacher, Moses said, ‘^aIf a man dies having no children, his brother as next of kin shall marry his wife, and raise up ¹children for his brother.’ 25 Now there were seven brothers among us; and the first married and died, and having no ¹children, he left his wife to his brother. 26 It was the same also with the second brother, and the third, down to the seventh. 27 Last of all, the woman died. 28 In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had her in marriage.”

29 But Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, ^asince you do not ¹understand the Scriptures nor the power of God. 30 For in the resurrection they neither ^amarry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 31 But regarding the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God: 32 ‘^aI AM THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, THE GOD OF ISAAC, AND THE GOD OF JACOB’? He is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” 33 When the crowds heard this, ^athey were astonished at His teaching.

34 ^aBut when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced ^bthe Sadducees, they gathered together. 35 And one of them, ^1aa lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him: 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And He said to him, “‘^aYOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ 38 This is the great and ¹foremost commandment. 39 The second is like it, ‘^aYOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ 40 ^aUpon these two commandments ¹hang the whole Law and the Prophets.”

41 ^aNow while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question: 42 “What do you think about the ¹Christ? Whose son is He?” They *said to Him, “^aThe son of David.” 43 He *said to them, “Then ¹how does David ^2ain the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying,

45 Therefore, if David calls Him ‘Lord,’ ¹how is He his son?” 46 ^aNo one was able to offer Him a word in answer, nor did anyone dare from that day on to ask Him any more questions.