1And Jesus answering again spoke to them in parables, saying: [22:2] "The kingdom of the heavens has become like a man, a king, who made a wedding celebration for his son. [22:3] And he sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding celebration, and they were not willing to come. [22:4] Again he sent other slaves, saying, 'Say to those who have been invited: Behold, my luncheon I have prepared, my oxen and the fatlings slaughtered, and all things are ready — come to the wedding celebration.' [22:5] But they, having disregarded it, went away — one indeed to his own field, another to his business. [22:6] And the rest, having laid hold of his slaves, mistreated and killed them. [22:7] And the king was enraged, and having sent his armies he destroyed those murderers and burned their city. [22:8] Then he says to his slaves, 'The wedding celebration indeed is ready, but those who had been invited were not worthy. [22:9] Go therefore into the thoroughfares of the highways, and as many as you shall find, invite to the wedding celebration.' [22:10] And those slaves, having gone out into the highways, brought together all whom they found, both evil and good; and the wedding hall was filled with those reclining. [22:11] Then the king, having entered to see those reclining, saw there a man not having clothed himself in wedding garments, [22:12] and he says to him, 'Friend, how did you enter here not having a wedding garment?' And he was speechless. [22:13] Then the king said to the attendants, 'Bind his feet and hands and cast him out into the outer darkness — there will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.' [22:14] For many are called, but few are chosen."
MAT 22:1-14
The Parable of the Banquet
In the world it was spoken into
In 1st-century Jewish and Greco-Roman culture, a wedding feast was a significant social event, often lasting several days and symbolizing honor, community, and covenant. The king’s invitation to such a feast would have been understood as a high honor, reflecting his generosity and the guests’ elevated status. Refusing such an invitation, especially after preparations were complete, would have been a grave insult, undermining the host’s honor and social standing. The king’s use of slaves to deliver the invitation underscores his authority; slaves were property, not free agents, and their role emphasized the king’s command. The mention of oxen and fatlings highlights the lavishness of the feast, a sign of the king’s wealth and hospitality. The requirement of proper attire reflects the cultural expectation of respect and readiness for such an occasion. The parable’s listeners would have recognized the king’s actions—both his generosity and his judgment—as fitting for a figure of authority in their honor-shame society.
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How other translations render this
MAT 22:1
- KJV
- And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,
- BSB
- Once again, Jesus spoke to them in parables:
- Koinōnos
- And Jesus answering again spoke to them in parables, saying:
MAT 22:2
- KJV
- The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,
- BSB
- “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son.
- Koinōnos
- The kingdom of the heavens has become like a man, a king, who made a wedding celebration for his son.
MAT 22:3
- KJV
- And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.
- BSB
- He sent his servants to call those he had invited to the banquet, but they refused to come.
- Koinōnos
- And he sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding celebration, and they were not willing to come.
MAT 22:4
- KJV
- Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.
- BSB
- Again, he sent other servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner. My oxen and fattened cattle have been killed, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’
- Koinōnos
- Again he sent other slaves, saying, 'Say to those who have been invited: Behold, my luncheon I have prepared, my oxen and the fatlings slaughtered, and all things are ready — come to the wedding celebration.
MAT 22:5
- KJV
- But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:
- BSB
- But they paid no attention and went away, one to his field, another to his business.
- Koinōnos
- But they, having disregarded it, went away — one indeed to his own field, another to his business.
MAT 22:6
- KJV
- And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.
- BSB
- The rest seized his servants, mistreated them, and killed them.
- Koinōnos
- And the rest, having laid hold of his slaves, mistreated and killed them.
MAT 22:7
- KJV
- But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.
- BSB
- The king was enraged, and he sent his troops to destroy those murderers and burn their city.
- Koinōnos
- And the king was enraged, and having sent his armies he destroyed those murderers and burned their city.
MAT 22:8
- KJV
- Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.
- BSB
- Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited were not worthy.
- Koinōnos
- Then he says to his slaves, 'The wedding celebration indeed is ready, but those who had been invited were not worthy.
MAT 22:9
- KJV
- Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.
- BSB
- Go therefore to the crossroads and invite to the banquet as many as you can find.’
- Koinōnos
- Go therefore into the thoroughfares of the highways, and as many as you shall find, invite to the wedding celebration.
MAT 22:10
- KJV
- So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.
- BSB
- So the servants went out into the streets and gathered everyone they could find, both evil and good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.
- Koinōnos
- And those slaves, having gone out into the highways, brought together all whom they found, both evil and good; and the wedding hall was filled with those reclining.
MAT 22:11
- KJV
- And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:
- BSB
- But when the king came in to see the guests, he spotted a man who was not dressed in wedding clothes.
- Koinōnos
- Then the king, having entered to see those reclining, saw there a man not having clothed himself in wedding garments,
MAT 22:12
- KJV
- And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
- BSB
- ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ But the man was speechless.
- Koinōnos
- and he says to him, 'Friend, how did you enter here not having a wedding garment?' And he was speechless.
MAT 22:13
- KJV
- Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
- BSB
- Then the king told the servants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
- Koinōnos
- Then the king said to the attendants, 'Bind his feet and hands and cast him out into the outer darkness — there will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.
Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.
Translator's notes
MAT 22:2
- a wedding feast:The word translated 'a wedding feast' refers to the entire wedding celebration, which in ancient times could last for several days, not just a single meal.
MAT 22:3
- servants:The term used here for 'servants' specifically denotes slaves, highlighting their complete subservience and lack of personal freedom in carrying out their master's commands.
MAT 22:4
- dinner:The word translated 'dinner' originally referred to the morning meal or breakfast, but by the time of the New Testament, it had come to mean the midday meal or luncheon.
MAT 22:11
- being dressed himself:The phrase 'being dressed himself' implies the act of putting on clothes, but the underlying word often carried the sense of being clothed or invested with something, like a quality or authority, not just a physical garment.