Study Desk

Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying,

"^(C1)The kingdom of heaven ^(F1)is like ^(F2)a king who ^(F3)held a ^(C2)wedding feast for his son.

"And he ^(C1)sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding feast, and they were unwilling to come.

"Again he ^(C1)sent 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!"'

"But they paid no attention and went their separate ways, one to his own ^(F1)farm, another to his business,

and the rest seized his slaves and treated them abusively, and then killed them.

"Now the king was angry, and he sent his armies and destroyed those murderers and set their city on fire.

"Then he ^(*)said to his slaves, 'The wedding feast is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy.

'So go to ^(C1)the main roads, and invite whomever you find there to the wedding feast.'

"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 ^(F1)dinner guests.

"But when the king came in to look over the ^(F1)dinner guests, he saw ^(C1)a man there who was not dressed in wedding clothes,

and he ^(*)said to him, '^(C1)Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?' And the man was speechless.

"Then the king said to the servants, 'Tie his hands and feet, and throw him into ^(C1)the outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth in that place.'

"For many are ^(F1)(C1)called, but few are ^(C1)chosen."

^(C1)Then the Pharisees went and ^(F1)plotted together how they might trap Him ^(F2)in what He said.

And they ^(*)sent their disciples to Him, along with the ^(C1)Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that You are truthful and teach the way of God in truth, and ^(F1)do not care what anyone thinks; for You ^(F2)are not partial to anyone.

"Tell us then, what do You think? Is it ^(F1)permissible to pay a ^(F2)(C1)poll-tax to ^(C2)Caesar, or not?"

But Jesus perceived their ^(F1)malice, and said, "Why are you testing Me, you hypocrites?

"Show Me the ^(C1)coin used for the poll-tax." And they brought Him a ^(F1)denarius.

And He ^(*)said to them, "Whose image and inscription is this?"

They ^(*)said to Him, "Caesar's." Then He ^(*)said to them, "^(C1)Then pay to Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and to God the things that are God's."

And hearing this, they were amazed; and ^(C1)they left Him and went away.