Story About People Invited to a Dinner
(Lk. 14:15–24)
1Jesus used stories to say some other things to the people. Jesus said,
2“The kingdom of heaven is like a king that prepared a wedding dinner for his son.
3The king invited some people to the feast. When the feast was ready, the king sent his servants to tell those people to come. But the people refused to come to the king’s feast.
4“Then the king sent some more servants. The king said to the servants, ‘I have already invited those people. So tell them that my feast is ready. I have killed my best bulls and calves to be eaten. Everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.’
5“{The servants went and told the people to come.} But the people refused to listen to the servants. Those people went to do other things. One person went to work in his field, and another person went to his business.
6Some of the other people grabbed the servants, beat them, and killed them.
7The king was very angry. The king sent his army to kill those people that killed his servants. And the army burned their city.
8“After that, the king said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready. I invited those people, but they were not good enough to come to my feast.
9So go to the street corners and invite all the people you see. Tell them to come to my feast.’
10So the servants went into the streets. They gathered all the people they could find. The servants brought good people and bad people to the place where the wedding feast was ready. And that place was filled with people.
11“Then the king came in to see all the people. The king saw a man there that was not dressed in the right clothes for a wedding.
12The king said, ‘Friend, how were you allowed to come in here? You are not wearing the right clothes for a wedding.’ But the man said nothing.
13So the king told some servants, ‘Tie this man’s hands and feet. Throw the man out into the darkness. In that place, people will cry and grind their teeth {with pain}.’
14“Yes, many people are invited. But only a few are chosen.”
Some Jewish Leaders Try to Trick Jesus
(Mk. 12:13–17; Lk. 20:20–26)
15Then the Pharisees
16The Pharisees sent some men to Jesus {to trick him}. They sent some of their own followers and some men from the group called Herodians.
17So tell us what you think. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar
18But Jesus knew that these men were trying to trick him. So he said, “You hypocrites
19Show me a coin used for paying the tax.” The men showed Jesus a silver coin.
20Then Jesus asked, “Whose picture is on the coin? And whose name is written on the coin?”
21The men answered, “It is Caesar’s picture and Caesar’s name.” Then Jesus said to them, “Give to Caesar
22Those men heard what Jesus said, and they were amazed. They left him and went away.
Some Sadducees Try to Trick Jesus
(Mk. 12:18–27; Lk. 20:27–40)
23That same day some Sadducees
24They said, “Teacher, Moses told us that if a married man dies and he had no children, then his brother must marry the woman. Then they will have children for the dead brother.
25There were seven brothers among us. The first one married but died. He had no children. So his brother married the woman.
26Then the second brother also died. The same thing happened to the third brother and all the other brothers.
27The woman was last to die.
28But all seven men had married her. So when people rise from death, whose wife will she be?”
29Jesus answered, “You don’t understand because you don’t know what the Scriptures
30At the time when people rise from death, there will be no marriage. People will not be married to each other. All people will be like the angels in heaven.
31Surely you have read what God said to you about the rising from death?
32God said, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.
33All the people heard this. They were amazed at Jesus’ teaching.
Which Command Is the Most Important?
(Mk. 12:28–34; Lk. 10:25–28)
34The Pharisees
35One Pharisee was an expert in the law {of Moses} . That Pharisee asked Jesus a question to test him.
36The Pharisee said, “Teacher, which command in the law is the most important?”
37Jesus answered, “‘You must love the Lord your God. You must love him with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’
38This is the first and most important command.
39And the second command is like the first: ‘You must love other people the same as you love yourself.’
40All of the law and the writings of the prophets
Jesus Asks the Pharisees a Question
(Mk. 12:35–37; Lk. 20:41–44)
41So while the Pharisees
42Jesus said, “What do you think about the Christ
43Then Jesus said to the Pharisees, “Then why did David call him ‘Lord’? David was speaking by the power of the {Holy} Spirit.
44‘The Lord (God) said to my Lord (Christ): Sit by me at my right side, and I will put your enemies under your control.
45David calls the Christ
46None of the Pharisees could answer Jesus’ question. And after that day no person was brave enough to ask Jesus any more questions {to try to trick him}.