Gospel — Bridegroom
Matthew 22.15-23.39
Read in context22:15Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk.
22:16And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men.
22:17Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Cesar, or not?
22:18But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites?
22:19Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny.
22:20And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription?
22:21They say unto him, Cesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Cesar the things which are Cesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.
22:22When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way.
22:23The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him,
22:24Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.
22:25Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother:
22:26Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh.
22:27And last of all the woman died also.
22:28Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her.
22:29Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.
22:30For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.
22:31But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,
22:32I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.
22:33And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at his doctrine.
22:34But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together.
22:35Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,
22:36Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
22:37Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
22:38This is the first and great commandment.
22:39And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
22:40On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
22:41While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them,
22:42Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David.
22:43He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying,
22:44The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool?
22:45If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?
22:46And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.
23:1Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,
23:2Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat:
23:3All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.
23:4For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
23:5But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
23:6And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
23:7And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.
23:8But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.
23:9And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
23:10Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.
23:11But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
23:12And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
23:13But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.
23:14Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.
23:15Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.
23:16Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!
23:17Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?
23:18And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.
23:19Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?
23:20Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.
23:21And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.
23:22And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.
23:23Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
23:24Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.
23:25Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.
23:26Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
23:27Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.
23:28Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
23:29Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,
23:30And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.
23:31Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.
23:32Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.
23:33Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?
23:34Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:
23:35That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
23:36Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.
23:37O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
23:38Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
23:39For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.