The Parable of the Wedding Banquet
Matthew 22:1-14
Matt.22.1 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Και: CONJ
- αποκριθεις: VERB,aor,act,part,nom,sg,m
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- Ιησους: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- παλιν: ADV
- ειπεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- εν: PREP
- παραβολαις: NOUN,dat,pl,f
- αυτοις: PRON,dat,pl,m
- λεγων·: PTCP,pres,act,nom,sg,m
Parallels
- Matthew 13:3 (verbal): Uses the same wording about Jesus teaching 'in parables' (introducing his teaching by parable), a parallel formula announcing parabolic teaching.
- Matthew 13:34 (structural): A summary statement that Jesus spoke to the crowds 'in parables,' showing the broader structural pattern of Jesus' use of parables to teach, as here in 22:1.
- Mark 4:33 (verbal): Mark likewise notes that Jesus taught 'with many such parables,' echoing the practice and formula of introducing parabolic instruction.
- Luke 14:16 (thematic): Introduces the Parable of the Great Banquet, which is thematically closely related to Matthew's Parable of the Wedding Banquet (invitation to a feast, refused guests, later invitation to others).
Alternative generated candidates
- Hear another parable: The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding feast for his son.
- Again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying,
Matt.22.2 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Ωμοιωθη: VERB,aor,pass,ind,3,sg
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- βασιλεια: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- ουρανων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
- ανθρωπω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- βασιλει: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- οστις: PRON,nom,sg,m
- εποιησεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- γαμους: NOUN,acc,pl,m
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- υιω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,3,m
Parallels
- Luke 14:16-24 (structural): A closely parallel parable of a man who prepares a great banquet and invites guests; shares the same banquet/host motif and a similar sequence of invitees refusing, emphasizing the kingdom's invitation and judgment.
- Matt.9:15 (verbal): Jesus speaks of himself as the bridegroom and his followers as wedding guests; uses nuptial language that frames the kingdom imagery found in the wedding-feast parable.
- Matt.25:1-13 (thematic): Parable of the ten virgins also uses a wedding/nuptial setting to teach about readiness for entrance into the kingdom, paralleling the wedding-feast theme and urgency of responding to God's invitation.
- Rev.19:7-9 (allusion): The marriage supper of the Lamb presents the eschatological consummation of God's kingdom as a wedding feast, echoing the banquet/wedding imagery of Matthew 22 as fulfilled in the final celebration.
- Isa.25:6-8 (allusion): Prophetic banquet language (a rich feast, removal of death) provides Old Testament background for New Testament wedding-feast imagery and the idea of God's salvific celebration.
Alternative generated candidates
- He sent his servants to call those who had been invited to the wedding, but they would not come.
- 'The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding feast for his son.
Matt.22.3 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- απεστειλεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- τους: ART,acc,pl,m
- δουλους: NOUN,acc,pl,m
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,3,m
- καλεσαι: VERB,aor,act,inf
- τους: ART,acc,pl,m
- κεκλημενους: PART,perf,pass,acc,pl,m
- εις: PREP
- τους: ART,acc,pl,m
- γαμους: NOUN,acc,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- ουκ: PART
- ηθελον: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,pl
- ελθειν: VERB,aor,act,inf
Parallels
- Luke 14:16-20 (verbal): Parable of the Great Banquet: a host sends servants to summon the invited, and the invitees refuse—closely parallels wording and plot of Matthew's wedding-feast invitation and refusal.
- Matt.21:33-39 (structural): Parable of the Wicked Tenants: owner sends servants (like messengers/prophets) who are rejected/abused—structurally parallels the motif of sent servants and the people's refusal of God's messengers.
- Isaiah 55:1 (thematic): Prophetic invitation language ('Come, buy and eat')—provides the Old Testament background of divine banquet/invitation imagery underlying the wedding-feast parable.
- John 1:11 (thematic): 'He came to his own, and his own received him not'—captures the broader theme of rejection of God's envoy that underlies the refusal of the invited in Matthew's parable.
Alternative generated candidates
- Again he sent other servants, saying, 'Tell those who have been invited: Behold, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fattened cattle are killed, and everything is ready; come to the wedding.'
- He sent out his servants to call those invited to the wedding, but they would not come.
Matt.22.4 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- παλιν: ADV
- απεστειλεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- αλλους: ADJ,acc,pl,m
- δουλους: NOUN,acc,pl,m
- λεγων·Ειπατε: PART,pres,act,nom,sg,m+VERB,aor,act,imp,2,pl
- τοις: ART,dat,pl,m
- κεκλημενοις·Ιδου: PART,perf,pass,dat,pl,m+INTJ
- το: ART,nom,sg,n
- αριστον: ADJ,nom,sg,n
- μου: PRON,gen,sg,1
- ητοιμακα: VERB,perf,act,ind,1,sg
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- ταυροι: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- μου: PRON,gen,sg,1
- και: CONJ
- τα: ART,nom,pl,neut
- σιτιστα: NOUN,nom,pl,n
- τεθυμενα: PART,perf,pass,nom,pl,n
- και: CONJ
- παντα: ADJ,acc,pl,n
- ετοιμα·δευτε: ADJ,nom,pl,n+VERB,pres,act,imp,2,pl
- εις: PREP
- τους: ART,acc,pl,m
- γαμους: NOUN,acc,pl,m
Parallels
- Luke 14:16-24 (structural): Parallel 'banquet' parable: a host prepares a meal and sends servants to call invited guests, who refuse; both narratives use banquet/ invitation structure and themes of rejection and extension of invitation.
- Isaiah 25:6 (allusion): Eschatological feast imagery—'a feast of rich food' prepared by the Lord—echoes the prepared banquet motif and frames the king's wedding feast in a divine/eschatological register.
- Revelation 19:9 (thematic): Directly resonates with the 'marriage supper' motif: the invited guests at the Lamb's wedding supper reflect the NT development of the wedding-feast imagery for God's final, salvific banquet.
- Proverbs 9:1-5 (thematic): Wisdom pictured as preparing a meal and calling people to come and eat—parallel rhetorical use of a prepared banquet as an invitation to acceptance and life/knowledge.
- Psalm 23:5 (thematic): The shepherd 'prepares a table' and provides a feast in the presence of foes; shares the motif of divine/hostly provision and a prepared meal as sign of welcome and blessing.
Alternative generated candidates
- But they made light of it and went away—one to his field, another to his business,
- Again he sent other servants, saying, 'Tell those who are invited,
Matt.22.5 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- δε: CONJ
- αμελησαντες: PART,aor,act,nom,pl,m
- απηλθον: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- ος: PRO,nom,sg,m
- μεν: PART
- εις: PREP
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- ιδιον: ADJ,acc,sg,m
- αγρον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- ος: PRO,nom,sg,m
- δε: CONJ
- επι: PREP
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- εμποριαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- αυτου·: PRON,gen,sg,m
Parallels
- Luke 14:18-20 (verbal): Contains the same kind of excuses (bought a field, bought oxen, married) corresponding to Matthew's 'one to his farm, another to his business.'
- Luke 14:16-24 (structural): The broader 'great banquet' parable in Luke parallels Matthew's wedding‑feast narrative in structure and outcome: invited guests refuse and others are then brought in.
- Matt.21:33-46 (thematic): Parable of the tenants: like the wedding guests, the original invitees (tenants) reject the owner's messengers/son, leading to judgment—shared theme of refusal of God's representatives.
- John 1:11 (thematic): Summarizes the opposite response of those first approached: 'He came to his own, and his own received him not,' echoing the theme of rejection of God's offer.
Alternative generated candidates
- while the rest seized his servants, maltreated them, and killed them.
Matt.22.6 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- δε: CONJ
- λοιποι: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- κρατησαντες: VERB,aor,act,part,nom,pl,m
- τους: ART,acc,pl,m
- δουλους: NOUN,acc,pl,m
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,3,m
- υβρισαν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- και: CONJ
- απεκτειναν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
Parallels
- Matt.21:35-39 (verbal): Same theme and similar language: tenants/seized the owner's servants, insulted and killed them; closely parallels the violence against the king’s servants in the wedding-parable.
- Mark 12:2-8 (structural): Parallel account of the vineyard/tenants parable in Mark: servants are sent, seized, beaten, and killed — the same storyline and actions as Matthew 22:6.
- Luke 20:11-15 (structural): Luke’s version of the tenants’ parable likewise depicts servants being seized, mistreated, and killed, providing a direct Synoptic parallel.
- Isaiah 5:1-7 (allusion): The ‘vineyard’ song supplies prophetic background and imagery for parables about a faithless people and the owners’ judgment, thematically linked to the mistreatment of God’s messengers.
- Acts 7:52 (thematic): Stephen charges his hearers with persecuting and killing the prophets/servants God sent — a broader biblical theme of rejecting and killing God’s messengers reflected in Matthew 22:6.
Alternative generated candidates
- The king was angry; he sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.
Matt.22.7 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- δε: CONJ
- βασιλευς: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- ωργισθη: VERB,aor,pass,ind,3,sg
- και: CONJ
- πεμψας: VERB,aor,act,part,nom,sg,m
- τα: ART,nom,pl,neut
- στρατευματα: NOUN,acc,pl,n
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,3,m
- απωλεσεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- τους: ART,acc,pl,m
- φονεις: NOUN,acc,pl,m
- εκεινους: PRON,acc,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- πολιν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- αυτων: PRON,gen,pl,3
- ενεπρησεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
Parallels
- Matthew 21:41 (verbal): Same theme and similar language of divine judgment against wicked tenants/servants — owner/Jewish leaders judged and destroyed for murdering his son/servant.
- Mark 12:9 (verbal): Parallel saying in Mark’s version of the Wicked Tenants parable: the owner will ‘come and destroy the tenants,’ echoing the punitive action of the king in Matthew 22:7.
- Luke 20:16 (verbal): Luke’s parallel to the Wicked Tenants saying: ‘He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others,’ closely matching Matthew’s depiction of destruction.
- Luke 14:23-24 (structural): Luke’s ‘Great Banquet’ parable corresponds structurally to Matthew’s wedding-feast parable (invitation, rejection, invitation extended to others), though Luke lacks the explicit burning-of-the-city judgment.
- Luke 19:43-44 (thematic): Jesus’ prophetic warning of Jerusalem’s coming destruction by enemies parallels the imagery of the king sending forces to destroy and burn the city — connecting the parable’s judgment to historical eschatological consequences.
Alternative generated candidates
- Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy.
Matt.22.8 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- τοτε: ADV
- λεγει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- τοις: ART,dat,pl,m
- δουλοις: NOUN,dat,pl,m
- αυτου·Ο: PRON,gen,sg,m+ART,nom,sg,m
- μεν: PART
- γαμος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- ετοιμος: ADJ,nom,sg,m
- εστιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- δε: CONJ
- κεκλημενοι: VERB,perf,pass,ptc,nom,pl,m
- ουκ: PART
- ησαν: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,pl
- αξιοι·: ADJ,nom,pl,m
Parallels
- Matthew 22:3 (verbal): Same parable and similar wording: servants are sent to call the invited, who refuse to come—both verses emphasize the invited guests' unworthiness/refusal.
- Luke 14:24 (thematic): In the parable of the great banquet Jesus says none of those originally invited will taste the banquet, paralleling the theme of the invited being excluded.
- Acts 13:46 (verbal): Paul states that by rejecting the message the hearers 'judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life,' echoing the language and consequence of the invited being unworthy.
- Revelation 19:7-9 (thematic): Imagery of the 'marriage supper of the Lamb' and the blessedness of being called to the wedding supper parallels the wedding-feast motif and the contrast between those fit to attend and those not.
- Matthew 21:43 (thematic): Jesus warns the kingdom will be taken from those who refuse its requirements and given to others—a parallel consequence to the invited being found unworthy and the invitation extending elsewhere.
Alternative generated candidates
- 'Go therefore to the highways and byways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.'
Matt.22.9 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- πορευεσθε: VERB,pres,mid,imp,2,pl
- ουν: CONJ
- επι: PREP
- τας: ART,acc,pl,f
- διεξοδους: NOUN,acc,pl,f
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- οδων: NOUN,gen,pl,f
- και: CONJ
- οσους: PRON,acc,pl,m
- εαν: CONJ
- ευρητε: VERB,aor,act,subj,2,pl
- καλεσατε: VERB,aor,act,imp,2,pl
- εις: PREP
- τους: ART,acc,pl,m
- γαμους: NOUN,acc,pl,m
Parallels
- Luke 14:23 (verbal): In the parallel parable of the great banquet Jesus commands the servant to 'go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in,' closely matching Matthew's exhortation to invite all found along the roads.
- Matthew 22:3 (structural): Earlier in the same parable the king sends his servants to call the invited, providing the immediate narrative background for the later command to invite others into the highways.
- Matthew 22:10 (structural): The immediate sequel to v.9, showing the servants' obedience—'and those whom they found were invited to the wedding'—and completing the narrative action begun by the command to go into the roads.
- Revelation 19:9 (thematic): Uses the image of a wedding feast—'the marriage supper of the Lamb'—as an eschatological fulfillment of the banquet motif and the invitation extended to guests, echoing the parable's wedding imagery.
- Isaiah 25:6 (thematic): Portrays the LORD preparing a great feast for all peoples, a prophetic banquet image that thematically undergirds New Testament wedding-feast and invitation language.
Alternative generated candidates
- Those servants went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both the bad and the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.
Matt.22.10 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- εξελθοντες: VERB,aor,act,ptc,nom,pl,m
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- δουλοι: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- εκεινοι: PRO,dem,nom,pl,m
- εις: PREP
- τας: ART,acc,pl,f
- οδους: NOUN,acc,pl,f
- συνηγαγον: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- παντας: ADJ,acc,pl,m
- ους: PRO,rel,acc,pl,m
- ευρον: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- πονηρους: ADJ,acc,pl,m
- τε: PART
- και: CONJ
- αγαθους·και: ADJ,acc,pl,m
- επλησθη: VERB,aor,pass,ind,3,sg
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- γαμος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- ανακειμενων: VERB,pres,mid,ptc,gen,pl,m
Parallels
- Luke 14:21-23 (verbal): In Luke the servant is sent out into the streets/lanes to bring in guests (poor, maimed, lame, blind) to fill the house — closely parallels Matthew’s language and action of gathering everyone found to fill the banquet.
- Revelation 19:7-9 (allusion): The image of the eschatological 'marriage supper of the Lamb' and the blessedness of those invited echoes the wedding-feast motif and divine invitation in Matthew’s parable.
- Matthew 8:11 (thematic): Jesus’ affirmation that many will come from east and west to recline at the table with Abraham resonates with the theme of outsiders being gathered into God’s banquet.
- Isaiah 25:6 (thematic): Isaiah’s prophetic banquet—'a feast of rich food for all peoples'—provides an Old Testament backdrop for the prophetic/eschatological banquet imagery Matthew employs.
Alternative generated candidates
- When the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes.
Matt.22.11 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- εισελθων: VERB,aor,act,part,nom,m,sg
- δε: CONJ
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- βασιλευς: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- θεασασθαι: VERB,aor,mid,inf
- τους: ART,acc,pl,m
- ανακειμενους: VERB,pres,mid,part,acc,m,pl
- ειδεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- εκει: ADV
- ανθρωπον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- ουκ: PART
- ενδεδυμενον: VERB,perf,pass,part,acc,m,sg
- ενδυμα: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- γαμου·: NOUN,gen,sg,m
Parallels
- Matthew 22:12-14 (verbal): Immediate continuation of the parable: the king confronts the man without a wedding garment and pronounces his judgment (binding and casting out).
- Luke 14:16-24 (thematic): Parable of the great banquet: similar motif of invited guests refusing the feast and others taking their place—shared theme of a king’s/host’s wedding/banquet invitation and judgment on unprepared guests.
- Zechariah 3:3-5 (allusion): Joshua the high priest has filthy garments removed and is given clean clothes—uses clothing to signify cleansing and rightful status, paralleling the wedding garment as required proper attire.
- Revelation 19:7-8 (allusion): The bride of the Lamb is clothed in fine linen, bright and pure (interpreted as righteous deeds); echoes wedding-clothing imagery linking garment to righteousness and worthiness to attend the feast.
- Isaiah 61:10 (thematic): Image of being clothed with garments of salvation and a robe of righteousness—ties clothing language to salvation/righteousness, the underlying moral/spiritual requirement implied by the wedding garment.
Alternative generated candidates
- He said to him, 'Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?' But the man was speechless.
Matt.22.12 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- λεγει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτω·Εταιρε: PRON,dat,sg,m+NOUN,voc,sg,m
- πως: ADV
- εισηλθες: VERB,aor,act,ind,2,sg
- ωδε: ADV
- μη: PART
- εχων: VERB,pres,act,part,nom,sg,m
- ενδυμα: NOUN,acc,pl,n
- γαμου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- δε: CONJ
- εφιμωθη: VERB,aor,pas,ind,3,sg
Parallels
- Luke 14:16-24 (thematic): Parable of the Great Banquet: another Jewish/Jesus tradition about invitations to a feast and guests who refuse or are unprepared—shared setting and social-religious critique of those excluded from God's feast.
- Revelation 19:7-9 (thematic): The marriage of the Lamb imagery and the bride given 'fine linen, bright and clean' (symbolizing righteous deeds) parallels the wedding‑garment motif as a symbol of proper, righteous clothing for the eschatological feast.
- Isaiah 61:10 (verbal): Isaiah's language of being 'clothed with garments of salvation' and 'covered with the robe of righteousness' uses garment imagery for salvation/righteousness, echoing the wedding‑garment theme as moral/spiritual attire.
- Zechariah 3:3-5 (verbal): The removal of Joshua's filthy garments and his being clothed in clean vestments (signifying forgiveness and restoration) parallels the symbolic meaning of proper clothing versus uncleanness in the wedding‑garment scene.
- Matthew 25:1-13 (structural): Parable of the ten virgins: another wedding-feast parable in Matthew emphasizing readiness and appropriate preparation for the eschatological banquet—similar concern with who is admitted to the feast.
Alternative generated candidates
- Then the king said to the attendants, 'Bind him hand and foot, and cast him out into the outer darkness; there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.'
Matt.22.13 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- τοτε: ADV
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- βασιλευς: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- ειπεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- τοις: ART,dat,pl,m
- διακονοις·Δησαντες: NOUN,dat,pl,m+VERB,aor,act,ptcp,nom,pl,m
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,3,m
- ποδας: NOUN,acc,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- χειρας: NOUN,acc,pl,f
- εκβαλετε: VERB,aor,act,imp,2,pl
- αυτον: PRON,acc,sg,m,3
- εις: PREP
- το: ART,nom,sg,n
- σκοτος: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- το: ART,nom,sg,n
- εξωτερον·εκει: ADJ,acc,sg,n+ADV
- εσται: VERB,fut,mid,ind,3,sg
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- κλαυθμος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- βρυγμος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- οδοντων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
Parallels
- Matt.8.12 (verbal): Uses the same language of being cast into 'outer darkness' with 'weeping and gnashing of teeth' to describe exclusion from the kingdom—verbal and thematic repetition of judgment imagery.
- Matt.25.30 (verbal): Parable of the talents closes with the identical formula—casting the servant into outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth—reiterating final punishment for unworthiness.
- Luke 13.28 (verbal): Foretells 'weeping and gnashing of teeth' at the sight of the righteous (Abraham, etc.)—shares the same phrase describing intense mourning and judgment, though without the 'outer darkness' locution.
- Luke 14.16-24 (structural): Parallel parable of the great banquet; many narrative elements (invitation, rejection, replacement guests) correspond to Matthew's wedding-feast parable, framing the same theme of judgment on invitees who prove unworthy.
Alternative generated candidates
- For many are called, but few are chosen.
Matt.22.14 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- πολλοι: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- γαρ: CONJ
- εισιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,pl
- κλητοι: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- ολιγοι: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- δε: CONJ
- εκλεκτοι: ADJ,nom,pl,m
Parallels
- Luke 14:16-24 (structural): Parable of the great banquet closely parallels Matthew 22's wedding-feast parable (invitation, rejection, replacement guests), providing the same social and soteriological setting for the concluding statement.
- Luke 13:23-24 (thematic): Jesus' teaching about the 'narrow door'—many will seek to enter and will not be able—echoes the theme that many may be summoned or seek salvation but only some are finally admitted.
- Romans 8:30 (verbal): Paul's chain ('those whom he predestined he also called; those he called he also justified…') uses the language of calling and election, reflecting the theological background to 'many are called, but few are chosen.'
- Revelation 19:9 (structural): The angel's blessing of those 'invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb' connects to the wedding-feast imagery in Matthew 22 and the theme of invitation to God's eschatological banquet.
- Revelation 17:14 (verbal): The phrase describing those with the Lamb as 'called and chosen and faithful' provides a direct verbal parallel to the terms 'called' and 'chosen,' reinforcing the Johannine/apocalyptic usage of the same categories.
Alternative generated candidates
- For many are called, but few are chosen.
And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables, saying,
"The kingdom of heaven is like a king who gave a wedding feast for his son.
He sent out his servants to call those who had been invited to the wedding, but they would not come.
Again he sent other servants, saying, 'Tell those who are invited: Behold, I have prepared my feast; my oxen and fatted cattle are slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding.'" But they paid no attention and went away, one to his field, another to his business,
and the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them.
The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.
Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy.
Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding as many as you find.' So the servants went out into the streets and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good; and the wedding hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to look over the guests, he saw there a man not wearing a wedding garment.
He said to him, 'Friend, how did you get in here not wearing a wedding garment?' And he was speechless.
Then the king said to the attendants, 'Bind his hands and feet and cast him out into the outer darkness. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
For many are called, but few are chosen."