Matthew 22:23-33 - A Question About Marriage And The Resurrection

²³ That very day there came to him some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection. and they questioned him. ²⁴ "Master," they said, "Moses taught that if a man dies without issue, his brother is to marry the widow, and raise up a family for his brother. ²⁵ "Now there were of our number seven brothers; and the first married and died. As he had no children, he left his wife to his brother; ²⁶ "In the same way the second also died, and the third, unto the seventh. ²⁷ "Last of all the woman died. ²⁸ "In the resurrection, then, whose wife will she be? They all had her."

²⁹ In answer Jesus said: "You err because you do not know the Scriptures, nor the power of God. ³⁰ "For in the resurrection men do not marry, nor are women given in marriage, but they are like angels in heaven. ³¹ "But concerning the resurrection of the dead, did you never read what was spoken to you by God, ³² "I 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."

³³ And when the crowds heard it, they were astonished at his teaching.

¹⁸ Then came up some Sadducees, men who say there is no resurrection. They too questioned him, saying. ¹⁹ "Teacher, Moses taught us that if a man's brother die, and leave a wife behind him, but no child, that his brother is to marry the widow and to raise up a family for his brother. ²⁰ There were once seven brothers, the eldest of whom married a wife, and died leaving no family. ²¹ The second married her, and died without offspring; the third likewise; ²² and the seven had her, and died without issue. ²³ And last of all the woman too died. In the resurrection whose wife shall she be? For the seven had her as wife."

²⁴ "Is not this the reason for your error," Jesus answered them, "that you know not the Scripture nor the power of God? ²⁵ When they rise from the dead men do not marry, and women are not given in marriage, but they are as the angels are in heaven. ²⁶ But in regard to the rising again of the dead, have you never read in the Book of Moses, in the passage about the Bush, how God spoke to him, saying, "I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? ²⁷ God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are in grave error."

²⁷ Next came some of the Sadducees who deny that there is resurrection, and they asked him. ²⁸ "Teacher, Moses wrote a law for us that if a man's brother should die, but leave no children, his brother should take up his wife and raise up his children for his brother. ²⁹ "Now there were seven brothers. the first took a wife and died childless, ³⁰ "and the second and third took her, ³¹ "and likewise all the seven, but left no children when they died. ³² "Last of all the woman died too. ³³ "In the resurrection whose wife shall she be? For they all seven had her as wife."

³⁴ "People in this world marry and are given in marriage," said Jesus, ³⁵ "but those who are counted worthy to reach that world and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage. ³⁶ "For indeed they cannot die any more; they are equal to the angels, and through being sons of the resurrection are sons of God. ³⁷ "But that the dead are raised, even Moses clearly implied in the passage about the Bush, when he calls the Lord. "The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob. ³⁸ "Now he is not the God of the dead, but of the living; for to him all are alive.'

³⁹ Then some of the Scribes said, "Teacher, that was nobly said," ⁴⁰ for they no longer dared to ask him any questions.