Matthew 22:1-14 - The Parable Of The Wedding Celebration

¹ Then Jesus again spoke to them in stories, and said: ² "The kingdom of heaven is like a king, who gave a wedding reception for his son. ³ And he sent his slaves to summon those who had been invited to the wedding reception, but they refused to come. ⁴ A second time he sent other slaves, and said to them, 'Tell the invited guests that I have my reception all ready, my bullocks and fatlings are butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding reception!'

⁵ But they paid no attention to it, but went off, one to his farm, another to his place of business, ⁶ and the rest seized his slaves, treated them with violence, and murdered them. ⁷ Then the king was enraged, and sent his soldiers to put those murderers to death and burned their city.

⁸ After that he said to his slaves, 'My wedding reception is ready, but those invited have proved unworthy. ⁹ So go out to the country crossroads and invite everybody you find to my wedding reception.' ¹⁰ And those slaves went out into the roads and gathered everybody they found, both good and bad, and the bridal-hall was packed with guests. ¹¹ But when the king came in to take a look at the guests, he saw there a man who did not have on a wedding suit. ¹² So he said to him, 'My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding suit on?' But his lips were sealed.

¹³ Then the king said to his attendants, 'Tie him hand and foot and throw him out into the darkness on the outside, where he will have to weep and grind his teeth.'

¹⁴ For many are invited, but few are selected."