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

¹ And continuing, Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying, ² "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man--a king--who gave a wedding celebration for his son. ³ And he sent his slaves to summon those who had been invited to the wedding celebration, and they did not want to come. ⁴ Again he sent other slaves, saying, 'Tell those who have been invited, "Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fattened [cattle] have been slaughtered, and everything [is] ready. Come to the wedding celebration!" '

⁵ But they paid no attention [and] went away--this one to his own field, that one to his business. ⁶ And the others, seizing his slaves, mistreated [them] and killed [them]. ⁷ And the king was angry and sent his troops [and] destroyed those murderers and burned their city.

⁸ Then he said to his slaves, 'The wedding celebration is ready, but those who had been invited were not worthy. ⁹ Therefore, go out to the [places where] the roads exit the city and invite to the wedding celebration as many [people] as you find.' ¹⁰ And those slaves went out into the roads [and] gathered everyone whom they found, both evil and good, and the wedding celebration was filled {with dinner guests}. ¹¹ But [when] the king came in to see the {dinner guests}, he saw a man there not dressed [in] wedding clothes. ¹² And he said to him, 'Friend, how did you come in here, not having wedding clothes?' But {he could say nothing}.

¹³ Then the king said to the servants, 'Tie him up {hand and foot} [and] throw him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!'

¹⁴ For many are called but few [are] chosen."