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

¹ Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: ² "The kingdom of heaven can be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. ³ He sent his slaves to summon those who had been invited to the banquet, but they would not come. ⁴ Again he sent other slaves, saying, 'Tell those who have been invited, "Look! The feast I have prepared for you is ready. My oxen and fattened cattle have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet."'

⁵ But they were indifferent and went away, one to his farm, another to his business. ⁶ The rest seized his slaves, insolently mistreated them, and killed them. ⁷ The king was furious! He sent his soldiers, and they put those murderers to death and set their city on fire.

⁸ Then he said to his slaves, 'The wedding is ready, but the ones who had been invited were not worthy. ⁹ So go into the main streets and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.' ¹⁰ And those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all they found, both bad and good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. ¹¹ But when the king came in to see the wedding guests, he saw a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. ¹² And he said to him, 'Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?' But he had nothing to say.

¹³ Then the king said to his attendants, 'Tie him up hand and foot and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!'

¹⁴ For many are called, but few are chosen."