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The NET Bible®

Matthew 22:4

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."'

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Covetousness;   Feasts;   Hospitality;   Jesus, the Christ;   Jesus Continued;   Kingdom of Heaven;   Wicked (People);   Worldliness;   Thompson Chain Reference - Absorption;   Business;   Business Life;   Comes;   Divine;   Feasts;   Food, Physical-Spiritual;   Food, Spiritual;   Invitations, Divine;   Invitations-Warnings;   Preparation;   Providence, Divine;   Social Functions;   Social Life;   Spiritual;   Wedding Feasts;   The Topic Concordance - Kingdom of God;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Call of God, the;   Entertainments;   Ox, the;   Parables;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Feasts;   Parable;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Call;   Marriage;   Parables;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Christ, Christology;   Church, the;   Kill, Killing;   Lord's Supper, the;   Mission;   Offerings and Sacrifices;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Hutchinsonians;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Call;   Fatling;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Food;   Marriage;   Meals;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Banquet;   Call, Calling;   Cattle;   Election;   Fatlings, Fatted;   Hour;   Matthew, the Gospel of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Kingdom of God;   Marriage;   Meals;   Text of the New Testament;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Animals;   Circumstantiality in the Parables;   Courtesy;   Dinner ;   Doctrines;   Dropsy;   Invitation;   Judgment;   Lazarus;   Luke, Gospel According to;   Marriage;   Matthew, Gospel According to;   Sacraments;   Service;   Wealth (2);   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Dinner;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Marriage;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Chief parables and miracles in the bible;   Marriage;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Meals;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Calling;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Jesus of Nazareth;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Banquet;   Bid;   Cattle;   Dinner;   Matthew, the Gospel of;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Marriage;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Again, he sent out other servants and said, ‘Tell those who are invited: See, I’ve prepared my dinner; my oxen and fattened cattle have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’
King James Version (1611)
Againe, hee sent foorth other seruants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Beholde, I haue prepared my dinner; my oxen, and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come vnto the marriage.
King James Version
Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.
English Standard Version
Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, "See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast."'
New American Standard Bible
"Again he sent other slaves, saying, 'Tell those who have been invited, "Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fattened cattle are all butchered and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast!"'
New Century Version
"Then the king sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited that my feast is ready. I have killed my best bulls and calves for the dinner, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.'
Amplified Bible
"Then he sent out some other servants, saying, 'Tell those who have been invited, "Look, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fattened calves are butchered and everything is ready; come to the wedding feast."'
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Again he sent out other slaves saying, 'Tell those who have been invited, "Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fattened livestock are all butchered and everything is ready; come to the wedding feast."'
Legacy Standard Bible
Again he sent out other slaves saying, ‘Tell those who have been called, "Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fattened livestock are all butchered and everything is ready; come to the wedding feast."'
Berean Standard Bible
Again, he sent other servants and said, 'Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner. My oxen and fattened cattle have been killed, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.'
Contemporary English Version
He sent other servants to say to the guests, "The banquet is ready! My cattle and prize calves have all been prepared. Everything is ready. Come to the banquet!"
Complete Jewish Bible
So he sent some more slaves, instructing them to tell the guests, ‘Look, I've prepared my banquet, I've slaughtered my bulls and my fattened cattle, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding!'
Darby Translation
Again he sent other bondmen, saying, Say to the persons invited, Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fatted beasts are killed, and all things ready; come to the wedding feast.
Easy-to-Read Version
"Then the king sent some more servants. He said to them, ‘I have already invited the people. So tell them that my feast is ready. I have killed my best bulls and calves to be eaten. Everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.'
Geneva Bible (1587)
Againe hee sent foorth other seruants, saying. Tell them which are bidden, Beholde, I haue prepared my dinner: mine oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all thinges are readie: come vnto the mariage.
George Lamsa Translation
Again he sent other servants and said, Tell those who are invited, Behold my supper is ready, and my oxen and fatlings are killed, and everything is prepared; come to the marriage- feast.
Good News Translation
So he sent other servants with this message for the guests: ‘My feast is ready now; my steers and prize calves have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast!'
Lexham English Bible
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!"'
Literal Translation
Again, he sent other slaves, saying, Tell the ones invited, Behold, I have prepared my supper; my oxen, and the fatlings are killed, and all things ready; come to the wedding feast.
American Standard Version
Again he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them that are bidden, Behold, I have made ready my dinner; my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come to the marriage feast.
Bible in Basic English
Again he sent out other servants, with orders to say to the guests, See, I have made ready my feast: my oxen and my fat beasts have been put to death, and all things are ready: come to the feast.
Hebrew Names Version
Again he sent forth other servants, saying, 'Tell those who are invited, "Behold, I have made ready my dinner. My oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the marriage feast!"'
International Standard Version
SoAgain
">[fn] he sent other servants, saying, 'Tell those who have been invited, "Look, I've prepared my dinner. My oxen and fattened calves have been slaughtered. Everything is ready. Come to the wedding!"'Proverbs 9:2;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
And again he sent other servants, and said, Tell the invited ones, Behold, my dinner is prepared, my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready; come to the feast.
Murdock Translation
And again he sent other servants, and said: Tell those invited, Behold, my entertainment is prepared, my oxen and my fatlings are slain, and every thing is prepared; come ye to the feast.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Agayne, he sent foorth other seruauntes, saying: Tell them which are bidden, beholde, I haue prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fatlynges are kylled, and all thynges are redy: come vnto the mariage.
English Revised Version
Again he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them that are bidden, Behold, I have made ready my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come to the marriage feast.
World English Bible
Again he sent forth other servants, saying, 'Tell those who are invited, "Behold, I have made ready my dinner. My oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the marriage feast."'
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Again he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them who were invited, behold I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come to the marriage.
Weymouth's New Testament
"Again he sent other servants with a message to those who were invited. "`My breakfast is now ready," he said, `my bullocks and fat cattle are killed, and every preparation is made: come to the wedding.'
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Eftsoone he sente othere seruauntis, and seide, Seie ye to the men that ben bode to the feeste, Lo! Y haue maad redi my meete, my bolis and my volatilis ben slayn, and alle thingis ben redy; come ye to the weddyngis.
Update Bible Version
Again he sent forth other slaves, saying, Tell those that are bidden, Look, I have made ready my dinner; my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come to the marriage feast.
Webster's Bible Translation
Again, he sent other servants, saying, Tell them who are invited, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and [my] fatlings [are] killed, and all things [are] ready: come to the marriage.
New King James Version
Again, he sent out other servants, saying, "Tell those who are invited, "See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding."'
New Living Translation
"So he sent other servants to tell them, ‘The feast has been prepared. The bulls and fattened cattle have been killed, and everything is ready. Come to the banquet!'
New Life Bible
"He sent other servants, saying to them, ‘Tell those who have been asked to come, "See! My supper is ready. My cows and fat calves are killed. Everything is ready. Come to the wedding supper!"'
New Revised Standard
Again he sent other slaves, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet.'
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Again, sent he other servants, saying - Say to the invited, Lo! my dinner, have I prepared, mine oxen and my fatlings, are slain, - and, all things, are, ready: Come ye into the marriage-feast.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Again he sent other servants, saying: Tell them that were invited, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my beeves and fatlings are killed, and all things are ready. Come ye to the marriage.
Revised Standard Version
Again he sent other servants, saying, 'Tell those who are invited, Behold, I have made ready my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves are killed, and everything is ready; come to the marriage feast.'
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Ageyne he sent forth other servauntes sayinge: Tell them which are bydden: beholde I have prepared my dynner myne oxen and my fatlinges are kylled and all thinges are redy come vnto the mariage.
Young's Literal Translation
`Again he sent forth other servants, saying, Say to those who have been called: Lo, my dinner I prepared, my oxen and the fatlings have been killed, and all things [are] ready, come ye to the marriage-feasts;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Agayne, he sent forth other seruauntes, and sayde: Tell the gestes: Beholde, I haue prepared my dynner, myne oxen and my fed catell are kylled, and all thinges are readye, come to the mariage.
Mace New Testament (1729)
then he sent out other servants, saying, tell those who are invited, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and every thing is ready: come to the entertainment.
THE MESSAGE
"He sent out another round of servants, instructing them to tell the guests, ‘Look, everything is on the table, the prime rib is ready for carving. Come to the feast!'
Simplified Cowboy Version
"Then he sent some more cowboys to the neighbors he had invited with the message, 'I've butchered my best steer and the fattest hogs. Y'all be sure and put your cowboy hats on. That's the only thing I ask. Come get the best food in the world and help me celebrate my son's wedding.'

Contextual Overview

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.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

other: Luke 10:1-16, Luke 24:46, Luke 24:47, Acts 1:8, Acts 11:19, Acts 11:20, Acts 13:46, Acts 28:17-31

Behold: Proverbs 9:1, Proverbs 9:2, Song of Solomon 5:1, John 6:50-57, Romans 8:32, 1 Corinthians 5:7, 1 Corinthians 5:8

and all: Matthew 22:8, Nehemiah 9:17, Psalms 86:5, Luke 14:17

Reciprocal: Genesis 18:7 - General Proverbs 9:3 - sent Song of Solomon 1:12 - sitteth Isaiah 55:2 - eat Zephaniah 1:7 - he hath

Cross-References

Exodus 5:3
And they said, "The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Let us go a three-day journey into the desert so that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God, so that he does not strike us with plague or the sword."
Exodus 15:22
Then Moses led Israel to journey away from the Red Sea. They went out to the Desert of Shur, walked for three days into the desert, and found no water.
Exodus 19:11
and be ready for the third day, for on the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.
Exodus 19:15
He said to the people, "Be ready for the third day. Do not go near your wives."
Leviticus 7:17
but the leftovers from the meat of the sacrifice must be burned up in the fire on the third day.
Numbers 10:33
So they traveled from the mountain of the Lord three days' journey; and the ark of the covenant of the Lord was traveling before them during the three days' journey, to find a resting place for them.
Numbers 19:12
He must purify himself with water on the third day and on the seventh day, and so will be clean. But if he does not purify himself on the third day and the seventh day, then he will not be clean.
Numbers 19:19
And the clean person must sprinkle the unclean on the third day and on the seventh day; and on the seventh day he must purify him, and then he must wash his clothes, and bathe in water, and he will be clean in the evening.
Numbers 31:19
"Any of you who has killed anyone or touched any of the dead, remain outside the camp for seven days; purify yourselves and your captives on the third day, and on the seventh day.
Joshua 1:11
"Go through the camp and command the people, ‘Prepare your supplies, for within three days you will cross the Jordan River and begin the conquest of the land the Lord your God is ready to hand over to you.'"

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Again he sent forth other servants,.... The seventy disciples, and other ministers of the Gospel, as Barnabas and Saul, and others that were joined to, and were helpers of the apostles, who were sent, and preached to the Jews, any time before the destruction of Jerusalem:

saying, tell them which are bidden; for these preachers of the word were first sent to the Jews, and preached unto them, until they by their carriage and conduct, showed themselves to be unworthy of the blessing. These men had notice of the Gospel feast by the prophets, and were invited to it, by the forerunner of Christ, by him, and his disciples, and again by them, and others; which strongly expresses the goodness, grace, and condescension of God to these people, and aggravates their stupidity, ingratitude, and wickedness:

behold, I have prepared my dinner. The ministry of the word and ordinances under the Gospel dispensation, is signified by a "dinner"; of God's preparing and providing; which is a full meal at noon, and in it is plenty of food, and of that which is wholesome to the souls of men, sweet and savoury to a spiritual taste, and very nourishing and satisfying; and this dinner is a feast, a rich banquet, a grand entertainment; in which are a variety of provisions, suited to all sorts of persons, and plenty of the richest dainties, attended with the largest expressions of joy; and this feast is a marriage one, and that not for an ordinary person, but for the king's son, the son of the King of kings; it is large, grand, and noble, rich and costly, and yet all free to the guests; it is kept in the king's palace, the banqueting house, the church, is common to all, and of long continuance, it will last unto the end of the world. What privileges the patriarchs and prophets, and the people of the Jews enjoyed, in the morning of the world, before the coming of Christ, who made the bright and full day of the Gospel, were but as a "breakfast", a short meal; the means of grace were not so rich and plentiful, and their knowledge of spiritual things not so large; they had but, as it were, a taste of what is plentifully bestowed under the Gospel dispensation, and therefore that is called a "dinner"; grace and truth in all their fulness, coming by Jesus, by whom God has delivered at once his whole mind and will; whereas, before, it was delivered piecemeal, at sundry times and divers manners; and this is distinguishable from the "supper" of the Lamb, in the evening of the world, in the latter day, when the Jews will be converted, and will not act the part they are represented to do in the parable; and the fulness of the Gentiles will be brought in, and the Gospel will have a general spread all over the world. The dinner is the same with the feast of fat things, which God is said to make for all people, Gentiles as well as Jews, in his holy mountain the church, Isaiah 25:6 and the table which wisdom has furnished, Proverbs 9:2 with all sorts of suitable food, proper to persons of every age: here's milk for babes, even the sincere milk of the word, that their souls may grow thereby, who are newborn babes, and have tasted of the grace of God; namely, the plainer and more easy truths of the Gospel, to be taken in, understood, fed upon, and digested; and meat for strong men, the more sublime doctrines of it, which such as are strong in faith, receive, relish, and live upon, and are greatly refreshed and edified with: here's the wine of God's everlasting love set forth, in the election, redemption, justification, pardon, adoption, regeneration, and salvation of his people; and fruits served up both new and old, for their comfort, delight, and pleasure; in the ordinances of the Gospel, are the flesh and blood of Christ, the Lamb of God, and fatted calf, whose flesh is meat indeed, and whose blood is drink indeed: here is everything for delight and nourishment, for faith to feed and live upon; and therefore may well be called a dinner, and what is worthy of him, who is the maker of it, and exceedingly well suited to the persons who are to partake of it.

My oxen and my fatlings are killed; in allusion to feasts and large entertainments, when oxen and fatted calves, and the best of the flock were killed and dressed; or to the sacrifices of oxen and other creatures, under the law, as typical of the sacrifice of Christ; and may here represent Christ as crucified and slain, held forth in the ministry of the word and ordinances; who as such, is suitable food for believers, is spiritual, solid, and substantial, and greatly to be desired; is nourishing and strengthening, comforting and quickening, delightful and satisfying:

and all things are ready; for upon the crucifixion and death of Christ, and after the renewed commission of Christ to his disciples, to preach the Gospel, beginning at Jerusalem, it might be justly represented in the ministry of the word, that all things were now ready. Redemption was obtained by Christ; an everlasting righteousness was wrought out and brought in; pardon of sin was procured; peace and reconciliation were made; the sacrifice of Christ was offered up, and full satisfaction given to law and justice; the covenant of grace, with all the blessings and promises of it, were ratified and confirmed; and all were ready in Christ's hands to distribute, to as many as came to him; in whom are life and salvation, and everything necessary for peace and comfort here, and eternal happiness hereafter. This shows the completeness and perfection of the Gospel dispensation, this being that better thing, which God has provided for his people in the last times, that former saints might not be perfect without them, See Gill "Heb 11:40". The law made nothing perfect; there was nothing got ready by that; the works, sacrifices, rites, and ceremonies of it, could not justify men's persons, nor sanctify their hearts, nor purge the consciences of the worshippers, nor take away sin, nor pacify God, or give satisfaction to his justice, or procure peace, pardon and salvation; but now all these things are declared to be ready in the Gospel: but this is not owing to man, it is all of God; it is of his providing and preparing; and he is a rock, and his work is perfect; and nothing can be brought by the Creature to be added to it, nor does it need it; there is everything exhibited in the Gospel that a poor sinner stands in need of, or can desire, even that can make him comfortable here, and happy hereafter.

Come unto the marriage; the marriage feast; come into the Gospel dispensation, attend the word and ordinances: the invitation is pressing, the arguments are strong and moving, but the persons invited were averse, self-willed, stubborn, obstinate, and inflexible.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Other servants - Who might press it on their attention. So God repeats his message to sinners when they reject it.

My dinner - This word literally denotes the meal taken about noon. It is also taken for a meal in general. As marriages were, among Eastern nations, in the evening, it refers here to a meal taken at that time.

Fatlings - This word does not refer to any particular species of animals. It denotes any fat animals. As oxen are also mentioned, however, it refers here, probably, to lambs or calves, 2 Samuel 6:13; 1 Chronicles 15:26.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Matthew 22:4. Fatlings — τα σιτιστα Properly, fatted rams, or wethers. 2 Samuel 6:13; 1 Chronicles 15:26.


 
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