Matthew 22:11
New International Version
“But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes.

New Living Translation
“But when the king came in to meet the guests, he noticed a man who wasn’t wearing the proper clothes for a wedding.

English Standard Version
“But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment.

Berean Standard Bible
But when the king came in to see the guests, he spotted a man who was not dressed in wedding clothes.

Berean Literal Bible
And the king having entered in to see those reclining, he beheld a man there not being dressed in wedding clothes.

King James Bible
And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:

New King James Version
“But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment.

New American Standard Bible
“But when the king came in to look over the dinner guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed in wedding clothes,

NASB 1995
“But when the king came in to look over the dinner guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed in wedding clothes,

NASB 1977
“But when the king came in to look over the dinner guests, he saw there a man not dressed in wedding clothes,

Legacy Standard Bible
“But when the king came in to look over the dinner guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed in wedding clothes,

Amplified Bible
“But when the king came in to see the dinner guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed [appropriately] in wedding clothes,

Christian Standard Bible
When the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed for a wedding.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But when the king came in to view the guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed for a wedding.

American Standard Version
But when the king came in to behold the guests, he saw there a man who had not on a wedding-garment:

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And the King entered to see the guests and he saw a man there who was not wearing a wedding garment.

Contemporary English Version
When the king went in to meet the guests, he found that one of them wasn't wearing the right kind of clothes for the wedding.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the king went in to see the guests: and he saw there a man who had not on a wedding garment.

English Revised Version
But when the king came in to behold the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding-garment:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"When the king came to see the guests, he saw a person who was not dressed in the wedding clothes [provided for the guests].

Good News Translation
"The king went in to look at the guests and saw a man who was not wearing wedding clothes.

International Standard Version
"When the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes.

Literal Standard Version
And the king having come in to view those reclining, saw there a man not clothed with wedding clothes,

Majority Standard Bible
But when the king came in to see the guests, he spotted a man who was not dressed in wedding clothes.

New American Bible
But when the king came in to meet the guests he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment.

NET Bible
But when the king came in to see the wedding guests, he saw a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes.

New Revised Standard Version
“But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe,

New Heart English Bible
But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man who did not have on wedding clothing,

Webster's Bible Translation
And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man who had not a wedding-garment:

Weymouth New Testament
"Now the king came in to see the guests; and among them he discovered one who was not wearing a wedding-robe.

World English Bible
“But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man who didn’t have on wedding clothing,

Young's Literal Translation
'And the king having come in to view those reclining, saw there a man not clothed with clothing of the marriage-feast,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Parable of the Banquet
10So the servants went out into the streets and gathered everyone they could find, both evil and good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. 11But when the king came in to see the guests, he spotted a man who was not dressed in wedding clothes. 12‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ But the man was speechless.…

Cross References
2 Kings 10:22
And Jehu said to the keeper of the wardrobe, "Bring out garments for all the servants of Baal." So he brought out garments for them.

Zechariah 3:3
Now Joshua was dressed in filthy garments as he stood before the angel.

Zechariah 3:4
So the angel said to those standing before him, "Take off his filthy clothes!" Then he said to Joshua, "See, I have removed your iniquity, and I will clothe you with splendid robes."

Matthew 22:10
So the servants went out into the streets and gathered everyone they could find, both evil and good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.


Treasury of Scripture

And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:

when.

Matthew 3:12
Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

Matthew 13:30
Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

Matthew 25:31,32
When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: …

which.

2 Kings 10:22
And he said unto him that was over the vestry, Bring forth vestments for all the worshippers of Baal. And he brought them forth vestments.

Psalm 45:13,14
The king's daughter is all glorious within: her clothing is of wrought gold…

Isaiah 52:1
Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.

Jump to Previous
Beheld Clothes Clothing Dinner Discovered Dressed Garment Guests Guest's Marriage-Feast Noticed Robe View Wearing Wedding Wedding-Garment
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Beheld Clothes Clothing Dinner Discovered Dressed Garment Guests Guest's Marriage-Feast Noticed Robe View Wearing Wedding Wedding-Garment
Matthew 22
1. The parable of the marriage of the king's son.
9. The vocation of the Gentiles.
12. The punishment of him who lacked a wedding garment.
15. Tribute ought to be paid to Caesar.
23. Jesus confutes the Sadducees for the resurrection;
34. answers which is the first and great commandment;
41. and puzzles the Pharisees by a question about the Messiah.














(11) To see the guests.--The verb conveys the idea of inspecting. The king came to see whether all the guests had fulfilled the implied condition of coming in suitable apparel. The framework of the parable probably pre-supposes the Oriental custom of providing garments for the guests who were invited to a royal feast. Wardrobes filled with many thousand garments formed part of the wealth of every Eastern prince (Matthew 6:19; James 5:2), and it was part of his glory, as in the case of the assembly which Jehu held for the worshippers of Baal (2Kings 10:22), to bring them out for use on state occasions. On this assumption, the act of the man who was found "not having a wedding garment" was one of wilful insult. He came in the "filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6) of his old life, instead of putting on the "white linen" meet for a kingly feast (Ecclesiastes 9:8; Revelation 3:4-5) which had been freely offered him. Even without this assumption, the parable pre-supposes that the man might easily have got the garment, and that it was, therefore, his own fault that he had it not. What, then, is the "wedding garment?" Answers have been returned to that question from very different dogmatic standpoints. Some have seen in it the outward ordinance of Baptism, some the imputed righteousness of Christ covering the nakedness of our own unrighteousness. These answers, it is believed, are at once too narrow and too technical. The analogy of Scriptural symbolism elsewhere (Revelation 3:4-5; Revelation 3:18; Revelation 19:8; 1Peter 5:5; Isaiah 1:18; Psalm 109:18), leads us to see in the "garment" of a man the habits of good or evil by which his character is manifested to others. Here, therefore, the "wedding garment" is nothing less than the "holiness" without which "no man shall see the Lord" (Hebrews 12:14), and that holiness, as in the framework of the parable and in the realities of the spiritual life, Christ is ever ready to impart to him that truly believes. It is obvious that no inference can be drawn from the fact that in the parable one guest only is without the wedding garment, any more than from there being only one "wicked and slothful servant" in the parables of the Talents and the Pounds. . . . Verse 11. - The king came in to see the guests, who by this time had taken their appointed places at table. This second portion of the parable teaches that admission to the visible Church is not all that is required; there is also a scrutiny to be undergone and an award to be made. And that this investigation is keen and searching is denoted by the verb used, θεάσασθαι, which means not merely, to see casually, but to gaze upon with the intent of seeing the real nature and character of an object. The king makes his appearance in the banqueting hall, not to feast with the guests, but to welcome them, and to examine if they are properly ordered, served, and fitted for the high honour accorded to them. How close and personal is this inquiry is shown by the immediate detection of one unseemly guest among the multitude. The time when he thus comes is, in one view, the day of judgment; but such visitation and scrutiny are always recurring, as at solemn seasons, in days of trial, sacred services, holy communion, when he searches men's hearts, and sees if they are prepared for his presence. Which had not on a wedding garment; οὐκ ἐνδεδυμένον ἔνδυμα γάμου: not garbed in wedding garment, the genitive expressing the peculiar character or quality of the garment. Wordsworth compares similar phrases: Luke 16:9; 2 Thessalonians 2:3, 9; James 1:25; 2 Peter 2:1, etc. It is said to have been an Oriental custom to present each guest invited to a royal feast with a festive robe to be worn on the occasion, as nowadays persons admitted to the royal presence are clothed with a caftan. Traces of the custom have been found in Genesis 45:22; Judges 14:12; 2 Kings 5:22; 2 Kings 10:22; but they are not very convincing. The Romans seem to have had such a custom, the robes being called "cenatoria." Thus Martial, 10:87, 11, writes -

"Pugnorum reus ebriaeque noctis,
Cenatoria mittat advocato."
But the fact remains that this guest had not presented himself in attire befitting the solemnity; in his everyday garb, and with no proper preparation, he had dared to come to this great festival. What is the spiritual meaning of the wedding garment is much disputed. It is evidently some virtue, or quality, or mark which conditions admission to the enjoyment of the kingdom of God. On the one hand, it is said that both bad and good guests wear it, and its possession does not alter the character of the wearer. Dress is something external and visible, therefore the garment cannot represent an inward grace or feeling, but some outward token by which Christians are distinguished, such as open reception of baptism and sacraments, and public profession of the faith. On the other hand, it is contended that the whole matter is spiritual, though veiled in material forms, and is concerned with man's moral and spiritual nature. Hence it by no means follows that the wedding garment is not intended to have a spiritual signification. Ancient commentators universally look upon it in this light. Some regard it as an emblem of faith in Christ; others, of faith and love combined. "Habete fidem cum dilectione," writes St. Augustine, 'Serm.,' 90, "ista est vestis nuptialis." But it must be observed that faith of some sort was shown by accepting the invitation; so this could not be represented by the special garb which was absent. Others, again, see in it good works, or humility, or the purity effected by the grace of the Holy Spirit. Some moderns take it of "imputed," others of imparted, righteousness, bringing their controversies into the King's presence. chamber. The English Church, taking the marriage feast as a figure of the Holy Communion, applies the wedding garment to that cleansing of the conscience which enables persons to come holy and clean to that heavenly feast (see the first Exhortation to Holy Communion). This is legitimate, but too restricted in its reference. The feast denotes the present and future kingdom of God; the entrance to this is a matter of free grace; the garment is moral fitness, the life and conduct dependent on the due use of God's grace. This is in the power of all who have received the call; they have to act up to the high calling, to be wholly, heartily, really what they profess to be. The scrutiny, whether made in this life or in the life to come, shows how grace has been used, if we have put on Christ, if we have kept our soul pure and white, unsullied by sin, or washed clean by penitential tears and the blood of Christ (see Revelation 19:8). The metaphor concerning this robe of righteousness is found in Isaiah 61:10, "He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with a garland, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels." Commentators compare (but with doubtful appositeness) Zephaniah 1:7, 8.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
But when
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

the
(ho)
Article - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

king
βασιλεὺς (basileus)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 935: A king, ruler, but in some passages clearly to be translated: emperor. Probably from basis; a sovereign.

came in
Εἰσελθὼν (Eiselthōn)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 1525: To go in, come in, enter. From eis and erchomai; to enter.

to see
θεάσασθαι (theasasthai)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Middle
Strong's 2300: A prolonged form of a primary verb; to look closely at, i.e. perceive; by extension to visit.

the
τοὺς (tous)
Article - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

guests,
ἀνακειμένους (anakeimenous)
Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 345: To recline, especially at a dinner-table. From ana and keimai; to recline.

he spotted
εἶδεν (eiden)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 3708: Properly, to stare at, i.e. to discern clearly; by extension, to attend to; by Hebraism, to experience; passively, to appear.

a man
ἄνθρωπον (anthrōpon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 444: A man, one of the human race. From aner and ops; man-faced, i.e. A human being.

[who was] not
οὐκ (ouk)
Adverb
Strong's 3756: No, not. Also ouk, and ouch a primary word; the absolute negative adverb; no or not.

dressed
ἐνδεδυμένον (endedymenon)
Verb - Perfect Participle Middle - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 1746: To put on, clothe (another). From en and duno; to invest with clothing.

in wedding
γάμου (gamou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 1062: A marriage, wedding, wedding-ceremony; plur: a wedding-feast. Of uncertain affinity; nuptials.

clothes.
ἔνδυμα (endyma)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 1742: A garment, raiment, clothing. From enduo; apparel.


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Matthew 22:10
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