Matthew 22:24-46 ▼

24 master, said they, by the law of Moses, in case a man die without children, his brother is oblig'd to marry his wife, in order to perpetuate his brother's name.

25 now there happen'd among us seven brothers, the first married but died without issue, leaving his wife to his brother:

26 the same happen'd to the second, and the third, and so on to the seventh.

27 last of all the woman died too:

28 now if there be another life after this, whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all married her.

29 Jesus answered them, you are mistaken, for want of a true notion of the scriptures, and of the divine power.

30 for in the other life after this, there will be no such thing as marriage; but they will be as the angels of God in heaven.

31 now as to the state of life after death, have ye not read that expression of God himself,

32 " I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?" God is not a benefactor to the dead, but to the living.

33 when the people heard this, they were astonished at his doctrine.

34 but the Pharisees hearing that he had dumb-founded the Sadducees, they met together in council.

35 In the mean time one of them, a Doctor of the law, to try him, started this question, master,

36 which is the most important commandment of the law?

37 Jesus said to him, "thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind."

38 this is the first and most important precept,

39 and the second has an affinity with it, "thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self."

40 these two precepts comprehend the substance of all the law and the prophets.

41 While the Pharisees were still assembled, Jesus asked them,

42 what think ye of Christ? whose son is he to be? they answered, David's.

43 how comes it then, said he, that David by inspiration calls him Lord, in these words,

44 " the Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool?"

45 why then does David call him Lord, if He be David's son?

46 but not a man was able to answer him a word, and from that time there was no body so hardy as to ask him any more questions.