“But when the king came in to look over the dinner guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed in wedding clothes,
Parallel translations
- WEB But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man who didn’t have on wedding clothing,
- KJV And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:
- BSB But when the king came in to see the guests, he spotted a man who was not dressed in wedding clothes.
- NKJV “But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment.
- NLT “But when the king came in to meet the guests, he noticed a man who wasn’t wearing the proper clothes for a wedding.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The king finds a guest without wedding clothing. This represents someone who comes to the Kingdom without true righteousness.
Overview
Among the gathered guests, one lacks the proper wedding garment, which symbolizes the righteousness God requires. Many faithful interpreters see this as the imputed righteousness of Christ or a transformed life of genuine faith, not self-made righteousness. The scene warns that outward inclusion among God's people is not enough without inward reality.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 24
- Rev 3:4–5Nevertheless you have a few names in Sardis that did not defile their garments. They will walk with me in white, for they are worthy.
- Rev 19:8It was given to her that she would array herself in bright, pure, fine linen: for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
- Heb 4:12–13For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and is able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
- Zech 3:3–4Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and was standing before the angel.
- Eph 4:24and put on the new man, who in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of truth.
- Rev 16:15“Behold, I come like a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his clothes, so that he doesn’t walk naked, and they see his shame.”
- Rom 13:14But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, for its lusts.
- Col 3:10–11and have put on the new man, who is being renewed in knowledge after the image of his Creator,
- Rev 3:18I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich; and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see.
- 2 Cor 5:3if so be that being clothed we will not be found naked.
- Gal 3:27For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
- 1 Cor 4:5Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each man will get his praise from God.
- Isa 61:3–10to provide for those who mourn in Zion, to give to them a garland for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of Yahweh, that he may be glorified.
- Rev 2:23I will kill her children with Death, and all the assemblies will know that I am he who searches the minds and hearts. I will give to each one of you according to your deeds.
- Isa 52:1Awake, awake! Put on your strength, Zion. Put on your beautiful garments, Jerusalem, the holy city: for from now on the uncircumcised and the unclean will no more come into you.
- Ps 45:13–14The princess inside is all glorious. Her clothing is interwoven with gold.
- Matt 25:31–32“But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory.
- Rom 3:22even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all those who believe. For there is no distinction,
- Matt 13:30Let both grow together until the harvest, and in the harvest time I will tell the reapers, “First, gather up the darnel weeds, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”
- Isa 64:6For we have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteousness is like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
- Matt 3:12His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor. He will gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire.”
- 2 Kgs 10:22He said to him who kept the wardrobe, “Bring out robes for all the worshipers of Baal!” So he brought robes out to them.
- Zeph 1:12It will happen at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the men who are settled on their dregs, who say in their heart, “Yahweh will not do good, neither will he do evil.”
- Lam 5:22But you have utterly rejected us; You are very angry against us.
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 22:11 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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