And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.
Parallel translations
- WEB and the rest grabbed his servants, and treated them shamefully, and killed them.
- BSB The rest seized his servants, mistreated them, and killed them.
- NKJV And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them.
- NASB and the rest seized his slaves and treated them abusively, and then killed them.
- NLT Others seized his messengers and insulted them and killed them.
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
Others seize, abuse, and kill the king's servants. This depicts Israel's violent rejection of God's messengers.
Overview
Some of the invited move beyond indifference to open violence against the servants. This recalls the murdered prophets of the earlier parable and anticipates the persecution of Christ's apostles. The escalation from neglect to murder reveals the depth of human rebellion against God's gracious call.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- John 15:19–20If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
- Matt 10:12–18And when ye come into an house, salute it.
- Acts 8:1And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.
- Matt 5:10–12Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
- Acts 4:1–3And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them,
- Matt 10:22–25And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
- Matt 23:34–37Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:
- Acts 7:51–57Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.
- 1 Th 2:14–15For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:
- John 16:2–3They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.
- Acts 5:40–41And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
- Matt 21:35–39And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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 22:6 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.