1 AND AGAIN Jesus spoke to them in parables (comparisons, stories used to illustrate and explain), saying, 2 The kingdom of heaven is like a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son 3 And sent his servants to summon those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they refused to come. 4 Again he sent other servants, saying, Tell those who are invited, Behold, I have prepared my banquet; my bullocks and my fat calves are killed, and everything is prepared; come to the wedding feast. 5 But they were not concerned and paid no attention [they ignored and made light of the summons, treating it with contempt] and they went away--one to his farm, another to his business, 6 While the others seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and put them to death. 7 [Hearing this] the king was infuriated; and he sent his soldiers and put those murderers to death and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, The wedding [feast] is prepared, but those invited were not worthy. 9 So go to the thoroughfares where they leave the city [where the main roads and those from the country end] and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find. 10 And those servants went out on the crossroads and got together as many as they found, both bad and good, so [the room in which] the wedding feast [was held] was filled with guests.
11 But when the king came in to view the guests, he looked intently at a man there who had on no wedding garment. 12 And he said, Friend, how did you come in here without putting on the [appropriate] wedding garment? And he was speechless ( 1 muzzled, gagged). 13 Then the king said to the attendants, Tie him hand and foot, and throw him into the darkness outside; there will be weeping and grinding of teeth. 14 For many are called (invited and summoned), but few are chosen.