THE SADDUCEES AND THE RESURRECTION

23 That same day some Sadducees,t who say there is no resurrection, came up to him and questioned him:u 24 “Teacher, Moses said, if a man dies, having no children, his brother is to marry his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.K,v 25 Now there were seven brothers among us. The first got married and died. Having no offspring, he left his wife to his brother. 26 The same thing happened to the second also, and the third, and so on to all seven. 27 Last of all, the woman died. 28 In the resurrection, then, whose wife will she be of the seven? For they all had married her.”L

29 Jesus answered them, “You are mistaken, because you don’t know the Scriptures or the power of God. 30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are likeM angels in heaven.w 31 Now concerning the resurrection of the dead, haven’t you read what was spoken to you by God: 32 I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob?A,a HeB is not the God of the dead, but of the living.”

33 And when the crowds heard this, they were astonished at his teaching.

THE PRIMARY COMMANDS

34 Whenb the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they came together. 35 And one of them, an expert in the law, asked a question to test him:c 36 “Teacher, which command in the law is the greatest?”

37 He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.C,d 38 This is the greatest and most importantD command. 39 The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.E,e 40 All the Law and the Prophets dependF on these two commands.”f

THE QUESTION ABOUT THE MESSIAH

41 While the Pharisees were together, Jesus questioned them,g 42 “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?”

They replied, “David’s.”

43 He asked them, “How is it then that David, inspired by the Spirit,G calls him ‘Lord’h:

44 The Lord declared to my Lord,

‘Sit at my right hand

until I put your enemies under your feet’?H,I,i

45 “If David calls him ‘Lord,’ how, then, can he be his son?”