Luke 20:27–47

The Dead Come Back to Life—Matthew 22:23–33; Mark 12:18–27

²⁷Some Sadducees, who say that people will never come back to life, came to Jesus. They asked him, ²⁸“Teacher, Moses wrote for us, ‘If a married man dies and has no children, his brother should marry his widow and have children for his brother.’ ²⁹There were seven brothers. The first got married and died without having children. ³⁰Then the second brother married the widow, ³¹and so did the third. In the same way all seven brothers married the widow, died, and left no children. ³²Finally, the woman died. ³³Now, when the dead come back to life, whose wife will she be? The seven brothers had married her.” 

³⁴Jesus said to them, “In this world people get married. ³⁵But people who are considered worthy to come back to life and live in the next world will neither marry ³⁶nor die anymore. They are the same as the angels. They are God’s children who have come back to life. 

³⁷“Even Moses showed in the passage about the bush that the dead come back to life. He says that the Lord is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. ³⁸He’s not the God of the dead but of the living. In God’s sight all people are living.” 

³⁹Some experts in Moses’ Teachings responded, “Teacher, that was well said.” ⁴⁰From that time on, no one dared to ask him another question. 

How Can David’s Son Be David’s Lord?—Matthew 22:41–46; Mark 12:35–37a

⁴¹Jesus said to them, “How can people say that the Messiah is David’s son? ⁴²David says in the book of Psalms, 

‘The Lord said to my Lord, 

“Take the honored position—the one next to me [God the Father] on the heavenly throne— 

⁴³until I put your enemies under your control.” ’ 

⁴⁴David calls him Lord. So how can he be his son?” 

Jesus Disapproves of the Example Set by the Experts in Moses’ Teachings—Matthew 23:1–12; Mark 12:37b–40

⁴⁵While all the people were listening, Jesus said to the disciples, ⁴⁶“Beware of the experts in Moses’ Teachings! They like to walk around in long robes and love to be greeted in the marketplaces, to have the front seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at dinners. ⁴⁷They rob widows by taking their houses and then say long prayers to make themselves look good. The experts in Moses’ Teachings will receive the most severe punishment.”