NARRATOR: Jesus addressed the chief priests and elders of the people, once more using parables.
JESUS: The reign of God is like a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. He sent servants to summon the invited guests to the wedding, but they refused to come. He sent servants a second time.
KING: Say to my guests, “See, I have my dinner prepared! I have killed my bullocks and corn-fed cattle; everything is ready. Come to the feast.”
JESUS: The invited guests ignored the king’s invitation and went their way—one to his farm, another to his business. The rest laid hold of the king’s servants, insulted them, and killed them. At this point the king grew furious and sent his army to destroy those murderers and burn their city. Then he said to his servants:
KING: The banquet is ready, but those who were invited were unfit to come. Now go out into the byroads and invite anyone you find to the wedding.
JESUS: The servants then went out into the byroads and rounded up everyone they met, bad as well as good. This filled the wedding hall with banqueters.
Matthew 22.1-14