Matthew 22:25

Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died without having children. So he left his wife to his brother.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The Sadducees address Jesus to test His view of resurrection by citing the Mosaic levirate law. They describe a case involving seven brothers and a shared widow to force a logical contradiction.

The words — ἑπτὰ (hepta) means seven and ἀδελφοὶ (adelphoi) means brothers, fixing the exact number and kinship of the legal scenario. παρ᾽ ἡμῖν (par' hēmin) translates as among us, locating the hypothetical within the speakers' own community.

The thread — The identical seven-brother case is recorded in Mark 12:19 and Luke 20:29. Hebrews 9:27 frames the broader theological tension by stating that humans are appointed to die once and then face judgment.

Why it lands — It requires a plain answer about whether marriage continues after death. The reader must decide how divine reality resolves human legal dilemmas rather than accepting the scenario as a final proof.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

King James Version

Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother:

Cross-references

Hebrews 9:27 Just as man is appointed to die once, and after that to face judgment,
Mark 12:19 “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man is to marry his brother’s widow and raise up offspring for him.
Luke 20:29 Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a wife but died childless.