Bible Strands
Matthew 22:8
Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited were not worthy.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The king in the parable addresses his servants immediately after ordering the execution of the assassins who destroyed his city. He speaks at the precise moment the original banquet guests have rejected the invitation and the messengers have been killed.
The words — γάμος (gamos) literally means wedding feast, while ἀξιοί (axioi) translates as worthy or fit. The text states the banquet is prepared but the initially invited guests were not deemed worthy.
The thread — This pattern of rejected invitation followed by expanded gathering runs through Acts 13:46 and 2 Thessalonians 1:5, where divine judgment and righteousness frame the shift to new recipients. Revelation 3:4 further contrasts the unworthy with those counted worthy through faithful endurance.
Why it lands — The verse requires a reader to acknowledge that divine preparation precedes human worthiness, not the reverse. It demands a shift from relying on prior selection or status to responding to the present offer.
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
Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.
Cross-references
- Acts 13:46 Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “It was necessary to speak the word of God to you first. But since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.
- 2 Thessalonians 1:5 All this is clear evidence of God’s righteous judgment. And so you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering.
- Revelation 3:4 But you do have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments, and because they are worthy, they will walk with Me in white.
- Luke 20:35 But those who are considered worthy to share in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage.
- Revelation 22:14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by its gates.
- Matthew 10:11 Whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy there and stay at his house until you move on.
- Matthew 10:37 Anyone who loves his father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me;
- Luke 21:36 So keep watch at all times, and pray that you may have the strength to escape all that is about to happen and to stand before the Son of Man.”