Matthew 22 · Verse 4

Matthew 22:4

Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.
Matthew 22:4, King James Version

Matthew 22:4 in other translations

BSBAgain, he sent other servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner. My oxen and fattened cattle have been killed, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’
WEBAgain he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “Behold, I have prepared my dinner. My cattle and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding feast!”’
ASVAgain he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them that are bidden, Behold, I have made ready my dinner; my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come to the marriage feast.
YLT‘Again he sent forth other servants, saying, Say to those who have been called: Lo, my dinner I prepared, my oxen and the fatlings have been killed, and all things are ready, come ye to the marriage-feasts;
DARBYAgain he sent other bondmen, saying, Say to the persons invited, Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fatted beasts are killed, and all things ready; come to the wedding feast.
BBEAgain he sent out other servants, with orders to say to the guests, See, I have made ready my feast: my oxen and my fat beasts have been put to death, and all things are ready: come to the feast.
WebsterAgain, he sent other servants, saying, Tell them who are invited, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come to the marriage.

What does Matthew 22:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
4. my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready; come unto the marriage--This points to those Gospel calls after Christ's death, resurrection, ascension, and effusion of the Spirit, to which the parable could not directly allude, but when only it could be said, with strict propriety, "that all things were ready." Compare 1Co 5:7, 8, "Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us; therefore, let us keep the feast"; also Joh 6:51, "I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread which I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 4. Other servants. Who might press it on their attention. So God repeats his message to sinners, when they reject it.

My dinner. This word literally denotes the meal taken about noon. It is also taken for a meal in general. As marriages were, among eastern nations, in the evening, it refers here to a meal taken at that time.

Fatlings. This word does not refer to any particular species of animals. It denotes any fat animals. As oxen are also mentioned, however, it refers here probably to lambs, or calves, 2Sam 6:13; 1Chr 15:26.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 4 Fatlings - Τα σιτιϚα Properly, fatted rams, or wethers. 2Sam 6:13; 1Chr 15:26.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 22:1-14

The provision made for perishing souls in the gospel, is represented by a royal feast made by a king, with eastern liberality, on the marriage of his son. Our merciful God has not only provided food, but a royal feast, for the perishing souls of his rebellious creatures. There is enough and to spare, of every thing that can add to our present comfort and everlasting happiness, in the salvation of his Son Jesus…

Read the full comment on Matthew 22:1-14 →

Matthew 22:4 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

πάλινpalinAgainG3825
ἀπέστειλενapesteilenhe sentG649
ἄλλουςallousotherG243
δούλουςdoulousservantsG1401
λέγων·legōnsaying;G3004
εἴπατεeipatedo sayG2036
τοῖςtoisto thoseG3588
κεκλημένοις·keklēmenoisinvited;G2564
ἰδοὺidouBeholdG2400
τὸtotheG3588
ἄριστόνaristondinnerG712
μουmouof mineG3165
ἡτοίμακα,hētoimakaI have prepared,G2090
οἱhoitheG3588
ταῦροίtauroioxenG5022
μουmouof MineG3165
καὶkaiandG2532
τὰtatheG3588
σιτιστὰsitistafatlingsG4619
τεθυμένα,tethumenakilled,G2380
καὶkaiandG2532
πάνταpantaall things [are]G3956
ἕτοιμα·hetoimaready;G2092
δεῦτεdeutecomeG1205
εἰςeistoG1519
τοὺςtoustheG3588
γάμους.gamouswedding feast.G1062

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Matthew 22:4

  • Acts 13:46

    Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.

  • John 6:50-57

    This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. …

  • Matthew 21:36

    Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise.

  • Psalms 86:5

    For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.

  • Nehemiah 9:17

    And refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not.

  • Luke 24:46-47

    And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

  • Acts 28:17-31

    And it came to pass, that after three days Paul called the chief of the Jews together: and when they were come together, he said unto them, Men and brethren, though I have committed nothing against the people, or customs of our fathers, yet was I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. Who, when they had examined me, would have let me go, because there was no cause of death in me. But when the Jews spake against it, I was constrained to appeal unto Cesar; not that I had ought to accuse my nation of. For this cause therefore have I called for you, to see you, and to speak with you: because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain. …

  • Luke 14:17

    And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.

  • Luke 10:1-16

    After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come. Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves. Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way. …

  • Acts 1:8

    But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

  • Matthew 22:8

    Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.

  • Proverbs 9:1-2

    Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars: She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
other.
Lu 10:1-16; 24:46,47; Ac 1:8; 11:19,20; 13:46; 28:17-31
Behold.
Pr 9:1,2; So 5:1; Joh 6:50-57; Ro 8:32; 1Co 5:7,8
and all.
8; Ne 9:17; Ps 86:5; Lu 14:17

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Matthew 22:3

    And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.

  • Matthew 22:4

    Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.

  • Matthew 22:5

    But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:

Read all of Matthew 22

Matthew 22:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Volvió á enviar otros siervos, diciendo: Decid á los llamados: He aquí, mi comida he aparejado; mis toros y animales engordados son muertos, y todo está prevenido: venid á las bodas.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Il envoya encore d’autres esclaves, disant: Dites aux conviés: Voici, j’ai apprêté mon dîner; mes taureaux et mes bêtes grasses sont tués et tout est prêt: venez aux noces.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Wiederum sandte er andere Knechte aus und sprach: Saget den Geladenen: Siehe, mein Mahl habe ich bereitet, meine Ochsen und mein Mastvieh sind geschlachtet, und alles ist bereit; kommt zur Hochzeit.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Iterum misit alios servos, dicens: Dicite invitatis: Ecce prandium meum paravi, tauri mei et altilia occisa sunt, et omnia parata: venite ad nuptias.