Matthew 22 13

Matthew 22:13 kjv

Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Matthew 22:13 nkjv

Then the king said to the servants, 'Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

Matthew 22:13 niv

"Then the king told the attendants, 'Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

Matthew 22:13 esv

Then the king said to the attendants, 'Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

Matthew 22:13 nlt

Then the king said to his aides, 'Bind his hands and feet and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

Matthew 22 verses

Matthew 22 13 Meaning

Matthew 22:13 describes the final and severe judgment delivered by the king upon the man who attended the wedding feast without the proper wedding garment. This verse signifies the total expulsion from God's presence and kingdom into a state of absolute deprivation, suffering, and despair, characterized by inconsolable grief and bitter agony. It underscores the ultimate consequence for those who accept the invitation to God's kingdom but refuse or neglect to prepare themselves with the required righteousness provided by the King.

Matthew 22 13 Context

Matthew 22:13 is the climax of Jesus's Parable of the Wedding Feast (Matthew 22:1-14). In this parable, the king represents God, and the wedding feast symbolizes the Kingdom of Heaven. Initially, those first invited (representing the Jewish leaders and those who rejected Jesus's invitation) refused to come, and some even persecuted the king's servants. Consequently, the king sent his servants to invite anyone they found on the streets (representing Gentiles and those outside traditional religious structures). When the hall was filled, the king observed one guest without the appropriate wedding garment. The king questions him, and when the man remains silent, the king delivers the judgment described in verse 13. This specific judgment highlights that mere presence in a religious setting or an outward claim to belong is insufficient; an inward transformation and a readiness (symbolized by the garment, likely God's provided righteousness) are essential for true membership in God's Kingdom. The verse thus serves as a solemn warning against presumption and superficial adherence to God's call.

Matthew 22 13 Word analysis

• Then (Greek: Tote): Indicates immediate consequence. This judgment directly follows the king's discovery of the man's improper attire and his subsequent silence. It highlights the decisive nature of the divine verdict.
• the king (Greek: Ho basileus): Refers to God Himself. His authority is absolute, and His judgment is final and righteous. This is a divine decree.
• said (Greek: Eipen): A declarative statement from a position of absolute authority. This is a command, not a suggestion.
• to the servants (Greek: tois diakonois): These are agents of the king, in this prophetic context typically understood as angels. They are instruments of divine will and execution of judgment, as seen in other parables of Jesus (e.g., Mt 13:41).
• 'Bind (Greek: Dēsate - imperative aorist, strong command): An authoritative command meaning to tie up tightly. It signifies complete restriction of movement and absolute helplessness.
• him (Greek: Auton): Refers specifically to the man without the wedding garment, the one found spiritually unprepared and disrespectful.
• hand and foot (Greek: Cheiras kai podas): A figure of speech (merism) signifying total incapacitation. The person is completely bound, unable to resist, move, or escape. This implies total lack of freedom or power in the face of judgment.
• and take him away (Greek: kai arate auton): A command to remove, signifying expulsion and utter exclusion from the joyful presence of the king and the feast. This removal is from light and blessing.
• and cast him (Greek: kai ekbalete - strong verb, to throw out, expel): Denotes forceful and decisive expulsion, highlighting the finality and harshness of the judgment.
• into outer darkness (Greek: eis to skotos to exōteron): A key metaphorical phrase used by Jesus in Matthew's Gospel for the state of ultimate punishment and separation from God. "Darkness" signifies the complete absence of God's light, presence, favor, joy, and hope. "Outer" emphasizes exclusion from the inner warmth and light of the king's presence or feast. It is a place of utter isolation.
• there will be (Greek: ekeī estai): Declares a certain, unavoidable reality. This is not a possibility but a guarantee of the conditions that will exist in that place.
• weeping (Greek: ho klauthmos): Signifies deep, inconsolable sorrow, bitter lamentation, and intense grief, often associated with regret and remorse.
• and gnashing of teeth (Greek: kai ho brygmos tōn odontōn): A vivid phrase occurring frequently in Jesus's parables of judgment (e.g., Mt 8:12, 13:42, 13:50, 24:51, 25:30; Lk 13:28). It signifies intense pain, extreme anguish, frustrated rage, impotent fury, and despair over lost opportunity.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "Bind him hand and foot, and take him away": This phrase describes the absolute physical incapacitation and removal of the individual. It illustrates divine justice where those who defy or fail to prepare according to God's standard are rendered utterly powerless and separated. This signifies loss of all autonomy and total subjection to divine judgment.
• "and cast him into outer darkness": This is the decisive sentence. It vividly paints a picture of being thrust out of the presence of light, joy, and communion into a desolate state of utter isolation, deprivation, and absence of God's benevolent presence. It speaks of spiritual abandonment and ultimate rejection.
• "there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth": This iconic expression summarizes the inevitable and intense emotional and physical torment experienced by those condemned to eternal separation from God. It encompasses profound regret, anguish, and a powerless rage against their self-inflicted plight. It highlights the internal suffering as a consequence of spiritual unpreparedness.

Matthew 22 13 Bonus section

• Finality of Judgment: The actions commanded by the king – binding, taking away, casting out – signify an immediate and irreversible judgment. There is no appeal, no second chance once the verdict is rendered. This reinforces the New Testament teaching on the definitive nature of final judgment.
• Contrast of Realms: The "outer darkness" is presented in stark contrast to the "inner light" and joy of the wedding feast. This stark imagery underlines the complete spiritual alienation that accompanies separation from God's presence, highlighting the ultimate purpose of heaven (light, presence, joy) and hell (darkness, absence, anguish).
• Relevance to Believers: While the initial context addresses those outside the Kingdom or unprepared, this parable also serves as a perpetual warning for those within Christian circles not to take their faith superficially. True faith requires putting on the "wedding garment" of Christ's righteousness (Rom 13:14), signifying a genuine transformation and walk in holiness. Merely attending church or claiming belief is insufficient without an inward reality and true reverence for God's terms.
• The King's Authority and Sovereignty: This verse powerfully illustrates the King's (God's) sovereign right to establish the terms of entry into His Kingdom and to enforce them without exception. His invitation is grace, but His expectation is conformity to His standards.

Matthew 22 13 Commentary

Matthew 22:13 delivers a powerful warning about the grave consequences of presuming upon God's grace without corresponding obedience and spiritual readiness. While the king graciously extended an open invitation to all, he required a specific "wedding garment" for attendance. This garment is understood to symbolize the righteousness God provides through Christ, which is received by faith, transforming character and conduct (Rev 19:8; Isa 61:10; Phil 3:9). The man's failure to wear it, despite having ample opportunity (as guests would typically be provided with one or expected to prepare appropriately), was an act of profound disrespect, essentially scorning the king's generosity and stipulations for entry into his joyful presence.

The king's immediate and absolute judgment is swift and without appeal. The actions – "bind him hand and foot," "take him away," "cast him into outer darkness" – convey a total, irreversible, and humiliating expulsion. This is not merely physical removal but a definitive spiritual separation from God's light, love, and Kingdom. The "outer darkness" is the antithesis of the King's banquet hall, representing a place of ultimate deprivation, desolation, and spiritual emptiness. The accompanying "weeping and gnashing of teeth" vividly depicts the resultant agony: the weeping speaks of bitter remorse and unbearable sorrow, while the gnashing signifies futile rage, torment, and utter despair, a helpless acknowledgment of irreversible loss. This verse strongly emphasizes that salvation involves not just an initial invitation or external association, but an internal transformation and proper alignment with God's will and provision, highlighting that spiritual complacency and hypocrisy will face dire, eternal consequences.