Matthew 22:14

For many are called, but few are chosen.

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Word by word — the Greek

Word	Greek	Strong’s	Meaning
For	γάρ gar	G1063	properly · conjunction
many	πολλοὶ polloi	G4183	(singular) much (in any respect) or (plural) many · adjective — nominative plural masculine
are	εἰσί eisí	G1526	they are
called	κλητοί, klētoi	G2822	invited · adjective — nominative plural masculine
but	δὲ de	G1161	but · conjunction
few	ὀλίγοι oligoi	G3641	puny (in extent · adjective — nominative plural masculine
chosen	ἐκλεκτοί.¶ eklektoi	G1588	select · adjective — nominative plural masculine

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Cross-references

2 Peter 1:10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
Luke 13:23-24 Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them,
Revelation 17:14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him…
Matthew 7:13-14 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in there…
Matthew 20:16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.
Matthew 24:22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Matthew 22:14

For many are called, but few are chosen--So Mat 19:30. See on Mat 20:16. Next: Matthew Chapter 23

John Gill on Matthew 22:14

For many are called, but few chosen. See Gill on Matthew 20:16

John Calvin on Matthew 22:1-14

Matthew 22:1-14 Matthew 22:1-14 Luke 14:15-24 1. And Jesus answering, spoke again by parables, and said, 2. The kingdom of heaven is like a human king who made a marriage for his son, 3. And sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the marriage, and they refused to come. 4. Again he sent out other servants, saying, Tell those who are invited, Lo, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come to the marriage. 5. But they treated it with indifference, and went away, one to his farm, and another to his merchandise: 6. And the rest took his servants, and abused and killed them. 7. But when the king heard it, he was angry, and sent hi…

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Tyndale Open Study Notes on Matthew 22:14

While many people are called—they hear the invitation to the Kingdom—few are actually chosen by God and respond in faithful obedience to Jesus.

Henry, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown, Clarke, Gill, Calvin and Keil & Delitzsch are in the public domain; Tyndale Open Study Notes © Tyndale House Publishers, CC BY-SA 4.0 — all from the Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org). Rashi: the Rosenbaum & Silbermann Pentateuch (public domain) and the Judaica Press and Metsudah Tanakh (CC BY), via Sefaria. Spurgeon's Treasury of David: public domain (lyteword's markdown edition, CC0).

The Church Fathers

"And therefore many are called, but few chosen." It is not asked who is ready to follow the broad way, but who the narrow.
— Tertullian, On Flight in Persecution

And because in the marriage and supper the chief thing is the end and not the beginning, therefore He adds, For many are called, but few chosen.
— Jerome ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)), Catena Aurea by Aquinas

For to invite all without exception is a courtesy of public benevolence; but out of the invited or called, the election will be of worth, by distinction of merit.
— Hilary of Poitiers ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)), Catena Aurea by Aquinas

The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).

Dictionary and topics

Call — (1.) To cry for help, hence to pray (Gen. 4:26). Thus men are said to “call upon the name of the Lord” (Acts 2:21; 7:59; 9:14; Rom. 10:12; 1 Cor. 1:2). (2.) God calls with respect to men when he…
Chosen, Or Elected · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning
Covetousness · 6:13;8:10;17:11;22:17;51:13; — 6:13;8:10;17:11;22:17;51:13;
Feasts · FIGURATIVE — FIGURATIVE
Kingdom Of Heaven · .To a king who ma — .To a king who ma
Parables · Parables of christ: Marriage-feast — Parables of christ: Marriage-feast
Predestination · 19:25; — 19:25;
Righteousness · Garment of — Garment of
Salvation · 4:2; — 4:2;

Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).