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Scripture · New Testament

Matthew 21:31

Matthew 21:31 is verse 31 of Matthew chapter 21, shown here in the Berean Standard Bible.

Berean Standard Bible

Which of the two did the will of his father?” “The first,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you.

NE and WH The latter

BSB source and public domain terms

King James Version

Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.

World English Bible

Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said to him, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Most certainly I tell you that the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering into God’s Kingdom before you.

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Matthew 21:29–33 · Berean Standard Bible

29 ‘I will not,’ he replied. But later he changed his mind and went.

30 Then the man went to the second son and told him the same thing. ‘I will, sir,’ he said. But he did not go.

31 Which of the two did the will of his father?” “The first,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you.

32 For John came to you in a righteous way and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.

33 Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it, and built a tower. Then he rented it out to some tenants and went away on a journey.

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Greek words

Data created by STEPBible.org based on work at Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

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Cross-references

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge lists these related verses. Scripture text comes from the Berean Standard Bible.

Matthew 7:21

Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven.

Matthew 12:50

For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.”

Ezekiel 33:11

Say to them: ‘As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked should turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?’

Luke 15:10

In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents.”

Acts 17:30

Although God overlooked the ignorance of earlier times, He now commands all people everywhere to repent.

2 Peter 3:9

The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.

2 Samuel 12:5

David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan: “As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die!

2 Samuel 12:6

Because he has done this thing and has shown no pity, he must pay for the lamb four times over.”

2 Samuel 12:7

Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man! This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul.

Job 15:6

Your own mouth, not mine, condemns you; your own lips testify against you.

Luke 7:40

But Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, Teacher,” he said.

Luke 7:41

“Two men were debtors to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.

Luke 7:42

When they were unable to repay him, he forgave both of them. Which one, then, will love him more?”

Luke 19:22

His master replied, ‘You wicked servant, I will judge you by your own words. So you knew that I am a harsh man, withdrawing what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow?

Romans 3:19

Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.

Matthew 5:18

For I tell you truly, until heaven and earth pass away, not a single jot, not a stroke of a pen, will disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

Matthew 6:5

And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward.

Matthew 18:3

“Truly I tell you,” He said, “unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 9:9

As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax booth. “Follow Me,” He told him, and Matthew got up and followed Him.

Matthew 20:16

So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

Luke 7:29

All the people who heard this, even the tax collectors, acknowledged God’s justice. For they had received the baptism of John.

Luke 7:37

When a sinful woman from that town learned that Jesus was dining there, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume.

Luke 7:38

As she stood behind Him at His feet weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears and wipe them with her hair. Then she kissed His feet and anointed them with the perfume.

Luke 7:39

When the Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, He would know who this is and what kind of woman is touching Him—for she is a sinner!”

Luke 7:43

“I suppose the one who was forgiven more,” Simon replied. “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.

Luke 7:44

And turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? When I entered your house, you did not give Me water for My feet, but she wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.

Luke 7:45

You did not greet Me with a kiss, but she has not stopped kissing My feet since I arrived.

Luke 7:46

You did not anoint My head with oil, but she has anointed My feet with perfume.

Luke 7:47

Therefore I tell you, because her many sins have been forgiven, she has loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.”

Luke 7:48

Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

Luke 7:49

But those at the table began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

Luke 7:50

And Jesus told the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Luke 15:1

Now all the tax collectors and sinners were gathering around to listen to Jesus.

Luke 15:2

So the Pharisees and scribes began to grumble: “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

Luke 19:9

Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham.

Luke 19:10

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Romans 5:20

The law came in so that the trespass would increase; but where sin increased, grace increased all the more,

Romans 9:30

What then will we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith;

Romans 9:31

but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it.

Romans 9:32

Why not? Because their pursuit was not by faith, but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone,

Romans 9:33

as it is written: “See, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense; and the one who believes in Him will never be put to shame.”

1 Timothy 1:13

I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man; yet because I had acted in ignorance and unbelief, I was shown mercy.

1 Timothy 1:14

And the grace of our Lord overflowed to me, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

1 Timothy 1:15

This is a trustworthy saying, worthy of full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the worst.

1 Timothy 1:16

But for this very reason I was shown mercy, so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display His perfect patience as an example to those who would believe in Him for eternal life.

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