Matthew 21:31

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

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

Additional Resources

Other Translations

  • King James Version 1769 (Standard 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.

  • KJV1611 – Modern English

    Which of the two did the will of his father? They said to him, The first. Jesus said to them, Truly I say to you, that tax collectors and harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.

  • King James Version 1611 (Original)

    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.

  • American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

    Which of the two did the will of his father? They say, 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.

  • King James Version with Strong's Numbers

    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.

  • Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

    Whether of the twayne dyd the will of the father? And they sayde vnto hym: the fyrst. Iesus sayde vnto the: verely I saye vnto you that the publicans and the harlotes shall come into ye kyngdome of God before you.

  • Coverdale Bible (1535)

    Whether of them twayne dyd the wil of the father? They sayde vnto him: the first. Iesus sayde vnto the: Verely I saye vnto you: The publicans and harlottes shal come in to the kyngdome of God before you.

  • Geneva Bible (1560)

    Whether of them twaine did the will of the father? They saide vnto him, The first. Iesus saide vnto them, Verely I say vnto you, that the Publicanes and the harlots goe before you into the kingdome of God.

  • Bishops' Bible (1568)

    Whether of them twayne did the wyl of the father? And they saide vnto him, the first. Iesus sayth vnto them: Ueryly I saye vnto you, that publicanes & harlottes go into the kingdome of God, before you.

  • Authorized King James Version (1611)

    ‹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.›

  • Webster's Bible (1833)

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

  • Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

    which of the two did the will of the father?' They say to him, `The first.' Jesus saith to them, `Verily I say to you, that the tax-gatherers and the harlots do go before you into the reign of God,

  • American Standard Version (1901)

    Which of the two did the will of his father? They say, 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.

  • American Standard Version (1901)

    Which of the two did the will of his father? They say, 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.

  • Bible in Basic English (1941)

    Which of the two did his father's pleasure? They say, The first. Jesus said to them, Truly I say to you, that tax-farmers and loose women are going into the kingdom of God before you.

  • World English Bible (2000)

    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 the Kingdom of God before you.

  • NET Bible® (New English Translation)

    Which of the two did his father’s will?” They said,“The first.” Jesus said to them,“I tell you the truth, tax collectors and prostitutes will go ahead of you into the kingdom of God!

Referenced Verses

  • Luke 7:29 : 29 (When all the people, including the tax collectors, heard this, they acknowledged that God's way was right, because they had been baptized by John.)
  • Luke 7:37-50 : 37 And behold, a woman in the town who was a sinner learned that Jesus was reclining at the Pharisee's house. She brought an alabaster jar of perfume. 38 And standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears. She wiped them with the hair of her head, kissed His feet repeatedly, and anointed them with the perfume. 39 When the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, 'If this man were a prophet, He would know who and what kind of woman is touching Him—she is a sinner.' 40 And Jesus answered him, 'Simon, I have something to say to you.' Simon replied, 'Say it, Teacher.' 41 'A certain creditor had two debtors. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When neither of them could pay, he forgave them both. So which of them will love him more?' 43 Simon answered, 'I suppose the one who had the larger debt forgiven.' Jesus said to him, 'You have judged correctly.' 44 Turning to the woman, He said to Simon, 'Do you see this woman? I entered your house, and you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave Me no kiss, but from the time I came in, she has not stopped kissing My feet. 46 You did not anoint My head with oil, but she has anointed My feet with perfume. 47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven, as her great love has shown. But the one who is forgiven little, loves little.' 48 Then Jesus said to her, 'Your sins are forgiven.' 49 Those who were reclining at the table began to say among themselves, 'Who is this who even forgives sins?' 50 And Jesus said to the woman, 'Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.'
  • 2 Pet 3:9 : 9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wanting any to perish but for all to come to repentance.
  • Luke 15:1-2 : 1 Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to Him. 2 And the Pharisees and scribes were complaining, saying, 'This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.'
  • Luke 15:10 : 10 In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.
  • Luke 19:9-9 : 9 Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham." 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.
  • Luke 19:22 : 22 He said to him, 'I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a harsh man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow?'
  • Acts 17:30 : 30 In the past, God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.
  • Rom 3:19 : 19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.
  • Rom 5:20 : 20 Now the law was brought in so that the trespass might increase; but where sin increased, grace increased all the more.
  • Rom 9:30-33 : 30 What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; 31 but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, did not attain it. 32 Why not? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though it were by works. They stumbled over the stone of stumbling, 33 Just as it is written: 'Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense; and the one who believes in him will not be put to shame.'
  • 1 Tim 1:13-16 : 13 Even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 14 The grace of our Lord overflowed abundantly along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the foremost. 16 But for this reason I was shown mercy, so that in me, the foremost of sinners, Christ Jesus might display His perfect patience as an example to those who would believe in Him for eternal life.
  • Matt 7:21 : 21 Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
  • Matt 9:9 : 9 As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. 'Follow me,' he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.
  • Matt 12:50 : 50 For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.
  • Matt 18:3 : 3 And he said, "Truly, I tell you, unless you turn and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."
  • Matt 20:16 : 16 So the last will be first, and the first will be last. For many are called, but few are chosen.
  • 2 Sam 12:5-7 : 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! 6 He must pay back four times the price of the lamb because he did such a thing and had no pity! 7 Then Nathan said to David, "You are the 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 : 6 Your own mouth condemns you, not I; your lips testify against you.
  • Ezek 33:11 : 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 turn from their ways and live. Turn back! Turn back from your evil ways! Why should you die, house of Israel?'
  • Matt 5:18 : 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter, not a single stroke of a pen, will disappear from the law until everything is accomplished.
  • Matt 6:5 : 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 others. Truly, I tell you, they have received their reward in full.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

  • Matt 21:32-33
    2 verses
    86%

    32For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him. But the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe him. And even when you saw it, you did not later change your minds and believe him.

    33Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a winepress in it, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenant farmers and went away.

  • Matt 21:28-30
    3 verses
    81%

    28What do you think? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, 'Son, go work today in the vineyard.'

    29The son replied, 'I don’t want to.' But later, he changed his mind and went.

    30The man then went to the second son and said the same thing. He answered, 'I will, sir,' but he did not go.

  • Luke 15:11
    75%

    11Then He said, 'There was a man who had two sons.'

  • Luke 13:30
    74%

    30Indeed, some who are last will be first, and some who are first will be last.

  • Luke 3:12
    74%

    12Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, "Teacher, what should we do?"

  • Matt 20:16
    73%

    16So the last will be first, and the first will be last. For many are called, but few are chosen.

  • Luke 18:10
    72%

    10'Two men went up to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector.'

  • Mark 10:31
    72%

    31But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.'

  • Luke 15:1
    72%

    1Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to Him.

  • Matt 7:21
    71%

    21Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

  • Mark 2:15-17
    3 verses
    71%

    15And while Jesus was dining in Levi's house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining at the table with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him.

    16And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Jesus eating with tax collectors and sinners, they said to his disciples, 'Why does he eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?'

    17When Jesus heard this, he said to them, 'Those who are well have no need of a doctor, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.'

  • Matt 19:30
    71%

    30But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.

  • Matt 5:46-47
    2 verses
    71%

    46If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?

    47And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?

  • Matt 22:1-3
    3 verses
    70%

    1Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying:

    2The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son.

    3He sent his servants to call those who had been invited to the wedding, but they refused to come.

  • Luke 15:30
    70%

    30But when this son of yours came, who has squandered your wealth with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!'

  • Matt 9:10-11
    2 verses
    70%

    10While Jesus was reclining at the table in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples.

    11When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, 'Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?'

  • Matt 21:36-37
    2 verses
    70%

    36Again, he sent other servants, more than the first group, but they treated them the same way.

    37Finally, he sent his son to them. 'They will respect my son,' he said.

  • Luke 7:31-32
    2 verses
    70%

    31Jesus said, 'To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like?'

    32'They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another: "We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a lament, and you did not weep."'

  • Matt 8:11-12
    2 verses
    70%

    11I tell you, many will come from the east and the west and will recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.

    12But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

  • Luke 18:13-14
    2 verses
    70%

    13'But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven but beat his chest and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'

    14'I tell you that this man went home justified before God rather than the other. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.'

  • Luke 15:3
    70%

    3So He told them this parable, saying:

  • Luke 14:21
    70%

    21The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’

  • Matt 18:23
    70%

    23Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.

  • Luke 16:15
    69%

    15Jesus said to them, "You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight."

  • Matt 11:19-20
    2 verses
    69%

    19The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by her actions.

    20Then He began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles had been performed, because they did not repent:

  • Luke 15:21
    69%

    21The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'

  • Luke 13:28
    69%

    28There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out.

  • Luke 7:34
    69%

    34'The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, "Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!"'

  • Matt 3:2
    69%

    2and saying, 'Repent, because the kingdom of heaven has come near.'

  • Matt 5:20
    69%

    20For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

  • Luke 18:17
    69%

    17Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will certainly not enter it.

  • Luke 5:30
    69%

    30But the Pharisees and their scribes began to grumble to His disciples, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?"

  • Matt 23:13
    68%

    13But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor do you allow those entering to go in.

  • Matt 20:7
    68%

    7They answered, 'Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard.'

  • Luke 5:32
    68%

    32I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

  • Matt 18:17
    68%

    17If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.