"Whichof the twodidthe willof his father?"They said,"The first."Jesussaidto them, "TrulyI sayto you that the tax collectorsand prostituteswill getinto the kingdomof Godbeforeyou.
"Your own mouthcondemnsyou, and not I; And your own lipstestifyagainst you.
"Sayto them, 'As I live!'declaresthe LordGOD,'I takenopleasurein the deathof the wicked,but ratherthat the wickedturnfrom his wayand live.Turnback,turnbackfrom your evilways!Whythen will you die,O houseof Israel?'
"For whoeverdoesthe willof My Fatherwho is in heaven,he is My brotherand sisterand mother."
and said,"TrulyI sayto you, unlessyou are convertedand becomelikechildren,you will not enterthe kingdomof heaven.
"Sothe lastshall be first,and the firstlast."
"The man cameto the secondand saidthe same thing;and he answered,'I [will], sir;but he did not go.
"For trulyI sayto you, untilheavenand earthpassaway,not the smallestletterorstrokeshall passfrom the Lawuntilallis accomplished.
"For ifyou lovethosewho loveyou, whatrewarddoyou have?Do not eventhe tax collectorsdothe same?
"Whenyou pray,you are not to be likethe hypocrites;for they loveto standand prayin the synagoguesand on the streetcornerssothat they may be seenby men.TrulyI sayto you, they havetheir rewardin full.
"Not everyonewho saysto Me, 'Lord,Lord,'will enterthe kingdomof heaven,but he who doesthe willof My Fatherwho is in heaven[will enter].
As Jesuswenton from there,He sawa mancalledMatthew,sittingin the tax collector's booth;and He saidto him, "FollowMe!" And he gotup and followedHim.
"In the same way,I tellyou, there is joyin the presenceof the angelsof Godoveronesinnerwho repents."
"He saidto him, 'By your own wordsI will judgeyou, you worthlessslave.Did you knowthat I aman exactingman,takingup whatI did not lay downand reapingwhatI did not sow?
When allthe peopleand the tax collectorsheard[this], they acknowledgedGod'sjustice,having been baptizedwith the baptismof John.
Jesusansweredand saidto him, "Truly,truly,I sayto you, unlessoneis bornagainhe cannotseethe kingdomof God."
Jesusanswered,"Truly,truly,I sayto you, unlessoneis bornof waterand the Spirithe cannotenterinto the kingdomof God.
"Thereforehaving overlookedthe timesof ignorance,Godis nowdeclaringto menthat all[people] everywhereshould repent,
Nowwe knowthat whateverthe Lawsays,it speaksto thosewho are underthe Law,sothat everymouthmay be closedand allthe worldmay becomeaccountableto God;
The Lawcamein sothat the transgressionwould increase;but wheresinincreased,graceabounded all the more,
The Lordis not slowabout His promise,as somecountslowness,but is patienttowardyou, not wishingfor anyto perishbut for allto cometo repentance.
