Matthew 21:31

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!

Cross References

Job 15:6

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

Ezekiel 33:11

Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but prefer that the wicked change his behavior and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil deeds! Why should you die, O house of Israel?’

Matthew 12:50

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

Matthew 18:3

and said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn around and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven!

Matthew 20:16

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

Matthew 21:30

The father went to the other son and said the same thing. This boy answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but did not go.

Matthew 5:18

I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth pass away not the smallest letter or stroke of a letter will pass from the law until everything takes place.

Matthew 5:46

For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Even the tax collectors do the same, don’t they?

Matthew 6:5

“Whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray while standing in synagogues and on street corners so that people can see them. Truly I say to you, they have their reward.

Matthew 7:21

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of heaven – only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.

Matthew 9:9

As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax booth. “Follow me,” he said to him. And he got up and followed him.

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.”

Luke 19:22

The king said to him, ‘I will judge you by your own words, you wicked slave! So you knew, did you, that I was a severe man, withdrawing what I didn’t deposit and reaping what I didn’t sow?

Luke 7:29

(Now all the people who heard this, even the tax collectors, acknowledged God’s justice, because they had been baptized with John’s baptism.

John 3:3

Jesus replied, “I tell you the solemn truth, unless a person is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

John 3:5

Jesus answered, “I tell you the solemn truth, unless a person is born of water and spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

Acts 17:30

Therefore, although God has overlooked such times of ignorance, he now commands all people everywhere to repent,

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 may be held accountable to God.

Romans 5:20

Now the law came in so that the transgression may increase, but where sin increased, grace multiplied all the more,

2 Peter 3:9

The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some regard slowness, but is being patient toward you, because he does not wish for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.