Matthew 21:31

New International Reader's Version

“Which of the two sons did what his father wanted?” “The first,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “What I’m about to tell you is true. Tax collectors and prostitutes will enter the kingdom of God ahead of you.

Cross References

Job 15:6

Your own mouth judges you, not mine. Your own lips witness against you.

Ezekiel 33:11

Tell them, ‘When sinful people die, it does not give me any joy. But when they turn away from their sins and live, that makes me very happy. And that is just as sure as I am alive,’ announces the Lord and King. ‘So turn away from your sins! Change your evil ways! Why should you die, people of Israel?’

Matthew 12:50

Anyone who does what my Father in heaven wants is my brother or sister or mother.”

Matthew 18:3

Jesus said, “What I’m about to tell you is true. You need to change and become like little children. If you don’t, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 20:16

“So those who are last will be first. And those who are first will be last.”

Matthew 21:30

“Then the father went to the other son. He said the same thing. The son answered, ‘I will, sir.’ But he did not go.

Matthew 5:18

What I’m about to tell you is true. Heaven and earth will disappear before the smallest letter disappears from the Law. Not even the smallest mark of a pen will disappear from the Law until everything is completed.

Matthew 5:46

If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Even the tax collectors do that.

Matthew 6:5

“When you pray, do not be like those who only pretend to be holy. They love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners. They want to be seen by other people. What I’m about to tell you is true. They have received their complete reward.

Matthew 7:21

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven. Only those who do what my Father in heaven wants will enter.

Matthew 9:9

As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew. He was sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him. Matthew got up and followed him.

Luke 15:10

I tell you, it is the same in heaven. There is joy in heaven over one sinner who turns away from sin.”

Luke 19:22

“His master replied, ‘I will judge you by your own words, you evil slave! So you knew that I am a hard man? You knew that I take out what I did not put in? You knew that I harvest what I did not plant?

Luke 7:29

All the people who heard Jesus’ words agreed that God’s way was right. Even the tax collectors agreed. These people had all been baptized by John.

John 3:3

Jesus replied, “What I’m about to tell you is true. No one can see God’s kingdom unless they are born again.”

John 3:5

Jesus answered, “What I’m about to tell you is true. No one can enter God’s kingdom unless they are born with water and the Holy Spirit.

Acts 17:30

In the past, God didn’t judge people for what they didn’t know. But now he commands all people everywhere to turn away from their sins.

Romans 3:19

What the law says, it says to those who are ruled by the law. Its purpose is to shut every mouth and make the whole world accountable to God.

Romans 5:20

The law was given so that sin would increase. But where sin increased, God’s grace increased even more.

2 Peter 3:9

The Lord is not slow to keep his promise. He is not slow in the way some people understand it. Instead, he is patient with you. He doesn’t want anyone to be destroyed. Instead, he wants all people to turn away from their sins.