Matthew 20:16

Plain English Version

Then Jesus told them what that story means. He said, “One day, those people that are the last ones now, they will be the first ones. And those people that are the first ones now, they will be the last ones.” (We have not yet translated 20:17—21:27. You can read that story and those messages in Mark 10:32—11:33.)

Cross References

Matthew 21:31

Then Jesus asked those Jewish leaders, “Which one of that man’s sons did what their father wanted?” They said, “The oldest son did what their father wanted.” Then Jesus said, “Listen. There are people that did bad things, but they will go into God’s family before you mob do. You know, there are some men that get tax money from people and give it to the Roman government. And sometimes a woman does bad things, so if men pay her money she sleeps with them, like a woman sleeps with her husband. But some of those bad people will go into God’s family before you mob do.

Matthew 7:13

Then Jesus told them this picture story about how to live. He said, “It is like there are 2 tracks in life, and each track has its own gate. One gate is big and wide, but the other gate is a narrow little gate. It is hard to get through that little gate, and only a few people get through it. Listen, you have to go through that little gate. If you want to live with God for ever, you have to pick that little gate and go through it, and you have to follow its track. Its track is a narrow little track, and it is hard to walk on. But if you go that way, you will live with God for ever. The other gate is wide and easy to go through, and its track is wide and easy to walk on. A lot of people go that way. They go through that wide gate and walk along that easy track. But that track goes to the wrong place, and God will finish up those people.”

Mark 10:31

People that are important leaders today will find out later that they are nothing. God will make them workers for everybody. And people that are just workers today will be the important leaders later.”

Luke 14:24

But those other people that I asked before, and they said they couldn’t come, I’m telling you this, none of them will eat any of this good food.’ ” (We have not yet translated 14:25-27. You can read those messages in Matthew 10:37; Mark 8:34.)

Luke 15:7

Well, just like that, whenever somebody turns back to God, everyone in heaven is really happy too. Whenever one bad person stops doing bad things, and lives God’s way, everyone in heaven is really happy. They are even more happy about that person, than they are about the big mob of other people that never went wrong.”

Luke 7:47

Listen, I know she did a lot of bad things, but I’m telling you, I will say that she is not guilty of all those bad things. I will let it all go, and God will not punish her. That is the reason why she loves me a lot. But if somebody only did a few bad things, and I let it go, they will only love me a little bit.”

Romans 5:20

You see, the law came and showed people that they did wrong things. But that didn’t stop them. They still did wrong things. Yes, people kept on doing more bad things, but at the same time God kept on being good to people, more and more.

Romans 8:30

So, after he picked us out, he called to us to come to him, and after we came to him, he said that we are all right now, and he will make us really great too.

1 Thessalonians 2:13

And we always thank God for the way you listened to us. We told you God’s message, and you knew that it wasn’t only a message from people. You believed that we told you words from God, and that it was God’s message. And you were right. It is God’s word. And now that you believe that word, it helps you grow strong for him.