Matthew 21:31

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!

Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

  • Luke 7:29 : 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.
  • Luke 7:37-50 : 37 Then when a woman of that town, who was a sinner, learned that Jesus was dining at the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfumed oil. 38 As she stood behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. She wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with the perfumed oil. 39 Now 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 this is who is touching him, that she is a sinner.” 40 So Jesus answered him,“Simon, I have something to say to you.” He replied,“Say it, Teacher.” 41 “A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed him five hundred silver coins, and the other fifty. 42 When they could not pay, he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered,“I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.” Jesus said to him,“You have judged rightly.” 44 Then, turning toward the woman, he said to Simon,“Do you see this woman? I entered your house. 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 of greeting, but from the time I entered she has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with perfumed oil. 47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which were many, are forgiven, thus she loved much; but the one who is forgiven little loves little.” 48 Then Jesus said to her,“Your sins are forgiven.” 49 But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves,“Who is this, who even forgives sins?” 50 He said to the woman,“Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
  • 2 Pet 3:9 : 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.
  • Luke 15:1-2 : 1 The Parable of the Lost Sheep and Coin Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming to hear him. 2 But the Pharisees and the experts in the law were complaining,“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 God’s angels over one sinner who repents.”
  • Luke 19:9-9 : 9 Then Jesus said to him,“Today salvation has come to this household, because he too is a son of Abraham! 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
  • Luke 19:22 : 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?
  • Acts 17:30 : 30 Therefore, although God has overlooked such times of ignorance, he now commands all people everywhere to repent,
  • Rom 3:19 : 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.
  • Rom 5:20 : 20 Now the law came in so that the transgression may increase, but where sin increased, grace multiplied all the more,
  • Rom 9:30-33 : 30 Israel’s Rejection Culpable What shall we say then?– that the Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness obtained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith, 31 but Israel even though pursuing a law of righteousness did not attain it. 32 Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but(as if it were possible) by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone, 33 just as it is written,“Look, I am laying in Zion a stone that will cause people to stumble and a rock that will make them fall, yet 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 and a persecutor, and an arrogant man. But I was treated with mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief, 14 and our Lord’s grace was abundant, bringing faith and love in Christ Jesus. 15 This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance:“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”– and I am the worst of them! 16 But here is why I was treated with mercy: so that in me as the worst, Christ Jesus could demonstrate his utmost patience, as an example for those who are going to believe in him for eternal life.
  • Matt 7:21 : 21 Judgment of Pretenders“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.
  • Matt 9:9 : 9 The Call of Matthew; Eating with Sinners As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax booth.“Follow me,” he said to him. So he 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 said,“I tell you the truth, unless you turn around 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 last.”
  • 2 Sam 12:5-7 : 5 Then David became very angry at this man. He said to Nathan,“As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die! 6 Because he committed this cold-hearted crime, he must pay for the lamb four times over!” 7 Nathan said to David,“You are that man! This is what the LORD God of Israel has said:‘I chose you to be king over Israel and I rescued you from the hand of Saul.
  • Job 15:6 : 6 Your own mouth condemns you, not I; your own lips testify against you.
  • Ezek 33:11 : 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?’
  • Matt 5:18 : 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.
  • Matt 6:5 : 5 Private Prayer“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!

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. Although you saw this, you did not later change your minds and believe him.

    33The Parable of the Tenants“Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a fence around it, dug a pit for its winepress, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenant farmers and went on a journey.

  • Matt 21:28-30
    3 verses
    81%

    28The Parable of the Two Sons“What do you think? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said,‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’

    29The boy answered,‘I will not.’ But later he had a change of heart and went.

    30The father went to the other son and said the same thing. This boy answered,‘I will, sir,’ but did not go.

  • Luke 15:11
    75%

    11The Parable of the Compassionate Father Then Jesus said,“A man had two sons.

  • Luke 13:30
    74%

    30But indeed, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”

  • Luke 3:12
    74%

    12Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him,“Teacher, what should we do?”

  • Matt 20:16
    73%

    16So the last will be first, and the first last.”

  • Luke 18:10
    72%

    10“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.

  • Mark 10:31
    72%

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

  • Luke 15:1
    72%

    1The Parable of the Lost Sheep and Coin Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming to hear him.

  • Matt 7:21
    71%

    21Judgment of Pretenders“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.

  • Mark 2:15-17
    3 verses
    71%

    15As Jesus was having a meal in Levi’s home, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him.

    16When the experts in the law and the Pharisees saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, they said to his disciples,“Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

    17When Jesus heard this he said to them,“Those who are healthy don’t need a physician, but those who are sick do. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

  • Matt 19:30
    71%

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

  • Matt 5:46-47
    2 verses
    71%

    46For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Even the tax collectors do the same, don’t they?

    47And if you only greet your brothers, what more do you do? Even the Gentiles do the same, don’t they?

  • Matt 22:1-3
    3 verses
    70%

    1The Parable of the Wedding Banquet Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying:

    2“The kingdom of heaven can be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son.

    3He sent his slaves to summon those who had been invited to the banquet, but they would not come.

  • Luke 15:30
    70%

    30But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your assets with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’

  • Matt 9:10-11
    2 verses
    70%

    10As Jesus was having a meal in Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with Jesus 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 slaves, more than the first, and they treated them the same way.

    37Finally he sent his son to them, saying,‘They will respect my son.’

  • Luke 7:31-32
    2 verses
    70%

    31“To what then should I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like?

    32They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to one another,‘We played the flute for you, yet you did not dance; we wailed in mourning, yet you did not weep.’

  • Matt 8:11-12
    2 verses
    70%

    11I tell you, many will come from the east and west to share the banquet with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven,

    12but the sons of the kingdom will be thrown out into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

  • Luke 18:13-14
    2 verses
    70%

    13The tax collector, however, stood far off and would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said,‘God, be merciful to me, sinner that I am!’

    14I tell you that this man went down to his home justified rather than the Pharisee. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

  • Luke 15:3
    70%

    3So Jesus told them this parable:

  • Luke 14:21
    70%

    21So the slave came back and reported this to his master. Then the master of the household was furious and said to his slave,‘Go out quickly to the streets and alleys of the city, and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’

  • Matt 18:23
    70%

    23The Parable of the Unforgiving Slave“For this reason, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his slaves.

  • Luke 16:15
    69%

    15But Jesus said to them,“You are the ones who justify yourselves in men’s eyes, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly prized among men is utterly detestable in God’s sight.

  • Matt 11:19-20
    2 verses
    69%

    19The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say,‘Look at him, a glutton and a drunk, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”

    20Woes on Unrepentant Cities Then Jesus began to criticize openly the cities in which he had done many of his miracles, because they did not repent.

  • Luke 15:21
    69%

    21Then his son said to him,‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

  • Luke 13:28
    69%

    28There will be weeping 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%

    34The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say,‘Look at him, a glutton and a drunk, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’

  • Matt 3:2
    69%

    2“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”

  • Matt 5:20
    69%

    20For I tell you, unless your righteousness goes beyond that of the experts in the law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven!

  • Luke 18:17
    69%

    17I tell you the truth, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.”

  • Luke 5:30
    69%

    30But the Pharisees and their experts in the law complained to his disciples, saying,“Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”

  • Matt 23:13
    68%

    13“But woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You keep locking people out of the kingdom of heaven! For you neither enter nor permit those trying to enter to go in.

  • Matt 20:7
    68%

    7They said to him,‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them,‘You go and work in the vineyard too.’

  • 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. If he refuses to listen to the church, treat him like a Gentile or a tax collector.