^12 (A)Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, ^(B)what shall we do?”

²⁹ (^(A)When all the people heard this, and ^(B)the tax collectors too, they declared God just,^{[a] (C)}having been baptized with ^(D)the baptism of John,

¹³ But the tax collector, ^(A)standing far off, ^(B)would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but ^(C)beat his breast, saying, ‘God, ^(D)be merciful to me, a sinner!’

The Parable of the Lost Sheep

15 Now ^(A)the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. ² And the Pharisees and the scribes ^(B)grumbled, saying, ^(C)“This man receives sinners and ^(D)eats with them.”

³¹ Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, ^(A)the tax collectors and ^(B)the prostitutes go into ^(C)the kingdom of God before you. ³² For John came to you ^(D)in the way of righteousness, and ^(E)you did not believe him, but ^(F)the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward ^(G)change your minds and believe him.