The Parable of the Two Sons

28 “Now what do you think? A man had two sons. He approached[a] the first and[b] said, ‘Son, go work in the vineyard today.’ 29 And he answered and[c] said, ‘I do not want to!’ But later he changed his mind and[d] went. 30 And he approached the second[e] and[f] said the same thing. So he answered and[g] said, ‘I will, sir,’ and he did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his[h] father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going ahead of you into the kingdom of God! 32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did believe him. And when[i] you saw it,[j] you did not even change your minds later so as to believe in him.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 21:28 Some manuscripts have “And he approached”
  2. Matthew 21:28 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“approached”) has been translated as a finite verb
  3. Matthew 21:29 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“answered”) has been translated as a finite verb
  4. Matthew 21:29 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“changed his mind”) has been translated as a finite verb
  5. Matthew 21:30 Some manuscripts have “the other”
  6. Matthew 21:30 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“approached”) has been translated as a finite verb
  7. Matthew 21:30 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“answered”) has been translated as a finite verb
  8. Matthew 21:31 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
  9. Matthew 21:32 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“saw”) which is understood as temporal
  10. Matthew 21:32 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation

28 But what think ye? A man had two [a]sons; and he came to the first, and said, [b]Son, go work to-day in the vineyard. 29 And he answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented himself, and went. 30 And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father? They say, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, that the [c]publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. 32 For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not; but the [d]publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye saw it, did not even repent yourselves afterward, that ye might believe him.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 21:28 Greek children.
  2. Matthew 21:28 Greek Child.
  3. Matthew 21:31 See marginal note on 5:46.
  4. Matthew 21:32 See marginal note on 5:46.