Matthew 21:29
27 So they answered, “We do not know.” And Jesus replied, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.
28 But what do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first one and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’
‘I will not,’ he replied. But later he changed his mind and went.
30 Then the man went to the second son and told him the same thing. ‘I will, sir,’ he said. But he did not go.
31 Which of the two did the will of his father?” “The first,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you.
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- ‘I will not,’ he replied. But later he changed his mind and went.
- KJV
- He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.
- WEB
- He answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind, and went.
- ASV
- And he answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented himself, and went.
- DARBY
- And he answering said, I will not; but afterwards repenting himself he went.
- BLB
- And answering, he said, ‘I will not.’ But afterward, having repented, he went.
- ÅB
- Sønnen svarte: ‘Jeg vil ikke’, men siden angret han på det og gikk.
- OTB
- ‘Jeg vil ikke,’ svarte han, men etterpå angret han og gikk.
- B1930
- Men han svarte: Jeg vil ikke. Men siden angret han det og gikk.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Ezekiel 18:28–32
Because he considered and turned from all the transgressions he had committed, he will surely live; he will not die.
Read in contextDaniel 4:34–37
But at the end of those days I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven, and my sanity was restored to me. Then I praised the Most High, and I honored and glorified Him who lives forever: “For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom endures from generation to generation.
Read in contextEphesians 2:1–13
And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,
Read in contextMatthew 3:2–8
and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”
Read in contextIsaiah 1:16–19
Wash and cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from My sight. Stop doing evil!
Read in contextJonah 3:2
“Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message that I give you.”
Read in contextActs 26:20
First to those in Damascus and Jerusalem, then to everyone in the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I declared that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds worthy of their repentance.
Read in context2 Chronicles 33:10–19
And the LORD spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they did not listen.
Read in context