Matthew 21:31

²⁹ He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.

³⁰ And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.

Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the 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 publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.

³³ Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:

Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: 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.
KJV: Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.
WEB: Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said to him, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Most certainly I tell you that the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering into God’s Kingdom before you.
ASV: 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 publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.
DARBY: Which of the two did the will of the father? They say [to him], The first. Jesus says to them, Verily I say unto you that the tax-gatherers and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.
BLB: Which of the two did the will of the father?” They say, “The first.” Jesus says to them, “Truly I say to you⁺ that the tax collectors and the prostitutes go before you⁺ into the kingdom of God.

ÅB: Hvem av disse to gjorde farens vilje?» De sier: «Den første». Jesus sier til dem: «I sannhet sier jeg dere at tollere og prostituerte skal komme inn i Guds rike før dere.
OTB: Hvem av de to gjorde det faren ønsket?” “Den første,” svarte de. Jesus sa til dem: “Sannelig sier jeg dere, tollere og prostituerte går inn i Guds rike før dere.
B1930: Hvem av de to gjorde nu farens vilje? De sier: Den første. Jesus sier til dem: Sannelig sier jeg eder at toldere og skjøger kommer før inn i Guds rike enn I.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Luke 7:29
And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John.
Read in context
Luke 7:37–50
And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,
Read in context
Matthew 7:21
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Read in context
2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Read in context
Matthew 20:16
So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.
Read in context
Romans 9:30–33
What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.
Read in context
1 Timothy 1:13–16
Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
Read in context
Romans 3:19
Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
Read in context