Darby Bible
Matthew 21:32
32For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not; but the tax-gatherers and the harlots believed him; but ye when ye saw [it] repented not yourselves afterwards to believe him.
Matthew 21:32 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.
- English Standard Version (ESV)For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him.
- New King James Version (NKJV)For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him.
Context of Matthew 21:32
30And coming to the second he said likewise; and he answering said, I [go], sir, and went not. 31Which 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. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not; but the tax-gatherers and the harlots believed him; but ye when ye saw [it] repented not yourselves afterwards to believe him. 33Hear another parable: There was a householder who planted a vineyard, and made a fence round it, and dug a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and left the country. 34But when the time of fruit drew near, he sent his bondmen to the husbandmen to receive his fruits.
Read all of Matthew 21Matthew 21:32 word by word
ἦλθεν γὰρ Ἰωάννης πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐν ὁδῷ δικαιοσύνης, καὶ οὐκ ἐπιστεύσατε αὐτῷ· οἱ δὲ τελῶναι καὶ αἱ πόρναι ἐπίστευσαν αὐτῷ. ὑμεῖς δὲ ἰδόντες οὐδὲ μετεμελήθητε ὕστερον τοῦ πιστεῦσαι αὐτῷ.¶Read the interlinear
Cross-references for Matthew 21:32
- Matthew 3:1Now in those days comes John the baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,
- Isaiah 35:8And a highway shall be there and a way, and it shall be called, The way of holiness: the unclean shall not pass through it; but it shall be for these. Those that go [this] way — even fools, — shall not err [therein].
- Jeremiah 6:16Thus saith Jehovah: Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the ancient paths, which is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk [therein].
- Luke 3:8Produce therefore fruits worthy of repentance; and begin not to say in yourselves, We have Abraham for [our] father, for I say unto you that God is able of these stones to raise up children to Abraham.
- 2 Peter 2:21For it were better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known [it] to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.
- Matthew 21:25The baptism of John, whence was it? of heaven or of men? And they reasoned among themselves, saying, If we should say, Of heaven, he will say to us, Why then have ye not believed him?
- Matthew 11:18For John has come neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He has a demon.
- Luke 7:29(And all the people who heard [it], and the tax-gatherers, justified God, having been baptised with the baptism of John;
- John 5:33Ye have sent unto John, and he has borne witness to the truth.
- Acts 13:25And as John was fulfilling his course he said, Whom do ye suppose that I am? I am not [he]. But behold, there comes one after me, the sandal of whose feet I am not worthy to loose.
- Luke 7:37and behold, a woman in the city, who was a sinner, and knew that he was sitting at meat in the house of the Pharisee, having taken an alabaster box of myrrh,
- Psalms 81:11But my people hearkened not to my voice, and Israel would none of me.
- Zechariah 7:11But they refused to hearken, and turned a rebellious shoulder, and made their ears heavy, that they should not hear.
- John 5:37And the Father who has sent me himself has borne witness concerning me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor have seen his shape,
- 2 Timothy 2:25in meekness setting right those who oppose, if God perhaps may sometime give them repentance to acknowledgment of [the] truth,
- Hebrews 3:12See, brethren, lest there be in any one of you a wicked heart of unbelief, in turning away from [the] living God.
Commentaries on Matthew 21:32
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 32John came unto you in the way of righteousness - Proclaiming the truth, and living agreeably to it. Or, John came unto you, who are in the way of righteousness. This seems rather to be the true meaning and construction of this passage. The Jews are here distinguished from the Gentiles. The former were in the way of righteousness, had the revelation of God, and the ordinances of justice established among them; the latter were in the way of unrighteousness…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 28-32Verses 28-32 But what think ye? - A way of speaking designed to direct them particularly to what he was saying, that they might be self-convicted. Two sons - By those two sons our Lord intends to represent the conduct of the Jews, and that of the publicans and sinners. In my vineyard - See the notes at Matthew 21:33. To work in the vineyard here represents the work which God requires man to do. I will not - This had been the language of the publicans and…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 28-32Verses 28-32 Parables which give reproof, speak plainly to the offenders, and judge them out of their own mouths. The parable of the two sons sent to work in the vineyard, is to show that those who knew not John's baptism to be of God, were shamed by those who knew it, and owned it. The whole human race are like children whom the Lord has brought up, but they have rebelled against him, only some are more plausible in their disobedience than others. And it…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 32The right way to live is to follow the will of God (Matthew 3:15; 5:20; see also Proverbs 8:20; 12:28).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3232. For John came unto you in the way of righteousness--that is, calling you to repentance; as Noah is styled "a preacher of righteousness" (2Pe 2:5), when like the Baptist he warned the old world to "flee from the wrath to come." and ye believed him not--They did not reject him; nay, they "were willing for a season to rejoice in his light" (Joh 5:35); but they would not receive his testimony to Jesus. but the publicans and the harlots believed him--Of…Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 21:32
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Matthew 21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Catena Aurea
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- John Lightfoot Commentary
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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