English Standard Version
Matthew 21:32
32For 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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)For John the Baptist came and showed you the right way to live, but you didn’t believe him, while tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even when you saw this happening, you refused to believe him and repent of your sins.
Context of Matthew 21:32
30And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, 'I go, sir,' but did not go. 31Which of the two did the will of his father?" They said, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you. 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. 33"Hear another parable. There was a master of a house who planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a winepress in it and built a tower and leased it to tenants, and went into another country. 34When the season for fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to get his fruit.
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
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Forγάρgar · forG1063
- JohnἸωάννηςIōannēs · JohnG2491
- cameἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
- untoπρόςpros · to/withG4314
- youσύsu · youG4771
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- the wayὁδόςhodos · roadG3598
- of righteousnessδικαιοσύνηdikaiosunē · righteousnessG1343
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- ye believedπιστεύωpisteuō · to trust (in)G4100
- himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- notοὐou · noG3756
- butδέde · thenG1161
- the publicansτελώνηςtelōnēs · tax collectorG5057
- the harlotsπόρνηpornē · prostituteG4204
- when ye had seenὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
- repentedμεταμέλλομαιmetamellomai · to repentG3338
- afterwardὕστερονhusteron · laterG5305
Cross-references for Matthew 21:32
- Matthew 3:1In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea,
- Isaiah 35:8And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray.
- Jeremiah 6:16Thus says the Lord: "Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, 'We will not walk in it.'
- Luke 3:8Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.
- 2 Peter 2:21For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.
- Matthew 21:25The baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?" And they discussed it among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say to us, 'Why then did you not believe him?'
- Matthew 11:18For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.'
- Luke 7:29(When all the people heard this, and the tax collectors too, they declared God just, having been baptized with the baptism of John,
- John 5:33You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth.
- Acts 13:25And as John was finishing his course, he said, 'What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. No, but behold, after me one is coming, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.'
- Luke 7:37And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment,
- Psalms 81:11"But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me.
- Zechariah 7:11But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears that they might not hear.
- John 5:37And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen,
- 2 Timothy 2:25correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth,
- Hebrews 3:12Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall 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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