New Living Translation
Matthew 21:29
29The son answered, ‘No, I won’t go,’ but later he changed his mind and went anyway.
Matthew 21:29 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.
- New International Version (NIV)“ ‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And he answered, 'I will not,' but afterward he changed his mind and went.
- New King James Version (NKJV)He answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went.
Context of Matthew 21:29
27So they finally replied, “We don’t know.” And Jesus responded, “Then I won’t tell you by what authority I do these things. 28“But what do you think about this? A man with two sons told the older boy, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ The son answered, ‘No, I won’t go,’ but later he changed his mind and went anyway. 30Then the father told the other son, ‘You go,’ and he said, ‘Yes, sir, I will.’ But he didn’t go. 31“Which of the two obeyed his father?” They replied, “The first.” Then Jesus explained his meaning: “I tell you the truth, corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of God before you do.
Read all of Matthew 21Matthew 21:29 word by word
ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν· οὐ θέλω· ὕστερον δὲ μεταμεληθεὶς ἀπῆλθεν.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·δέde · thenG1161
- He answeredὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- He answeredἀποκρίνωapokrinomai · to answerG611
- and saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- I willθέλωthelō ethelō · to will/desireG2309
- notοὐou · noG3756
- afterwardὕστερονhusteron · laterG5305
- he repentedμεταμέλλομαιmetamellomai · to repentG3338
- and wentἀπέρχομαιaperchomai · to go awayG565
Cross-references for Matthew 21:29
- Matthew 21:31“Which of the two obeyed his father?” They replied, “The first.” Then Jesus explained his meaning: “I tell you the truth, corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of God before you do.
- Jeremiah 44:16“We will not listen to your messages from the Lord!
- Ephesians 4:17With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused.
- Matthew 3:2“Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”
- 2 Chronicles 33:10The Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they ignored all his warnings.
- Isaiah 1:16Wash yourselves and be clean! Get your sins out of my sight. Give up your evil ways.
- Isaiah 55:6Seek the Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near.
- Ezekiel 18:28They will live because they thought it over and decided to turn from their sins. Such people will not die.
- Daniel 4:34“After this time had passed, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven. My sanity returned, and I praised and worshiped the Most High and honored the one who lives forever. His rule is everlasting, and his kingdom is eternal.
- Jonah 3:2“Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh, and deliver the message I have given you.”
- Luke 15:17“When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger!
- Acts 26:20I preached first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that all must repent of their sins and turn to God—and prove they have changed by the good things they do.
- 1 Corinthians 6:11Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
- Ephesians 2:1Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins.
Commentaries on Matthew 21:29
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 29I will not - This is the general reply of every sinner to the invitations of God; and, in it, the Most High is treated without ceremony or respect. They only are safe who persist not in the denial.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. 29I will not: This response must have offended Jews who learned from a young age to show respect for the authority of a father (see Matthew 8:21–22).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2929. He answered and said, I will not--Trench notices the rudeness of this answer, and the total absence of any attempt to excuse such disobedience, both characteristic; representing careless, reckless sinners resisting God to His face.Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 21:29
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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