Matthew 21:31
Modern Translations
New International Version
"Which of the two did what his father wanted?" "The first," they answered. Jesus said to them, "Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.

New Living Translation
“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.

English Standard Version
Which 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.

Berean Study Bible
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.

New American Standard Bible
Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you.

NASB 1995
"Which of the two did the will of his father?" They said, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you.

NASB 1977
“Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The latter.” Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you that the tax-gatherers and harlots will get into the kingdom of God before you.

Amplified Bible
Which of the two did the will of the father?” The chief priests and elders replied, “The first one.” Jesus said to them, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you that the tax collectors and the prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you.

Christian Standard Bible
Which of the two did his father’s will? ” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
"Which of the two did his father's will?"" The first," they said. Jesus said to them, "I assure you: Tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you!

Contemporary English Version
Which one of the sons obeyed his father? "The older one," the chief priests and leaders answered. Then Jesus told them: You can be sure tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you ever will!

Good News Translation
Which one of the two did what his father wanted?" "The older one," they answered. So Jesus said to them, "I tell you: the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the Kingdom of God ahead of you.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"Which of the two sons did what the father wanted?" "The first," they answered. Jesus said to them, "I can guarantee this truth: Tax collectors and prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you.

International Standard Version
Which of the two did the father's will?" They answered, "The first one." Jesus told them, "I tell all of you with certainty, tax collectors and prostitutes will get into God's kingdom ahead of you!

NET Bible
Which of the two did his father's will?" They said, "The first." Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, tax collectors and prostitutes will go ahead of you into the kingdom of God!
Classic Translations
King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said to Him, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you.

King James 2000 Bible
Which of the two did the will of his father? They said unto him, The first. Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the tax collectors and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.

New Heart English Bible
Which of the two did the will of his father?" They said, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Truly I tell you that the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering into the Kingdom of God before you.

World English Bible
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 the Kingdom of God before you.

American King James Version
Whether of them two did the will of his father? They say to him, The first. Jesus said to them, Truly I say to you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.

American Standard Version
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.

A Faithful Version
Which of the two did the will of the father?" They said to Him, "The first one." Jesus said to them, "I tell you truly, the tax collectors and the harlots are going into the kingdom of God before you.

Darby Bible Translation
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.

English Revised Version
Whether of the twain 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.

Webster's Bible Translation
Which of the two did the will of his father? They say to him, The first. Jesus saith to them, Verily I say to you, that the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.

Early Modern
Geneva Bible of 1587
Whether of them twaine did the will of the father? They saide vnto him, The first. Iesus saide vnto them, Verely I say vnto you, that the Publicanes and the harlots goe before you into the kingdome of God.

Bishops' Bible of 1568
Whether of them twayne did the wyl of the father? And they saide vnto him, the first. Iesus sayth vnto them: Ueryly I saye vnto you, that publicanes & harlottes go into the kingdome of God, before you.

Coverdale Bible of 1535
Whether of them twayne dyd the wil of the father? They sayde vnto him: the first. Iesus sayde vnto the: Verely I saye vnto you: The publicans and harlottes shal come in to the kyngdome of God before you.

Tyndale Bible of 1526
Whether of the twayne dyd the will of the father? And they sayde vnto hym: the fyrst. Iesus sayde vnto the: verely I saye vnto you that the publicans and the harlotes shall come into ye kyngdome of God before you.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
which of the two did the will of the father?” They say to Him, “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,

Berean Literal Bible
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.

Young's Literal Translation
which of the two did the will of the father?' They say to him, 'The first.' Jesus saith to them, 'Verily I say to you, that the tax-gatherers and the harlots do go before you into the reign of God,

Smith's Literal Translation
Which of the two did the father's will? They say to him, The first. Jesus says to them, Truly I say to you, that publicans and harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.

Literal Emphasis Translation
From out of the two which 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.

Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Which of the two did the father's will? They say to him: The first. Jesus saith to them: Amen I say to you, that the publicans and the harlots shall go into the kingdom of God before you.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Which of the two did the will of the father?” They said to him, “The first.” Jesus said to them: “Amen I say to you, that tax collectors and prostitutes shall precede you, into the kingdom of God.

Translations from Aramaic
Aramaic Bible in Plain English
“Which of these two did the will of his father?” They were saying to him, 'The first.' Yeshua said to them, “Amen, I say to you, that Tax Collectors and prostitutes precede you to the Kingdom of God.”

Lamsa Bible
Which of these two did the will of his father? They said to him, The first one. Jesus said to them, Truly I say to you, that even the publicans and the harlots will precede you into the kingdom of God.

NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
Which of the two did the will of his father? They said to him, The first. Jesus said to them: Verily I say to you, The publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.

Godbey New Testament
Which one of the two did the will of the father? They say to Him, The first. Jesus says to them, Truly I say unto you, that the publicans and harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.

Haweis New Testament
Which of the two did the will of his father? They say to him, The first. Jesus saith to them, Verily I say unto you, That tax-gatherers and harlots shall go before you into the kingdom of God.

Mace New Testament
which of the two obey'd his father? they said, the first. Jesus reply'd, I declare to you, that the publicans and licentious people enter into the gospel kingdom before you.

Weymouth New Testament
Which of the two did as his father desired?" "The first," they said. "I solemnly tell you,' replied Jesus, "that the tax-gatherers and the notorious sinners are entering the Kingdom of God in front of you.

Worrell New Testament
Which of the two did the will of the father?" They say, "The last." Jesus saith to them, "Verily I say to you that the tax-collectors and the harlots are going into the Kingdom of God before you.

Worsley New Testament
Now which of the two did the will of his father? They say unto Him, The first. Jesus replied, Verily I say unto you, that publicans and prostitutes enter into the kingdom of God before you:
















Matthew 21:30
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