Matthew 21:32 “For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not beli…”

Matthew 21:32

For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.

Berean Standard Bible

Other translations

King James Version

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.

World English Bible

For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you didn’t believe him; but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. When you saw it, you didn’t even repent afterward, that you might believe him.

American Standard Version

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 saw it, did not even repent yourselves afterward, that ye might believe him.

Geneva Bible 1599

For Iohn came vnto you in the way of righteousnes, and yee beleeued him not: but the Publicanes, and the harlots beleeued him, and ye, though ye sawe it, were not mooued with repentance afterward, that ye might beleeue him.

Darby Translation

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.

Young's Literal Translation

for John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye did not believe him, and the tax-gatherers and the harlots did believe him, and ye, having seen, repented not at last — to believe him.

Bible in Basic English

For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you had no faith in him, but the tax-farmers and the loose women had faith in him: and you, when you saw it, did not even have regret for your sins, so as to have faith in him.

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Cross references

“came”

2 Peter 2:21 Isaiah 35:8 Jeremiah 6:16 Luke 3:8–13 Matthew 3:1–8

2 Peter 2:21 · BSB

It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than to have known it and then to turn away from the holy commandment passed on to them.

Isaiah 35:8 · BSB

And there will be a highway called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not travel it— only those who walk in the Way— and fools will not stray onto it.

Jeremiah 6:16 · BSB

This is what the LORD says: “Stand at the crossroads and look. Ask for the ancient paths: ‘Where is the good way?’ Then walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it!’

Luke 3:8–13 · BSB

Produce fruit, then, in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.

Matthew 3:1–8 · BSB

In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea

“and ye believed”

Matthew 21:25 Acts 13:25–29 Matthew 11:18 Luke 7:29 Luke 7:30 John 5:33–36

Matthew 21:25 · BSB

What was the source of John’s baptism? Was it from heaven or from men?” They deliberated among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will ask, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’

Acts 13:25–29 · BSB

As John was completing his course, he said, ‘Who do you suppose I am? I am not that One. But there is One coming after me whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.’

Matthew 11:18 · BSB

For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’

Luke 7:29 · BSB

All the people who heard this, even the tax collectors, acknowledged God’s justice. For they had received the baptism of John.

Luke 7:30 · BSB

But the Pharisees and experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.

John 5:33–36 · BSB

You have sent to John, and he has testified to the truth.

“the publicans”

Luke 7:37–50

Luke 7:37–50 · BSB

When a sinful woman from that town learned that Jesus was dining there, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume.

“repented”

2 Timothy 2:25 Hebrews 3:12 Hebrews 6:6–8 Revelation 2:21 Psalm 81:11 Psalm 81:12

2 Timothy 2:25 · BSB

He must gently reprove those who oppose him, in the hope that God may grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth.

Hebrews 3:12 · BSB

See to it, brothers, that none of you has a wicked heart of unbelief that turns away from the living God.

Hebrews 6:6–8 · BSB

and then have fallen away—to be restored to repentance, because they themselves are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting Him to open shame.

Revelation 2:21 · BSB

Even though I have given her time to repent of her immorality, she is unwilling.

Psalm 81:11 · BSB

But My people would not listen to Me, and Israel would not obey Me.

Psalm 81:12 · BSB

So I gave them up to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices.

Cross references adapted from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0) and the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

In context

31Which 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.

33Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it, and built a tower. Then he rented it out to some tenants and went away on a journey.

Read Matthew 21