The Parable of the Two Sons

Matthew 21

²⁸ _h "What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, 'Son, go and work in _i the vineyard today.' ²⁹ And he answered, 'I will not,' but afterward he _j changed his mind and went. ³⁰ And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, 'I go, sir,' but did not go. ³¹ Which of the two did the will of his father?" They said, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Truly, I say to you, _k the tax collectors and _l the prostitutes go into _m the kingdom of God before you. ³² For John came to you _n in the way of righteousness, and _o you did not believe him, but _p the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward _j change your minds and believe him.

1. Cross References
   Matthew 17:25
   He said, "Yes." And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, "What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tax? From their sons or from others?
   Matthew 18:12
   What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray?
   
2. Cross References
   Matthew 21:33
   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.
   Matthew 20:1
   For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.
   
3. Cross References
   Matthew 21:32
   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.
   Matthew 27:3
   Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders.
   Hebrews 7:21
   But this one was made a priest with an oath by the one who said to him: "The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, 'You are a priest forever.'
   
4. Cross References
   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.
   
5. Cross References
   Luke 7:37 - 50
   And 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.
   
6. Cross References
   Matthew 12:28
   But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
   
7. Cross References
   Matthew 3:8 - 12
   Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.
   Matthew 3:15
   But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented.
   Proverbs 8:20
   I walk in the way of righteousness, in the paths of justice.
   2 Peter 2:21
   For 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.
   
8. Cross References
   Matthew 21:25
   The 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 11:18
   For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.
   
9. Cross References
   Luke 3:12 - 13
   Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, "Teacher, what shall we do?
   
10. Cross References
    Matthew 21:29
    And he answered, 'I will not,' but afterward he changed his mind and went.