Matthew 21:32
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.
KJV
ἦλθεν γὰρ Ἰωάννης πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐν ὁδῷ δικαιοσύνης, καὶ οὐκ ἐπιστεύσατε αὐτῷ· οἱ δὲ τελῶναι καὶ αἱ πόρναι ἐπίστευσαν αὐτῷ· ὑμεῖς δὲ ἰδόντες οὐ μετεμελήθητε ὕστερον τοῦ πιστεῦσαι αὐτῷ.
Greek NT
Venit enim ad vos Joannes in via justitiæ, et non credidistis ei : publicani autem et meretrices crediderunt ei : vos autem videntes nec pœnitentiam habuistis postea, ut crederetis ei.
Vulgate
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.
ASV
For John came to you in the way of justice: and you did not believe him. But the publicans and the harlots believed him: but you, seeing it, did not even afterwards repent, that you might believe him.
Douay-Rheims
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In this verse
In the original Greek
19 distinct Greek words appear in this verse.
Textual variants
2 variant units attested by manuscript witnesses and modern critical editions.
- Ἰωάννης πρὸς ὑμᾶς — SBLGNT
- Ἰωάννης πρὸς ὑμᾶς — Westcott-Hort, Tregelles, Reader's GNT (NA27)
- πρὸς ὑμᾶς Ἰωάννης — Robinson-Pierpont
- οὐδὲ — SBLGNT
- οὐδὲ — Westcott-Hort, Tregelles, Reader's GNT (NA27)
- οὐ — Robinson-Pierpont
Parable
Historic Christian voices
6 passages from patristic writers, Reformers, and church catechisms citing this verse.
§535Jesus' public life begins with his baptism by John in the Jordan.228 John preaches "a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins".229 A crowd of sinners230 - tax collectors and soldiers, Pharisees and Sadducees, and prostitutes - come to be baptized by him. "Then Jesus appears." the Baptist hesitates, but Jesus insists and receives baptism. Then the Holy Spirit, in the f…
§546Jesus' invitation to enter his kingdom comes in the form of parables, a characteristic feature of his teaching.261 Through his parables he invites people to the feast of the kingdom, but he also asks for a radical choice: to gain the kingdom, one must give everything.262 Words are not enough, deeds are required.263 The parables are like mirrors for man: will he be hard soil or …
§755"The Church is a cultivated field, the tillage of God. On that land the ancient olive tree grows whose holy roots were the prophets and in which the reconciliation of Jews and Gentiles has been brought about and will be brought about again. That land, like a choice vineyard, has been planted by the heavenly cultivator. Yet the true vine is Christ who gives life and fruitfulness…
2. But by wars and rumors of wars, He means, what I before said, the troubles coming upon them. After this, because, as I have already said, they supposed after that war the end would come, see how He warns them, saying, But the end is not yet. For nation, He says, shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. Matthew 24:7 Of the preludes to the ills of the Jews does …
Cross-references
- 2Pet 2:21 — For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
- 2Pet 2:21 — For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
- Heb 6:1 — Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
- Luke 1:16 — And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.
- Luke 7:29 — And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John.
- Luke 7:37 — And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,
- Luke 16:16 — The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.
- Matt 3:8 — Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
- Matt 21:25 — The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?
- Rev 9:20 — And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, a
- Zech 7:11 — But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear.