Focused Passage

Matthew 21:28-32

The King Enters Jerusalem, Judges Fruitless Religion, and Exposes Rejected-Son Leadership

Matthew moves from messianic entry, to temple judgment and healing, to children’s praise and leader indignation, to the prophetic sign of the fig tree, to a challenge over Jesus’ authority, to parables exposing false obedience and murderous stewardship, and finally to Jesus’ declaration that the rejected stone becomes the cornerstone and the kingdom will be given to a fruit-bearing people.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

28But what do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first one and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’

29‘I will not,’ he replied. But later he changed his mind and went.

30Then the man went to the second son and told him the same thing. ‘I will, sir,’ he said. But he did not go.

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.

32For 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.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 28

Original words

ButδὲG1161ConjunctionwhatΤίG5101Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Neuter Singular[do] youὑμῖνG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person PluralthinkδοκεῖG1380Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular[There was] a manἄνθρωποςG444Noun - Nominative Masculine Singularwho hadεἶχενG2192Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingulartwoδύοG1417Adjective - Accusative Neuter PluralsonsτέκναG5043Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural-καὶG2532ConjunctionHe wentπροσελθὼνG4334Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singularto theτῷG3588Article - Dative Neuter Singularfirst [one]πρώτῳG4413Adjective - Dative Neuter Singular[and] saidεἶπενG2036Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularSonΤέκνονG5043Noun - Vocative Neuter SingulargoὕπαγεG5217Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular[and] workἐργάζουG2038Verb - Present Imperative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person SingulartodayσήμερονG4594AdverbinἐνG1722PrepositiontheτῷG3588Article - Dative Masculine SingularvineyardἀμπελῶνιG290Noun - Dative Masculine Singular
Verse 29

Original words

I will notθέλωG2309Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular-δὲG1161Conjunction-G3588Article - Nominative Masculine Singularhe repliedἀποκριθεὶςG611Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular-εἶπενG2036Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularvvvΟὐG3756AdverbButδὲG1161ConjunctionlaterὕστερονG5305Adverbhe changed his mindμεταμεληθεὶςG3338Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular[and] wentἀπῆλθενG565Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular

BSB notes

  • NE and WH But he went.
Verse 30

Original words

ThenδὲG1161Conjunction[the man] wentΠροσελθὼνG4334Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singularto theτῷG3588Article - Dative Masculine Singularsecond [son]δευτέρῳG1208Adjective - Dative Masculine Singular[and] told [him]εἶπενG2036Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singularthe same thingὡσαύτωςG5615AdverbI [will]Ἐγώ*G1473Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Singularsirκύριε*G2962Noun - Vocative Masculine Singular-δὲG1161Conjunction-G3588Article - Nominative Masculine Singularhe saidἀποκριθεὶςG611Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular-εἶπενG2036Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularButκαὶ*G2532Conjunctionvvvοὐκ*G3756Adverbhe did not goἀπῆλθενG565Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Verse 31

Original words

WhichΤίςG5101Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine SingularofἐκG1537PrepositiontheτῶνG3588Article - Genitive Masculine PluraltwoδύοG1417Adjective - Genitive Masculine PluraldidἐποίησενG4160Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingulartheτὸG3588Article - Accusative Neuter SingularwillθέλημαG2307Noun - Accusative Neuter Singularof [his]τοῦG3588Article - Genitive Masculine SingularfatherπατρόςG3962Noun - Genitive Masculine SingularTheG3588Article - Nominative Masculine Singularfirstπρῶτος*G4413Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singularthey answeredΛέγουσινG3004Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural-G3588Article - Nominative Masculine SingularJesusἸησοῦςG2424Noun - Nominative Masculine SingularsaidΛέγειG3004Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singularto themαὐτοῖςG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person PluralTrulyἈμὴνG281Hebrew WordI tellλέγωG3004Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person SingularyouὑμῖνG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural-ὅτιG3754ConjunctiontheοἱG3588Article - Nominative Masculine Pluraltax collectorsτελῶναιG5057Noun - Nominative Masculine PluralandκαὶG2532Conjunction-αἱG3588Article - Nominative Feminine PluralprostitutesπόρναιG4204Noun - Nominative Feminine Pluralare enteringπροάγουσινG4254Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural. . .εἰςG1519PrepositiontheτὴνG3588Article - Accusative Feminine SingularkingdomβασιλείανG932Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular-τοῦG3588Article - Genitive Masculine Singularof GodΘεοῦG2316Noun - Genitive Masculine Singularbefore youὑμᾶςG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Plural

BSB notes

  • NE and WH The latter
Verse 32

Original words

ForγὰρG1063ConjunctionJohnἸωάννηςG2491Noun - Nominative Masculine SingularcameἦλθενG2064Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingulartoπρὸςG4314PrepositionyouὑμᾶςG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person PluralinἐνG1722Preposition[the] wayὁδῷG3598Noun - Dative Feminine Singularof righteousnessδικαιοσύνηςG1343Noun - Genitive Feminine SingularandκαὶG2532ConjunctionvvvοὐκG3756Adverbyou did not believeἐπιστεύσατεG4100Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person PluralhimαὐτῷG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person SingularbutδὲG1161ConjunctiontheοἱG3588Article - Nominative Masculine Pluraltax collectorsτελῶναιG5057Noun - Nominative Masculine PluralandκαὶG2532Conjunction-αἱG3588Article - Nominative Feminine PluralprostitutesπόρναιG4204Noun - Nominative Feminine Plural[did]ἐπίστευσανG4100Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural. . .αὐτῷG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person SingularAndδὲG1161Conjunction[even]οὐδὲG3761AdverbafterὕστερονG5305Adverbyou saw thisἰδόντεςG3708Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine PluralyouὑμεῖςG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 2nd Person Pluraldid not repentμετεμελήθητεG3338Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 2nd Person Plural-τοῦG3588Article - Genitive Neuter Singular[and] believeπιστεῦσαιG4100Verb - Aorist Infinitive ActivehimαὐτῷG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.