Matthew 21

Jesus talked to the Jewish leaders. He said, “Tell me what you think about this picture story. A man had 2 sons. He went to the oldest son and said, ‘Son, go and work on our farm today.’

The oldest son said, ‘No. I don’t want to.’ But later, he changed his mind, and he went and worked on their farm.

The father also went to his youngest son and said the same thing to him. He said, ‘Son, go and work on our farm today.’ The youngest son said, ‘Yes, Dad, I will go.’ But he didn’t go and work on their farm.”

Then Jesus asked those Jewish leaders, “Which one of that man’s sons did what their father wanted?” They said, “The oldest son did what their father wanted.” Then Jesus said, “Listen. There are people that did bad things, but they will go into God’s family before you mob do. You know, there are some men that get tax money from people and give it to the Roman government. And sometimes a woman does bad things, so if men pay her money she sleeps with them, like a woman sleeps with her husband. But some of those bad people will go into God’s family before you mob do.

You see, John the Baptiser came and told everyone the right way to live, and you mob didn’t believe him. But some of those bad people did believe him, and they stopped doing bad things. And even when you saw them do that, you still didn’t change your minds. You didn’t say you were sorry for the bad things you did, and you didn’t turn around and follow God’s way.” (We have not yet translated 21:33—24:44. You can read most of those stories and messages in Mark chapters 12 and 13; Luke 11:37-51; 13:34-35; 14:15-24; 17:24-35.)