But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard.
Parallel translations
- WEB But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first, and said, ‘Son, go work today in my vineyard.’
- BSB But 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.’
- NKJV “But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go, work today in my vineyard.’
- NASB “But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go work today in the vineyard.’
- NLT “But what do you think about this? A man with two sons told the older boy, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jesus tells a parable of a father asking two sons to work in his vineyard. It will expose the difference between empty words and true obedience.
Overview
The vineyard is a familiar Old Testament image for Israel, and the father represents God calling His people to obedient service. This first of three vineyard-related parables addresses the leaders directly, contrasting professed religion with actual repentance. Jesus uses an everyday family scene to press home a searching question about who truly does God's will.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- 1 Cor 15:58Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
- Matt 20:1For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.
- 1 Cor 10:15I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say.
- Luke 15:11–32And he said, A certain man had two sons:
- Mark 13:34For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.
- Luke 13:4Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?
- Matt 17:25He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers?
- Matt 21:33Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:
- Matt 20:5–7Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.
- Matt 22:17Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 21:28 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.