“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.’
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.’
- KJV 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.
- 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.’
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 brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
- Matt 20:1“For the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who was the master of a household, who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.
- 1 Cor 10:15I speak as to wise men. Judge what I say.
- Luke 15:11–32He said, “A certain man had two sons.
- Mark 13:34“It is like a man, traveling to another country, having left his house, and given authority to his servants, and to each one his work, and also commanded the doorkeeper to keep watch.
- Luke 13:4Or those eighteen, on whom the tower in Siloam fell, and killed them; do you think that they were worse offenders than all the men who dwell in Jerusalem?
- Matt 17:25He said, “Yes.” When he came into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth receive toll or tribute? From their children, or from strangers?”
- Matt 21:33“Hear another parable. There was a man who was a master of a household, who planted a vineyard, set a hedge about it, dug a wine press in it, built a tower, leased it out to farmers, and went into another country.
- Matt 20:5–7Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise.
- Matt 22:17Tell us therefore, what do you think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Commentaries & study tools
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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.