“ Then the father went to the other son. He said the same thing. The son answered,‘ I will, sir.’ But he did not go.

又来对小儿子也是这样说。他回答说：‘父啊，我去’，他却不去。

他来对小儿子也是这样说。他回答：‘父亲大人，我去’，却不去。

他来对小儿子也是这样说。他回答：‘父亲大人，我去’，却不去。

“那父亲又对小儿子说，‘你今天到葡萄园工作吧！’小儿子回答说，‘好的，父亲。’他答应了，却没有去。

父亲又照样去吩咐小儿子。小儿子说：‘父亲，我会去的。’后来却没有去。

父亲前来对小儿子也说同样的话。“小儿子回答说：‘主啊，我去。’可是他没有去。

又來對小兒子也是這樣說。他回答說：『父啊，我去』，他卻不去。

他來對小兒子也是這樣說。他回答：『父親大人，我去』，卻不去。

他來對小兒子也是這樣說。他回答：『父親大人，我去』，卻不去。

「那父親又對小兒子說，『你今天到葡萄園工作吧！』小兒子回答說，『好的，父親。』他答應了，卻沒有去。

父親又照樣去吩咐小兒子。小兒子說：‘父親，我會去的。’後來卻沒有去。

又走上前去對老二也這樣說；他回答說，「我不願意」；後來後悔，去了。

父親前來對小兒子也說同樣的話。「小兒子回答說：『主啊，我去。』可是他沒有去。

謂其仲子亦如之、對曰、主諾、既而不往、

命其次子亦如之、對曰、主、諾、既而不果往、

又就次子、亦如此言、對曰、主、我往、而終不往、

諭次子亦往、次子曰：「大人、我往。」然竟未往也。

“ Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered,‘ I will, sir,’ but he did not go.

And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered,‘ I go, sir,’ but did not go.

Then the father told the other son,‘ You go,’ and he said,‘ Yes, sir, I will.’ But he didn’t go.

Then the man went to the other and said the same thing.‘ I will, sir,’ he answered, but he didn’t go.

And the man came to his second son and said the same thing; and he replied,‘ I will, sir’; and yet he did not go.

Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said,‘ I go, sir,’ but he did not go.

And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.

Then the man went to the other and said the same thing.“‘ I will, sir,’ he answered. But he didn’t go.

And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I[ go], sir: and went not.

The father went to the other son and said the same thing. This boy answered,‘ I will, sir,’ but did not go.

He came to the second, and said the same thing. He answered,‘ I’m going, sir,’ but he didn’t go.

They claim to know God. But their actions show they don’t know him. They are hated by God. They refuse to obey him. They aren’t fit to do anything good.

My people come to you, just as they usually do. They sit in front of you. They hear what you say. But they do not put it into practice. With their mouths they say they love me. But in their hearts they want what belongs to others. They try to get rich by cheating them.

“ So you must be careful to do everything they say. But don’t do what they do. They don’t practice what they preach.

Suppose you call yourself a Jew. You trust in the law. You brag that you know God.You know what God wants. You agree with what is best because the law teaches you.You think you know so much more than the people you teach. You think you’re helping blind people. You think you are a light for those in the dark.You think you can make foolish people wise. You act like you’re teaching little children. You think that the law gives you all knowledge and truth.You claim to teach others, but you don’t even teach yourself! You preach against stealing. But you steal!You say that people should not commit adultery. But you commit adultery! You hate statues of gods. But you rob temples!You brag about the law. But when you break it, you rob God of his honor!It is written,“ The Gentiles say evil things against God’s name because of you.”( Isaiah 52:5; Ezekiel 36:22)Circumcision has value if you obey the law. But if you break the law, it is just as if you hadn’t been circumcised.