John came to show you the right way to live. And you did not believe him. But the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. You saw this. But even then you did not turn away from your sins and believe him.

因为约翰遵着义路到你们这里来，你们却不信他；税吏和娼妓倒信他。你们看见了，后来还是不懊悔去信他。”

因为约翰到你们这里来指引你们走义路，你们却不信他，税吏和娼妓倒信了他。你们看见了以后，还是不悔悟去信他。”

因为约翰到你们这里来指引你们走义路，你们却不信他，税吏和娼妓倒信了他。你们看见了以后，还是不悔悟去信他。”

因为约翰来指示你们当行的正路，你们不信他，但税吏和娼妓信了。你们亲眼看见了这些事，竟然还是执迷不悟，不肯信他。

约翰来到你们那里，指示你们行义路﹙或译：“约翰在义路中，来到你们这里”。﹚，你们不信他；税吏和娼妓却信了他。你们看见了之后，还是没有改变心意去信他。

因为约翰来到你们这里指明义的道路，你们不相信他，而那些税吏和妓女们却相信了他。你们虽然看见了，后来还是没有悔改去相信他。

因為約翰遵着義路到你們這裏來，你們卻不信他；稅吏和娼妓倒信他。你們看見了，後來還是不懊悔去信他。」

因為約翰到你們這裏來指引你們走義路，你們卻不信他，稅吏和娼妓倒信了他。你們看見了以後，還是不悔悟去信他。」

因為約翰到你們這裏來指引你們走義路，你們卻不信他，稅吏和娼妓倒信了他。你們看見了以後，還是不悔悟去信他。」

因為約翰來指示你們當行的正路，你們不信他，但稅吏和娼妓信了。你們親眼看見了這些事，竟然還是執迷不悟，不肯信他。

約翰來到你們那裡，指示你們行義路﹙或譯：“約翰在義路中，來到你們這裡”。﹚，你們不信他；稅吏和娼妓卻信了他。你們看見了之後，還是沒有改變心意去信他。

因為約翰引着義路到你們這裏來，你們不信他；收稅人和妓女倒信他。你們看了之後，還是沒有後悔而去信他。

因為約翰來到你們這裡指明義的道路，你們不相信他，而那些稅吏和妓女們卻相信了他。你們雖然看見了，後來還是沒有悔改去相信他。

蓋約翰由義路就爾、爾不之信、而稅吏娼妓信之、且爾見此、後仍不悔以信也、○

蓋約翰以道義就爾、爾不信、而稅吏娼妓信之、且爾見此、又不後悔以信之、○

蓋約翰以義道就爾、爾不信之、而稅吏與妓女信之、且爾見此、仍不悔改以信、○

蓋如望以義路開導於爾、爾不之信；而稅吏娼妓、則信之矣。爾見其事。猶未能悔悟而起信也。

For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.

For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him.

For John the Baptist came and showed you the right way to live, but you didn’t believe him, while tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even when you saw this happening, you refused to believe him and repent of your sins.

For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you didn’t believe him. Tax collectors and prostitutes did believe him; but you, when you saw it, didn’t even change your minds then and believe him.

For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him; but the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe him; and you, seeing this, did not even have second thoughts afterward so as to believe him.

For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him.

For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not; but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye saw it, did not even repent yourselves afterward, that ye might believe him.

For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you didn’t believe him. Tax collectors and prostitutes did believe him, but you, when you saw it, didn’t even change your minds then and believe him.

For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen[ it], repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.

For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him. But the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe. Although you saw this, you did not later change your minds and believe him.

For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you didn’t believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. When you saw it, you didn’t even repent afterward, that you might believe him.

Where did John’s baptism come from? Was it from heaven? Or did it come from human authority?” They talked to one another about it. They said,“ If we say,‘ From heaven,’ he will ask,‘ Then why didn’t you believe him?’

When John came, he didn’t eat or drink as you do. And people say,‘ He has a demon.’

All the people who heard Jesus’ words agreed that God’s way was right. Even the tax collectors agreed. These people had all been baptized by John.But the Pharisees and the authorities on the law did not accept for themselves God’s purpose. So they had not been baptized by John.

There was a woman in that town who had lived a sinful life. She learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house. So she came there with a special jar of perfume.She stood behind Jesus and cried at his feet. And she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair. She kissed them and poured perfume on them.The Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this. He said to himself,“ If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him. He would know what kind of woman she is. She is a sinner!”Jesus answered him,“ Simon, I have something to tell you.”“ Tell me, teacher,” he said.“ Two people owed money to a certain lender. One owed him 500 silver coins. The other owed him 50 silver coins.Neither of them had the money to pay him back. So he let them go without paying. Which of them will love him more?”Simon replied,“ I suppose the one who owed the most money.”“ You are right,” Jesus said.Then he turned toward the woman. He said to Simon,“ Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water to wash my feet. But she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.You did not give me a kiss. But this woman has not stopped kissing my feet since I came in.You did not put any olive oil on my head. But she has poured this perfume on my feet.So I tell you this. Her many sins have been forgiven. She has shown that she understands this by her great acts of love. But whoever has been forgiven only a little loves only a little.”Then Jesus said to her,“ Your sins are forgiven.”The other guests began to talk about this among themselves. They said,“ Who is this who even forgives sins?”Jesus said to the woman,“ Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

Suppose they had not known the way of godliness. This would have been better than to know godliness and then turn away from it. The way of godliness is the sacred command passed on to them.

But they refused to pay attention to the Lord. They were stubborn. They turned their backs and covered their ears.They made their hearts as hard as the hardest stone. They wouldn’t listen to the law. They wouldn’t pay attention to the Lord’ s messages. So the Lord who rules over all was very angry. After all, his Spirit had spoken to his people through the earlier prophets.

“ You have sent people to John the Baptist. He has been a witness to the truth.I do not accept what a person says. I only talk about what John says so that you can be saved.John was like a lamp that burned and gave light. For a while you chose to enjoy his light.“ What I say about myself is more important than what John says about me. I am doing the works the Father gave me to finish. These works are a witness that the Father has sent me.The Father who sent me is himself a witness about me. You have never heard his voice. You have never seen what he really looks like.And his word does not live in you. That’s because you do not believe the one he sent.You study the Scriptures carefully. You study them because you think they will give you eternal life. The Scriptures you study are a witness about me.But you refuse to come to me and receive life.

“ But my people wouldn’t listen to me. Israel wouldn’t obey me.So I let them go their own stubborn way. I let them follow their own sinful plans.

I’ve given her time to turn away from her sinful ways. But she doesn’t want to.

But they have fallen away from the faith. So it won’t be possible to bring them back. They won’t be able to turn away from their sins. They are losing everything. That’s because they are nailing the Son of God to the cross all over again. They are bringing shame on him in front of everyone.Some land drinks the rain that falls on it. It produces a crop that is useful to those who farm the land. That land receives God’s blessing.But other land produces only thorns and weeds. That land isn’t worth anything. It is in danger of coming under God’s curse. In the end, it will be burned.

John was coming to the end of his work.‘ Who do you suppose I am?’ he said.‘ I am not the one you are looking for. But there is someone coming after me. I am not good enough to untie his sandals.’“ Listen, fellow children of Abraham! Listen, you Gentiles who worship God! This message of salvation has been sent to us.The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus. By finding him guilty, they made the prophets’ words come true. These are read every Sabbath day.The people and their rulers had no reason at all for sentencing Jesus to death. But they asked Pilate to have him killed.They did everything that had been written about Jesus. Then they took him down from the cross. They laid him in a tomb.

Brothers and sisters, make sure that none of you has a sinful heart. Do not let an unbelieving heart turn you away from the living God.

In those days John the Baptist came and preached in the Desert of Judea.He said,“ Turn away from your sins! The kingdom of heaven has come near.”John is the one Isaiah the prophet had spoken about. He had said,“ A messenger is calling out in the desert,‘ Prepare the way for the Lord. Make straight paths for him.’ ”( Isaiah 40:3)John’s clothes were made out of camel’s hair. He had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea. They also came from the whole area around the Jordan River.When they confessed their sins, John baptized them in the Jordan.John saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing. He said to them,“ You are like a nest of poisonous snakes! Who warned you to escape the coming of God’s anger?Live in a way that shows you have turned away from your sins.Don’t think you can say to yourselves,‘ Abraham is our father.’ I tell you, God can raise up children for Abraham even from these stones.The ax is ready to cut the roots of the trees. All the trees that don’t produce good fruit will be cut down. They will be thrown into the fire.“ I baptize you with water, calling you to turn away from your sins. But after me, someone is coming who is more powerful than I am. I’m not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.His pitchfork is in his hand to clear the straw from his threshing floor. He will gather his wheat into the storeroom. But he will burn up the husks with fire that can’t be put out.”

The Lord tells the people of Judah,“ Stand where the roads cross, and look around. Ask where the old paths are. Ask for the good path, and walk on it. Then your hearts will find rest in me. But you said,‘ We won’t walk on it.’

Live in a way that shows you have turned away from your sins. And don’t start saying to yourselves,‘ Abraham is our father.’ I tell you, God can raise up children for Abraham even from these stones.The ax is already lying at the roots of the trees. All the trees that don’t produce good fruit will be cut down. They will be thrown into the fire.”“ Then what should we do?” the crowd asked.John answered,“ Anyone who has extra clothes should share with the one who has none. And anyone who has extra food should do the same.”Even tax collectors came to be baptized.“ Teacher,” they asked,“ what should we do?”“ Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” John told them.

They must gently teach those who are against them. Maybe God will give a change of heart to those who are against you. That will lead them to know the truth.

A wide road will go through the land. It will be called the Way of Holiness. Only those who lead a holy life can use it.“ Unclean” and foolish people can’t walk on it.