All the people heard him; they and especially the tax collectors were the ones who had obeyed God's righteous demands and had been baptized by John.

One day when many tax collectors and other outcasts came to listen to Jesus,

the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law started grumbling, "This man welcomes outcasts and even eats with them!"

But the tax collector stood at a distance and would not even raise his face to heaven, but beat on his breast and said, 'God, have pity on me, a sinner!'

Which one of the two did what his father wanted?" "The older one," they answered. So Jesus said to them, "I tell you: the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the Kingdom of God ahead of you.

For John the Baptist came to you showing you the right path to take, and you would not believe him; but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. Even when you saw this, you did not later change your minds and believe him.