Matthew 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.

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.

2 When he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.

He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard.

3 He went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace.

About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing.

4 He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went their way.

‘You also go into my vineyard,’ he said, ‘and I will pay you whatever is right.’

5 Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise.

So they went. He went out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour and did the same thing.

6 About the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle. He said to them, ‘Why do you stand here all day idle?’

About the eleventh hour he went out and found still others standing around. ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’ he asked.

7 “They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ “He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and you will receive whatever is right.’

‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered. So he told them, ‘You also go into my vineyard.’

8 “When evening had come, the lord of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning from the last to the first.’

When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, starting with the last ones hired and moving on to the first.’

9 “When those who were hired at about the eleventh hour came, they each received a denarius.

The workers who were hired about the eleventh hour came and each received a denarius.

10 When the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise each received a denarius.

So when the original workers came, they assumed they would receive more. But each of them also received a denarius.

11 When they received it, they murmured against the master of the household,

On receiving their pay, they began to grumble against the landowner.

12 saying, ‘These last have spent one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat!’

‘These men who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the scorching heat of the day.’

13 “But he answered one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did not you agree with me for a denarius?

But he answered one of them, ‘Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Did you not agree with me on one denarius?

14 Take that which is yours, and go your way. It is my desire to give to this last just as much as to you.

Take your pay and go. I want to give this last man the same as I gave you.

15 Is not it lawful for me to do what I want to with what I own? Or is your eye evil, because I am good?’

Do I not have the right to do as I please with what is mine? Or are you envious because I am generous?’

16 So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few are chosen.”

So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

17 As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them,

As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, He took the twelve disciples aside and said,

18 “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death,

“Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes. They will condemn Him to death

19 and will hand him over to the Gentiles to mock, to scourge, and to crucify; and the third day he will be raised up.”

and will deliver Him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. And on the third day He will be raised to life.”

20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, kneeling and asking a certain thing of him.

Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and knelt down to make a request of Him.

21 He said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Command that these, my two sons, may sit, one on your right hand and one on your left hand, in your Kingdom.”

“What do you want?” He inquired. She answered, “Declare that in Your kingdom one of these two sons of mine may sit at Your right hand, and the other at Your left.”

22 But Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” They said to him, “We are able.”

“You do not know what you are asking,” Jesus replied. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” “We can,” the brothers answered.

23 He said to them, “You will indeed drink my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give, but it is for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”

“You will indeed drink My cup,” Jesus said. “But to sit at My right or left is not Mine to grant. These seats belong to those for whom My Father has prepared them.”

24 When the ten heard it, they were indignant with the two brothers.

When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers.

25 But Jesus summoned them, and said, “You know that the rulers of the nations lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.

But Jesus called them aside and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their superiors exercise authority over them.

26 It shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant.

It shall not be this way among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,

27 Whoever desires to be first among you shall be your bondservant,

and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave—

28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”

29 As they went out from Jericho, a great multitude followed him.

As they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed Him.

30 Behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, “Lord, have mercy on us, you son of David!”

And there were two blind men sitting beside the road. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

31 The multitude rebuked them, telling them that they should be quiet, but they cried out even more, “Lord, have mercy on us, you son of David!”

The crowd admonished them to be silent, but they cried out all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

32 Jesus stood still and called them, and asked, “What do you want me to do for you?”

Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want Me to do for you?” He asked.

33 They told him, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened.”

“Lord,” they answered, “let our eyes be opened.”

34 Jesus, being moved with compassion, touched their eyes; and immediately their eyes received their sight, and they followed him.

Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes, and at once they received their sight and followed Him.