Matthew 20

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

For the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a house, who went out early in the morning to get workers into his vine-garden.

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

And when he had made an agreement with the workmen for a penny a day, he sent them into his vine-garden.

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

And he went out about the third hour, and saw others in the market-place doing nothing;

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

And he said to them, Go into the vine-garden with the others, and whatever is right I will give you. And they went to work.

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

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

6 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.

And about the eleventh hour he went out and saw others doing nothing; and he says to them, Why are you here all the day doing nothing?

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

They say to him, Because no man has given us work. He says to them, Go in with the rest, into the vine-garden.

8 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.’

And when evening came, the lord of the vine-garden said to his manager, Let the workers come, and give them their payment, from the last to the first.

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

And when those men came who had gone to work at the eleventh hour, they were given every man a penny.

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

Then those who came first had the idea that they would get more; and they, like the rest, were given a penny.

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

And when they got it, they made a protest against the master of the house,

12 ‘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.’

Saying, These last have done only one hour's work, and you have made them equal to us, who have undergone the hard work of the day and the burning heat.

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

But he in answer said to one of them, Friend, I do you no wrong: did you not make an agreement with me for a penny?

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

Take what is yours, and go away; it is my pleasure to give to this last, even as to you.

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

Have I not the right to do as seems good to me in my house? or is your eye evil, because I am good?

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

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

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

And when Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples on one side, and said to them,

18 “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

See, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man will be given into the hands of the chief priests and scribes; and they will give orders for him to be put to death,

19 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.”

And will give him up to the Gentiles to be made sport of and to be whipped and to be put to death on the cross: and the third day he will come back again from the dead.

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

Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, giving him worship and making a request of him.

21 “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.”

And he said to her, What is your desire? She says to him, Let my two sons be seated, the one at your right hand, and the other at your left, in your kingdom.

22 “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.

But Jesus made answer and said, You have no idea what you are requesting. Are you able to take of the cup which I am about to take?

23 “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.”

They say to him, We are able. He says to them, Truly, you will take of my cup: but to be seated at my right hand and at my left is not for me to give, but it is for those for whom my Father has made it ready.

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

And when it came to the ears of the ten, they were angry with the two brothers.

25 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.

But Jesus said to them, You see that the rulers of the Gentiles are lords over them, and their great ones have authority over them.

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

Let it not be so among you: but if anyone has a desire to become great among you, let him be your servant;

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

And whoever has a desire to be first among you, let him take the lowest place:

28 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.”

Even as the Son of man did not come to have servants, but to be a servant, and to give his life for the salvation of men.

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

And when they were going out from Jericho, a great number went after him.

30 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!”

And two blind men seated by the wayside, when they had the news that Jesus was going by, gave a loud cry, saying, Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us.

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

And the people gave them orders to be quiet; but they went on crying even louder, Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us.

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

And Jesus, stopping, sent for them, and said, What would you have me do to you?

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

They say to him, Lord, that our eyes may be open.

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

And Jesus, being moved with pity, put his fingers on their eyes: and straight away they were able to see, and went after him.