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 the heavens is like a certain landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.

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

And agreeing with the workers for a denarius a day he sent them into his vineyard.

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

And going out about the third hour [9 a.m.] he saw others standing idle in the marketplace.

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

And he said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard and I will give you whatever is right.’ So off they went.

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

He went out again about the sixth hour, and the ninth, 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.

Now about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and he says to them, ‘Why have you stood here idle all day?’

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 one hired us.’ He says to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and you will receive whatever is right.’

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.’

So when evening had come the owner of the vineyard says to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wage, beginning at the last to the first.’

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

The eleventh hour ones came and each received a denarius.

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

So when the first ones came they supposed that they would receive more; yet each of them also received a denarius.

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

When they received it they began grumbling against the landowner

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 worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who bore the burden and the heat of the day!’

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 in answer he said to one of them: ‘Friend, I am not wronging you. Did you not agree with me for a denarius?

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. I wish to give to this last one just 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?’

Or is it not permissible for me to do what I want with what is mine? Is your eye evil because I am good?’

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

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

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

As Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem He took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them privately:

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

“Listen! We are going up to Jerusalem and the Son of the Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and scribes; and they will condemn Him 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 they will hand Him over to the Gentiles to mock, to scourge and to crucify. And on the third day He will rise!”

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 Zebedee's sons approached Him, with her sons, and kneeling down she asked something from 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.”

So He said to her, “What do you wish?” She says to Him, “State that these my two sons may sit one on Your right and one on 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 in answer Jesus said: “You (pl.) do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup which I am about to drink, or to be baptized with the baptism that I am being baptized with?” They say to Him, “We are able.”

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.”

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

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

Now when the ten heard it they were indignant at 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 summoning them Jesus said: “You know that the rulers of the nations lord it over them, and the great exercise authority over them;

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

but it must not be so among you. Rather, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,

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

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

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.”

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

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

Now as they went on from Jericho a large crowd followed 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 then, two blind men sitting alongside the road and hearing, “Jesus is passing by!” cried out saying, “Have mercy on us, Lord, Son of David!”

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

So the crowd threatened them to be quiet, but they cried out all the more saying, “Have mercy on us, Lord, Son of David!”

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

Jesus stopped, called them and said, “What do you want me to do for you?”

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

They say to Him, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened!”

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

So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes, and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.