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 unto a man that is a householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.

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

And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny 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 he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing in the marketplace idle;

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

and to them he said, Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.

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 likewise.

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 found others standing; and he saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?

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

They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard.

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 even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and pay them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.

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

And when they came that [were hired] about the eleventh hour, they received 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.

And when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received every man a penny.

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

And when they received it, they murmured against the householder,

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 spent [but] one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden of the day and the scorching 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 answered and said to one of them, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree 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 up that which is thine, and go thy way; it is my will to give unto this last, even as unto thee.

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

Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? or is thine eye evil, because I am good?

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

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

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

And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples apart, and in the way he said unto 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

Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests and scribes; and they shall 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 shall deliver him unto the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify: and the third day he shall be raised up.

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

Then came to him the mother of the sons of Zebedee with her sons, worshipping [him], and asking a certain thing 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 unto her, What wouldest thou? She saith unto him, Command that these my two sons may sit, one on thy right hand, and one on thy left hand, in thy 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 answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink the cup that I am about to drink? They say unto 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.”

He saith unto them, My cup indeed ye shall drink: but to sit on my right hand, and on [my] left hand, is not mine to give, but [it is for them] for whom it hath been prepared of my Father.

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

And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation concerning the two brethren.

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 called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones 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,

Not so shall it be among you: but whosoever would become great among you shall be your minister;

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

and whosoever would be first among you shall be your servant:

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 came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

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

And as they went out from Jericho, a great multitude 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 behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, Lord, have mercy on us, thou 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!”

And the multitude rebuked them, that they should hold their peace: but they cried out the more, saying, Lord, have mercy on us, thou son of David.

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

And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I should do unto you?

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

They say unto 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.

And Jesus, being moved with compassion, touched their eyes: and straightway they received their sight, and followed him.