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 an employer who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard,

2 He agreed to pay the workers one denarius for the day, and sent them to work in his vineyard.

and having made an agreement with them for a shilling a day, sent them into his vineyard.

3 Around 9 a.m. he went out and saw others without work standing in the marketplace.

About nine o'clock he went out and saw others loitering in the market-place.

4 ‘Go and work in the vineyard too, and I'll pay you what's right,’ he told them. So they went to work.

To these also he said, "'You also, go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.'

5 Around noon and 3 p.m. he went out and did the same thing.

"So they went. Again about twelve, and about three o'clock, he went out and did the same.

6 At 5 p.m. he went out and found others standing there. ‘Why are you standing around all day doing nothing?’ he asked them.

And going out about five o'clock he found others loitering, and he asked them, "'Why have you been standing here all day long, doing nothing?'

7 ‘Because nobody has hired us,’ they replied. ‘Go and work in the vineyard too,’ he told them.

"'Because no one has hired us,' they replied. "'You also, go into the vineyard,' he said.

8 When evening came, the owner of the vineyard told his manager, ‘Call the workers in, and pay them their wages. Begin with the workers hired last and then move on to those hired first.’

"When evening came, the master said to his steward, "'Call the men and pay them their wages. Begin with the last set and finish with the first.'

9 When those who were hired at 5 p.m. came in, they each received one denarius.

"When those came who had begun at five o'clock, they received a shilling apiece;

10 So when those who were hired first came in, they thought they would get more, but they also received one denarius.

and when the first came, they expected to get more, but they also each got the shilling.

11 When they received their pay, they complained to the owner.

So when they had received it, they grumbled against the employer, saying,

12 ‘Those who were hired last only worked for an hour, and you've paid them the same as us who worked the whole day in the burning heat,’ they grumbled.

"'These who came last have done only one hour's work, and you have put them on a level with us who have worked the whole day and have borne the scorching heat.'

13 The owner answered one of them, ‘My friend, I haven't treated you unfairly. Didn't you agree with me to work for one denarius?

"'My friend,' he answered to one of them, 'I am doing you no injustice. Did you not agree with me for a shilling?

14 Take your pay and go. I want to pay those who were hired last the same as I paid you.

Take your money and go. I choose to give this last comer just as much as I give you.

15 Can't I choose to do what I want with my own money? Why should you give me evil looks because I want to do good?’

Have I not a right to do what I choose with my own property? Or are you envious because I am generous?'

16 In this way the last shall be first and the first shall be last.”

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

17 On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus took the twelve disciples aside as they walked along and told them,

Jesus was now going up to Jerusalem, and He took the twelve disciples aside by themselves, and on the way He said to them,

18 “Look, we're going to Jerusalem, and the Son of man will be betrayed to the chief priests and religious teachers. They will condemn him to death

"We are going up to Jerusalem, and there the Son of Man will be betrayed to the High Priests and Scribes. They will condemn Him to death,

19 and hand him over to the foreigners to mock him, whip him, and crucify him. But on the third day he will be raised from the dead.”

and hand Him over to the Gentiles to be made sport of and scourged and crucified; and on the third day He will be raised to life."

20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came with her two sons to Jesus. She kneeled down before him to make a request.

Then the mother of the sons of Zabdi came to Him with her sons, and knelt before Him to make a request of Him.

21 “What is it you are asking me for?” Jesus said to her. “Please appoint my sons to sit beside you in your kingdom, one on your right and the other on your left,” she asked.

"What is it you desire?" He asked. "Command," she replied, "that these my two sons may sit one at your right hand and one at your left in your Kingdom."

22 “You don't know what you're asking,” Jesus told them. “Are you able to drink the cup I'm about to drink?” “Yes, we are able to do that,” they told him.

"None of you know what you are asking for," said Jesus; "can you drink out of the cup from which I am about to drink?" "We can," they replied.

23 “You will certainly drink from my cup,” he said to them, “but the privilege to sit on my right or on my left isn't mine to give. My Father is the one who has decided who that will be.”

"You shall drink out of my cup," He said, "but a seat at my right hand or at my left it is not for me to allot, but it belongs to those for whom it has been prepared by my Father."

24 When the other ten disciples heard what they had asked, they were annoyed with the two brothers.

The other ten heard of this, and their indignation was aroused against the two brothers.

25 Jesus called them together and told them, “You know that foreign rulers lord it over their subjects, and powerful leaders oppress them.

But Jesus called them to Him, and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them.

26 It shall not be like that for you. Whoever among you wants to be the most important will be your servant.

Not so shall it be among you; but whoever desires to be great among you shall be your servant,

27 Whoever among you wants to be first will be like a slave.

and whoever desires to be first among you shall be your bondservant;

28 In the same way the Son of man didn't come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as the redemption-price for many."

29 As they left Jericho, a huge crowd followed Jesus.

As they were leaving Jericho, an immense crowd following Him,

30 Two blind men were sitting at the side of the road. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they called out, “Have mercy on us, Lord, son of David!”

two blind men sitting by the roadside heard that it was Jesus who was passing by, and cried aloud, "Sir, Son of David, pity us."

31 The crowd told them to be quiet, but they shouted even louder, “Have mercy on us, Lord, son of David!”

The people angrily tried to silence them, but they cried all the louder. "O Sir, Son of David, pity us," they said.

32 Jesus stopped. He called them over, asking, “What do you want me to do for you?”

So Jesus stood still and called to them. "What shall I do for you?" He asked.

33 “Lord, please make us able to see,” they replied.

"Sir, let our eyes be opened," they replied.

34 Jesus had pity on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they could see, and they followed him.

Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes, and immediately they regained their sight and followed Him.