Matthew 20
1 For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man [that is] an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.
“[In order to illustrate how God rewards people], I will compare [the way] God [MTY/EUP] rules his people with what the owner of an estate [did]. Early in the morning the owner of the estate went to [the market] where [people who wanted work gathered]. He went there to hire laborers to work in his vineyard.
2 And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
He promised the men whom he hired that he would pay them the standard wage [for working] one day. Then he sent them to his vineyards.
3 And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
At nine o’clock [that same morning] he went back [to the market]. There he saw more men who did not have work.
4 And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.
He said to them, ‘Go to my vineyard as other men have done, [and work there]. I will pay you whatever is a just [wage].’ [So they also went to his vineyard and began to work].
5 Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.
At noon and at three o’clock he again went [to the market] and found [other laborers whom he promised to pay a fair wage].
6 And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?
At five o’clock he went [to the market again] and saw other [men] standing [there who were not working]. He said to them, ‘Why are you standing here all day and not working?’
7 They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, [that] shall ye receive.
They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘[I will hire you]. Go to my vineyard as other men have done, [and work there.’ So they went].
8 So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them [their] hire, beginning from the last unto the first.
When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Tell the men to come so that you can give them their wages. First, pay the men who started working last, and pay the men last who started working first.’
9 And when they came that [were hired] about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.
The [manager] paid the standard daily wage to each of the men who did not start working until five o’clock [in the afternoon].
10 But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.
When the men who had begun working early [in the morning] went [to get their wages], they thought that they would receive more than the standard wage. But they also received only the standard wage.
11 And when they had received [it], they murmured against the goodman of the house,
So they complained to the owner of the vineyard [because they thought their payment was unfair].
12 Saying, These last have wrought [but] one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.
They said [to him], ‘[You are not being fair!] The men who started working after [all of the rest of us started] worked for [only] one hour! You have [paid] them the same [wage] as [you paid] us! But we worked hard [all] day [IDM], [including working in the] hottest part of the day!’
13 But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?
The owner of the vineyard said to one of those [who complained], ‘Friend, I did not treat you unfairly. You agreed with me [to work the whole day] for the standard wage [RHQ].
14 Take [that] thine [is], and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.
[Stop complaining to me]! Take your wage and go! I desire to give the same wage that I gave you to the men who began working after all of you [had begun working].
15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?
I certainly have a right to [spend my money] as I desire [RHQ], [including paying those laborers what I desire to pay them]. (You should not be envious about my being generous!/Are you angry [MET] because I am generous?) [RHQ]’”
16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.
[Then Jesus said to us], “Similarly, [God will reward] well [some] people who [seem to be] less important now, and he will not reward [some] people who [seem to be] more important [now].”
17 And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them,
When Jesus was walking [on the road] up to Jerusalem, [along with us] twelve [disciples], he took us to a place by ourselves [in order that he could talk to us privately]. Then he said to us,
18 Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death,
“Listen carefully! We are [now] going up to Jerusalem. [While we are there, someone] will enable the chief priests and the men who teach the [Jewish] laws to seize [me], the one who came from heaven, [and they will put me on trial]. They will condemn me [and say] that I should be killed {the authorities should kill me}.
19 And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify [him]: and the third day he shall rise again.
[Then they] will put me in the hands of non-Jews so that they can make fun of me, whip me, [and kill me by] nailing me to a cross. But on the third day [after that], [God] will cause me to live again.”
20 Then came to him the mother of Zebedee’s children with her sons, worshipping [him], and desiring a certain thing of him.
Then the mother of James and John brought her two sons to Jesus. She bowed down before Jesus and asked him to do her a favor.
21 And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom.
Jesus said to her, “What do you want [me to do for you]?” She said to him, “Permit these two sons of mine to sit next to you (OR, Permit these two sons of mine to sit next to you at your right side and at your left side) [and rule with you] [MTY] when you become king.”
22 But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able.
Jesus said to [her and her sons], “You do not understand what you are asking for. Can you suffer like I am about to suffer [IDM]?” [James and John] answered him, “Yes, we are able [to do that].”
23 And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but [it shall be given to them] for whom it is prepared of my Father.
Then Jesus said to them, “Yes, you will suffer as I will suffer [IDM]. But I am not the one who chooses the ones who [will] sit next to me [and rule with me]. [God], my Father, will give those places [MTY] to the ones whom he appoints.”
24 And when the ten heard [it], they were moved with indignation against the two brethren.
When we ten [other disciples] heard [what James and John had requested], we became angry with them [because we also wanted to rule with Jesus in the highest positions].
25 But Jesus called them [unto him], and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.
[So] Jesus called all of us together and said [to us], “You know that those who rule the non-Jews [enjoy] showing them that they are powerful. Their chief rulers [enjoy] commanding the people under them.
26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
You [should] not be like them. On the contrary, everyone among you who wants [God to consider] him great must become [like] a servant for [the rest of] you.
27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
And everyone among you who wants [God to consider him] to be the most important must become [like] a slave for [the rest of] you.
28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
[You should imitate me]. [Even though I am] the one who came from heaven, I did not come to be served {in order that people would serve me}. On the contrary, I [came in order] to serve [others] and to [IDM] allow myself to be killed {other people to kill me}, so that [my dying would be like] a payment to rescue many [people from being punished for their sins].” [MTY]
29 And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed him.
As we were leaving Jericho [city], a large crowd of people followed [us].
30 And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, [thou] Son of David.
[As we walked along, we saw] two blind men sitting alongside the road. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they yelled [to him], “Lord, Descendant of [King] David, [you are the Messiah] Take pity on us!”
31 And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, [thou] Son of David.
[People in] the crowd scolded them [and] told them to be quiet. But the blind men yelled even louder, “Lord, Descendant of [King] David, [you are the Messiah] Have pity on us!”
32 And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you?
Jesus stopped and called them [to come to him]. [Then] he said [to them], “What do you want me to do for you?”
33 They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened.
They said to him, “Lord, heal our eyes [IDM] [so that we can see]!”
34 So Jesus had compassion [on them], and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.
Jesus [felt] sorry [for them and] touched their eyes. Immediately they were able to see, and they went with Jesus.
