Matthew 20

1 “For the kingdom of the heavens is like to a man, a householder, who went forth with the morning to hire workmen for his vineyard,

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

2 and having agreed with the workmen for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.

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

3 And having gone forth about the third hour, he saw others standing in the marketplace idle,

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

4 and to these he said, Go—also you—to the vineyard, and whatever may be righteous I will give you;

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

5 and they went away. Again, having gone forth about the sixth and the ninth hour, he did in like manner.

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

6 And about the eleventh hour, having gone forth, he found others standing idle and says to them, Why have you stood here idle all day?

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.

7 They say to him, Because no one hired us; he says to them, Go—you also—to the vineyard, and whatever may be righteous you will receive.

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

8 And evening having come, the lord of the vineyard says to his steward, Call the workmen, and pay them the reward, having begun from the last—to the first.

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.’

9 And they of about the eleventh hour having come, each received a denarius.

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

10 And the first having come, supposed that they will receive more, and they received, they also, each a denarius,

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

11 and having received [it], they were murmuring against the householder, saying,

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

12 that, These, the last, worked one hour, and you made them equal to us, who were bearing the burden of the day—and the heat.

‘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.’

13 And he answering said to one of them, Friend, I do no unrighteousness to you; did you not agree with me for a denarius?

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

14 Take that which is yours, and go; and I will to give to this, the last, also as to you;

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

15 is it not lawful to me to do what I will in my own? Is your eye evil because I am good?

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

16 So the last will be first, and the first last, for many are called, and few chosen.”

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

17 And Jesus going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples by themselves in the way and said to them,

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

18 “Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes,

“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

19 and they will condemn Him to death, and will deliver Him to the nations to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify, and the third day He will rise again.”

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.”

20 Then came near to Him the mother of the sons of Zebedee, with her sons, prostrating and asking something from Him,

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

21 and He said to her, “What do you will?” She says to Him, “Say that they may sit—these two sons of mine—one on Your right hand and one on the left, in Your kingdom.”

“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.”

22 And Jesus answering said, “You have not known what you ask for yourselves; are you able to drink of the cup that I am about to drink? And with the immersion that I am immersed with, to be immersed?” They say to Him, “We are able.”

“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.

23 And He says to them, “Of My cup indeed you will drink, and with the immersion that I am immersed with you will be immersed; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but—to those for whom it has been prepared by My Father.”

“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.”

24 And the ten having heard, were much displeased with the two brothers,

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

25 and Jesus having called them near, said, “You have known that the rulers of the nations exercise lordship over them, and those [who are] great exercise authority over them,

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.

26 but not so will it be among you, but whoever may will among you to become great, let him be your servant;

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

27 and whoever may will among you to be first, let him be your servant;

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

28 even as the Son of Man did not come to be ministered to, but to minister, and to give His life [as] a ransom for many.”

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.”

29 And they going forth from Jericho, there followed Him a great multitude,

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

30 and behold, two blind men sitting by the way, having heard that Jesus passes by, cried, saying, “Deal kindly with us, Lord—Son of David.”

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!”

31 And the multitude charged them that they might be silent, and they cried out the more, saying, “Deal kindly with us Lord—Son of David.”

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

32 And having stood, Jesus called them and said, “What do you will [that] I may do to you?”

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

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

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

34 and having been moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes, and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.

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