Matthew 20
1 “[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.
“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 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.
And agreeing with the workers for a denarius a day he sent them into his vineyard.
3 At nine o’clock [that same morning] he went back [to the market]. There he saw more men who did not have work.
And going out about the third hour [9 a.m.] he saw others standing idle in the marketplace.
4 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].
And he said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard and I will give you whatever is right.’ So off they went.
5 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].
He went out again about the sixth hour, and the ninth, and did the same.
6 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?’
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 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].
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 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.’
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 [manager] paid the standard daily wage to each of the men who did not start working until five o’clock [in the afternoon].
The eleventh hour ones came and each received a denarius.
10 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.
So when the first ones came they supposed that they would receive more; yet each of them also received a denarius.
11 So they complained to the owner of the vineyard [because they thought their payment was unfair].
When they received it they began grumbling against the landowner
12 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!’
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 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].
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 [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].
Take what is yours and go. I wish to give to this last one just as to you.
15 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]’”
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 [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].”
Just so the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few are chosen.”
17 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,
As Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem He took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them privately:
18 “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}.
“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 [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.”
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 James and John brought her two sons to Jesus. She bowed down before Jesus and asked him to do her a favor.
Then the mother of Zebedee's sons approached Him, with her sons, and kneeling down she asked something from Him.
21 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.”
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 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].”
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 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.”
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 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].
Now when the ten heard it they were indignant at the two brothers.
25 [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.
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 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.
but it must not be so among you. Rather, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,
27 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.
and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave;
28 [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]
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 we were leaving Jericho [city], a large crowd of people followed [us].
Now as they went on from Jericho a large crowd followed Him.
30 [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!”
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 [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!”
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 [to come to him]. [Then] he said [to them], “What do you want me to do for you?”
Jesus stopped, called them and said, “What do you want me to do for you?”
33 They said to him, “Lord, heal our eyes [IDM] [so that we can see]!”
They say to Him, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened!”
34 Jesus [felt] sorry [for them and] touched their eyes. Immediately they were able to see, and they went with Jesus.
So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes, and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.
