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 gospel-kingdom is like the master of a family, who went out early in the morning to hire laborers 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 men for a penny 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 he saw others standing in the market-place doing nothing,
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 said to them, Go ye also into the vineyard, and what is reasonable I will give you: so 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].
And going out again about the sixth and ninth hour he did in like manner.
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?’
And going out about the eleventh hour, he found others standing without work, and saith to them, Why stand ye here all the day doing nothing?
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 unto him, because no one hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatever is reasonable ye shall receive.
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.’
Now when evening was come, the owner of the vineyard saith to his steward, Call the work-men and pay them their hire, beginning from the last even 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].
And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every one a penny:
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.
but when the first came, they thought that they should receive more; and they also received every one a penny.
11 So they complained to the owner of the vineyard [because they thought their payment was unfair].
And after they had received it they murmured against the master of the house,
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 have worked but one hour, and thou hast made them equal to us, who have borne the burthen and 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 he answered, and said to one of them, Friend, I do thee no wrong; didst not thou agree with me for a penny?
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 thine, and be gone: it is my pleasure to give to this last as I do to thee;
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]’”
and may I not do what I will with my own?
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].”
Is thine eye evil because I am good? Thus the last shall be first, and the first last; for there are many called, but few 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,
And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, He took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them, Behold we are going up to Jerusalem,
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}.
and the son of man shall be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they shall 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 deliver Him up to the gentiles, to insult, and to scourge, and to crucify Him. But on the third day He shall rise again.
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 came to Him, together with her two sons, falling down before Him, and presenting a petition to 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.”
And He said unto her, What dost thou desire? She saith unto Him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on the left in thy 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 Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask: are ye able to drink of the cup which I am going to drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?
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.”
They replied, We are able. And He saith unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of my cup, and shall 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 to those for whom it is 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].
And when the other ten heard it, they were provoked at the two brethren:
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 Jesus called them to Him and said, Ye know that the princes of the gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority upon 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.
it shall not be so among you; but whosoever would be great among you, let him be your minister, and whoever would be chief among you,
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.
let him be your servant:
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]
as the Son of man came not to be ministred unto, but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many.
29 As we were leaving Jericho [city], a large crowd of people followed [us].
And as they were going from Jericho, a great multitude 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 behold, two blind men siting by the way-side, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou 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!”
And the people rebuked them, that they might hold their peace: but they cried out the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou 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?”
And Jesus stopt and called them, and said, What do ye desire me to do for you?
33 They said to him, “Lord, heal our eyes [IDM] [so that we can see]!”
They answered 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.
And Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes; and straightway their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.
