Matthew 20
1 For the Kingdom of Heaven is like an employer who went out in the early morning to hire labourers for his vineyards.
“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.
2 He agreed with the labourers to pay them two shillings a day, and sent them into his vineyard.
He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard.
3 On going out again, about nine o’clock, he saw some others standing in the market-place, doing nothing.
About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing.
4 ‘You also may go into my vineyard,’ he said, ‘and I will pay you what is fair.’
‘You also go into my vineyard,’ he said, ‘and I will pay you whatever is right.’
5 So the men went. Going out again about mid-day and about three o’clock, he did as before.
So they went. He went out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour and did the same thing.
6 When he went out about five, he found some other men standing there, and said to them ‘Why have you been standing here all day long, doing nothing?’
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 ‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered. ‘You also may go into my vineyard,’ he said.
‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered. So he told them, ‘You also go into my vineyard.’
8 In the evening the owner of the vineyard said to his steward ‘Call the labourers, and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, and ending with 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 Now when those who had been hired about five o’clock went up, they received two shillings each.
The workers who were hired about the eleventh hour came and each received a denarius.
10 So, when the first went up, they thought that they would receive more, but they also received two shillings each;
So when the original workers came, they assumed they would receive more. But each of them also received a denarius.
11 on which they began to grumble at their employer.
On receiving their pay, they began to grumble against the landowner.
12 ‘These last,’ they said, ‘have done only one hour’s work, and yet you have put them on the same footing with us, who have borne the brunt of the day’s work, 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 ‘My friend,’ was his reply to one of them, ‘I am not treating you unfairly. Did not you agree with me for two shillings?
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 what belongs to you, and go. I choose to give to this last man the same as to you.
Take your pay and go. I want to give this last man the same as I gave you.
15 Have not I the right to do as I choose with what is mine? Are you envious because I am liberal?’
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 those who are last will be first, and the first last.”
So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
17 When Jesus was on the point of going up to Jerusalem, he gathered the twelve disciples round him by themselves, and said to them as they were on their way:
As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, He took the twelve disciples aside and said,
18 “Listen! We are going up to Jerusalem; and there the Son of Man will be betrayed to the Chief Priests and Teachers of the Law, and they will condemn him to death,
“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 give him up to the Gentiles for them to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify; and on the third day he will rise.”
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 the mother of Zebediah’s sons came to him with her sons, bowing to the ground, and begging a favour.
Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and knelt down to make a request of Him.
21 “What is it that you want?” he asked. “I want you to say,” she replied, “that in your Kingdom these two sons of mine may sit, one on your right, and the other on your left.”
“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 “You do not know what you are asking,” was Jesus’ answer. “Can you drink the cup that I am to drink?” “Yes,” they exclaimed, “we can.”
“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 “You shall indeed drink my cup,” he said, “but as to a seat at my right and at my left — that is not mine to give, but it is for 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 On hearing of this, the ten others were very indignant about the two brothers.
When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers.
25 Jesus, however, called the ten to him, and said: “The rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them as you know, and their great men oppress 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 Among you it is not so.
It shall not be this way among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,
27 No, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to take the first place among you, must be your slave;
and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave—
28 just as the Son of Man came, not to be served, but to serve, 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 As they were going out of Jericho, a great crowd followed him.
As they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed Him.
30 Two blind men who were sitting by the road-side, hearing that Jesus was passing, called out: “Take pity on us, Master, 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 The crowd told them to be quiet; but the men only called out the louder: “Take pity on us, Master, 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 Then Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?” he said.
Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want Me to do for you?” He asked.
33 “Master,” they replied, “we want our eyes to be opened.”
“Lord,” they answered, “let our eyes be opened.”
34 So Jesus, moved with compassion, touched their eyes, and immediately they recovered their sight, and followed him.
Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes, and at once they received their sight and followed Him.
