Matthew 20

1 "For the Kingdom of the Heavens is like an employer who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard,

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

2 and having made an agreement with them for a shilling a day, sent them into his vineyard.

When he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.

3 About nine o'clock he went out and saw others loitering in the market-place.

He went out about nine in the morning, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace.

4 To these also he said, "'You also, go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.'

To them he said, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.' So they went their way.

5 "So they went. Again about twelve, and about three o'clock, he went out and did the same.

Again he went out about noon and at three in the afternoon, and did likewise.

6 And going out about five o'clock he found others loitering, and he asked them, "'Why have you been standing here all day long, doing nothing?'

About five that afternoon he went out, and found others standing. He said to them, 'Why do you stand here all day idle?'

7 "'Because no one has hired us,' they replied. "'You also, go into the vineyard,' he said.

"They said to him, 'Because no one has hired us.' "He said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard.'

8 "When evening came, the master said to his steward, "'Call the men and pay them their wages. Begin with the last set and finish with the first.'

When evening had come, the lord of the vineyard said to his manager, 'Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning from the last to the first.'

9 "When those came who had begun at five o'clock, they received a shilling apiece;

"When those who were hired at about five in the afternoon came, they each received a denarius.

10 and when the first came, they expected to get more, but they also each got the shilling.

When the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise each received a denarius.

11 So when they had received it, they grumbled against the employer, saying,

When they received it, they murmured against the master of the household,

12 "'These who came last have done only one hour's work, and you have put them on a level with us who have worked the whole day and have borne the scorching heat.'

saying, 'These last have spent one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.'

13 "'My friend,' he answered to one of them, 'I am doing you no injustice. Did you not agree with me for a shilling?

"But he answered one of them, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius?

14 Take your money and go. I choose to give this last comer just as much as I give you.

Take that which is yours, and go your way. It is my desire to give to this last just as much as to you.

15 Have I not a right to do what I choose with my own property? Or are you envious because I am generous?'

Is it not lawful for me to do what I want to with what I own? Or is your eye evil, because I am good?'

16 "So the last shall be first, and the first last."

So the last will be first, and the first last; for many are called, but few are chosen."

17 Jesus was now going up to Jerusalem, and He took the twelve disciples aside by themselves, and on the way He said to them,

As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the Twelve aside, and on the way he said to them,

18 "We are going up to Jerusalem, and there the Son of Man will be betrayed to the High Priests and Scribes. They will condemn Him to death,

"Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death,

19 and hand Him over to the Gentiles to be made sport of and scourged and crucified; and on the third day He will be raised to life."

and will hand him over to the non-Jews to mock, to scourge, and to crucify; and the third day he will be raised up."

20 Then the mother of the sons of Zabdi came to Him with her sons, and knelt before Him to make a request of Him.

Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, kneeling and asking a certain thing of him.

21 "What is it you desire?" He asked. "Command," she replied, "that these my two sons may sit one at your right hand and one at your left in your Kingdom."

He said to her, "What do you want?" She said to him, "Command that these, my two sons, may sit, one on your right hand, and one on your left hand, in your kingdom."

22 "None of you know what you are asking for," said Jesus; "can you drink out of the cup from which I am about to drink?" "We can," they replied.

But Jesus answered and said, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?" They said to him, "We are able."

23 "You shall drink out of my cup," He said, "but a seat at my right hand or at my left it is not for me to allot, but it belongs to those for whom it has been prepared by my Father."

He said to them, "You will indeed drink my cup, but to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it is for whom it has been prepared by my Father."

24 The other ten heard of this, and their indignation was aroused against the two brothers.

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

25 But Jesus called them to Him, and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them.

But Jesus summoned them, and said, "You know that the rulers of the nations lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.

26 Not so shall it be among you; but whoever desires to be great among you shall be your servant,

It will not be so among you, but whoever desires to become great among you must be your servant.

27 and whoever desires to be first among you shall be your bondservant;

And whoever desires 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 the redemption-price for many."

even 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 leaving Jericho, an immense crowd following Him,

As they went out from Jericho, a large crowd followed him.

30 two blind men sitting by the roadside heard that it was Jesus who was passing by, and cried aloud, "Sir, Son of David, pity us."

And look, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, shouted, "Have mercy on us, Lord, son of David."

31 The people angrily tried to silence them, but they cried all the louder. "O Sir, Son of David, pity us," they said.

The crowd rebuked them, telling them that they should be quiet, but they shouted even more, "Have mercy on us, Lord, son of David."

32 So Jesus stood still and called to them. "What shall I do for you?" He asked.

Jesus stood still, and called them, and asked, "What do you want me to do for you?"

33 "Sir, let our eyes be opened," they replied.

They told him, "Lord, that our eyes may be opened."

34 Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes, and immediately they regained their sight and followed Him.

Jesus, being moved with compassion, touched their eyes; and immediately their eyes received their sight, and they followed him.