Add parallel Print Page Options

Parable of the Vineyard Workers

20 “For the Kingdom of Heaven is like the landowner who went out early one morning to hire workers for his vineyard. He agreed to pay the normal daily wage[a] and sent them out to work.

“At nine o’clock in the morning he was passing through the marketplace and saw some people standing around doing nothing. So he hired them, telling them he would pay them whatever was right at the end of the day. So they went to work in the vineyard. At noon and again at three o’clock he did the same thing.

“At five o’clock that afternoon he was in town again and saw some more people standing around. He asked them, ‘Why haven’t you been working today?’

“They replied, ‘Because no one hired us.’

“The landowner told them, ‘Then go out and join the others in my vineyard.’

“That evening he told the foreman to call the workers in and pay them, beginning with the last workers first. When those hired at five o’clock were paid, each received a full day’s wage. 10 When those hired first came to get their pay, they assumed they would receive more. But they, too, were paid a day’s wage. 11 When they received their pay, they protested to the owner, 12 ‘Those people worked only one hour, and yet you’ve paid them just as much as you paid us who worked all day in the scorching heat.’

13 “He answered one of them, ‘Friend, I haven’t been unfair! Didn’t you agree to work all day for the usual wage? 14 Take your money and go. I wanted to pay this last worker the same as you. 15 Is it against the law for me to do what I want with my money? Should you be jealous because I am kind to others?’

16 “So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.”

Jesus Again Predicts His Death

17 As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside privately and told them what was going to happen to him. 18 “Listen,” he said, “we’re going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man[b] will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die. 19 Then they will hand him over to the Romans[c] to be mocked, flogged with a whip, and crucified. But on the third day he will be raised from the dead.”

Jesus Teaches about Serving Others

20 Then the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus with her sons. She knelt respectfully to ask a favor. 21 “What is your request?” he asked.

She replied, “In your Kingdom, please let my two sons sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left.”

22 But Jesus answered by saying to them, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink?”

“Oh yes,” they replied, “we are able!”

23 Jesus told them, “You will indeed drink from my bitter cup. But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. My Father has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen.”

24 When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. 25 But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 26 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. 28 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Jesus Heals Two Blind Men

29 As Jesus and the disciples left the town of Jericho, a large crowd followed behind. 30 Two blind men were sitting beside the road. When they heard that Jesus was coming that way, they began shouting, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

31 “Be quiet!” the crowd yelled at them.

But they only shouted louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

32 When Jesus heard them, he stopped and called, “What do you want me to do for you?”

33 “Lord,” they said, “we want to see!” 34 Jesus felt sorry for them and touched their eyes. Instantly they could see! Then they followed him.

Footnotes

  1. 20:2 Greek a denarius, the payment for a full day’s labor; similarly in 20:9, 10, 13.
  2. 20:18 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.
  3. 20:19 Greek the Gentiles.

The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard

20 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man—the master of the house—who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. And after[a] coming to an agreement with the workers for a denarius per day, he sent them into his vineyard. And going out about the third hour, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace. And to those people he said, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I will give you whatever is right.’ So they went. Going out[b] again about the sixth and ninth hour he did the same thing. And about the eleventh hour he went out and[c] found others standing there and said to them, ‘Why are you standing here the whole day unemployed?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go also into the vineyard.’ And when[d] evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the workers and pay them their[e] wages, beginning from the last up to the first.’ And when the ones hired about the eleventh hour came, they received a denarius apiece. 10 And when[f] the first came, they thought that they would receive more, and they also received a denarius apiece. 11 And when they[g] received it,[h] they began to complain[i] against the master of the house, 12 saying, ‘These last people worked one hour and you made them equal to us who have endured the burden of the day and the burning heat!’ 13 But he answered one of them and[j] said, ‘Friend, I am not doing you wrong. Did you not come to an agreement with me for a denarius? 14 Take what is yours and go! But I want to give to this last person the same as I gave[k] to you also. 15 Is it not[l] permitted for me to do whatever I want with what is mine? Or is your eye evil because I am generous?’ 16 Thus the last will be first and the first last.”

Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection a Third Time

17 And as[m] Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples by themselves and said to them on the way, 18 “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death, 19 and will hand him over to the Gentiles to mock him[n] and flog him[o] and crucify him,[p] and on the third day he will be raised.”

A Request by the Mother of James and John

20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and[q] kneeling down she asked[r] something from him. 21 And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Say that these two sons of mine may sit one at your right hand and one at your left in your kingdom.” 22 But Jesus answered and[s] 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 He said to them, “You will indeed drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine[t] to grant, but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”

24 And when[u] the ten heard this,[v] they were indignant concerning the two brothers. 25 But Jesus called them to himself and[w] said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in high positions exercise authority over them. 26 It will not be like this among you! But whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be most prominent among you must be your slave— 28 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.”

Two Blind Men Healed at Jericho

29 And as[x] they were going out of Jericho, a large crowd followed him. 30 And behold, there were two blind men sitting beside the road. When they[y] heard that Jesus was passing by, they called out, saying, “Lord, have mercy on us,[z] Son of David!” 31 And the crowd rebuked them so that they would be quiet. But they called out all the more, saying, “Lord, have mercy on us,[aa] Son of David!” 32 And Jesus stopped,[ab] called them, and said, “What do you want me to do for you?” 33 They said to him, “Lord, that our eyes be opened!” 34 And having compassion, Jesus touched their eyes, and immediately they received their sight and followed him.

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 20:2 Here “after” is supplied as a component of the participle (“coming to an agreement”) which is understood as temporal
  2. Matthew 20:5 Some manuscripts have “And going out”
  3. Matthew 20:6 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“went out”) has been translated as a finite verb
  4. Matthew 20:8 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“came”)
  5. Matthew 20:8 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
  6. Matthew 20:10 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“came”) which is understood as temporal
  7. Matthew 20:11 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“received”) which is understood as temporal
  8. Matthew 20:11 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  9. Matthew 20:11 The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here (“began to complain”)
  10. Matthew 20:13 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“answered”) has been translated as a finite verb
  11. Matthew 20:14 The words “I gave” are an implied repetition from the verb earlier in the verse
  12. Matthew 20:15 Some manuscripts have “Or is it not”
  13. Matthew 20:17 Here “as” is supplied as a component of the participle (“was going up”) which is understood as temporal
  14. Matthew 20:19 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  15. Matthew 20:19 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  16. Matthew 20:19 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  17. Matthew 20:20 Here “and” is supplied because the participle (“kneeling down”) has been translated as a finite verb in keeping with English style
  18. Matthew 20:20 Here the participle (“asked”) is translated as a finite verb because of English style
  19. Matthew 20:22 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“answered”) has been translated as a finite verb
  20. Matthew 20:23 Some manuscripts have “this is not mine”
  21. Matthew 20:24 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“heard”) which is understood as temporal
  22. Matthew 20:24 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  23. Matthew 20:25 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“called … to himself”) has been translated as a finite verb
  24. Matthew 20:29 Here “as” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“were going out”)
  25. Matthew 20:30 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“heard”) which is understood as temporal
  26. Matthew 20:30 Some manuscripts have “Have mercy on us, Lord”
  27. Matthew 20:31 Some manuscripts have “Have mercy on us, Lord”
  28. Matthew 20:32 *Here the participle (“stopped”) is translated as a finite verb because of English style