Matthew 20
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Laborers in the Vineyard
20 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.(A) 2 After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 and he said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went. 5 When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. 6 And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around, and he said to them, ‘Why are you standing here idle all day?’ 7 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 owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.’(B) 9 When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received a denarius. 10 Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received a denarius. 11 And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, 12 saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’(C) 13 But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius?(D) 14 Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’[a](E) 16 So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”[b](F)
A Third Time Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection
17 While Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside by themselves and said to them on the way, 18 “Look, 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;(G) 19 then they will hand him over to the gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and on the third day he will be raised.”(H)
The Request of the Mother of James and John
20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, and kneeling before him, she asked a favor of him.(I) 21 And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Declare that these two sons of mine will sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.”(J) 22 But Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?”[c] They said to him, “We are able.”(K) 23 He said to them, “You will indeed drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left, this is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”(L)
24 When the ten heard it, they were angry with the two brothers.(M) 25 But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them.(N) 26 It will not be so among you, but whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant,(O) 27 and whoever wishes 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 a ransom for many.”(P)
Jesus Heals Two Blind Men
29 As they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. 30 There were two blind men sitting by the roadside. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they shouted, “Lord,[d] have mercy on us, Son of David!”(Q) 31 The crowd sternly ordered them to be quiet, but they shouted even more loudly, “Have mercy on us, Lord, Son of David!” 32 Jesus stood still and called them, saying, “What do you want me to do for you?” 33 They said to him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.” 34 Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes. Immediately they regained their sight and followed him.
Matthew 20
New American Standard Bible
Laborers in the Vineyard
20 “For (A)the kingdom of heaven is like [a]a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his (B)vineyard. 2 When he had agreed with the laborers for a [b]denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And he went out about the [c]third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace; 4 and to those he said, ‘You go into the vineyard also, and whatever is right, I will give you.’ And so they went. 5 Again he went out about the [d]sixth and the ninth hour, and did [e]the same thing. 6 And about the [f]eleventh hour he went out and found others standing around; and he *said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day long?’ 7 They *said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He *said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’
8 “Now when (C)evening came, the [g]owner of the vineyard *said to his (D)foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, starting with the last group to the first.’ 9 When those hired about the eleventh hour came, each one received a [h]denarius. 10 And so when those hired first came, they thought that they would receive more; [i]but each of them also received a denarius. 11 When they received it, they grumbled at the landowner, 12 saying, ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day’s work and the (E)scorching heat.’ 13 But he answered and said to one of them, ‘(F)Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what is yours and go; but I want to give to this last person the same as to you. 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I want with what is my own? Or is your (G)eye [j]envious because I am [k]generous?’ 16 So (H)the last shall be first, and the first, last.”
Death, Resurrection Foretold
17 (I)As Jesus was about to go up to Jerusalem, He took the twelve disciples aside by themselves, and on the road He said to them, 18 “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man (J)will be [l]handed over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn Him to death, 19 and they (K)will hand Him over to the Gentiles to mock and flog and crucify, and on (L)the third day He will be raised up.”
Request for Preferred Treatment
20 (M)Then the mother of (N)the [m]sons of Zebedee came to [n]Jesus with her sons, (O)bowing down and making a request of Him. 21 And He said to her, “What do you desire?” She *said to Him, “Say that in Your kingdom these two sons of mine (P)shall sit, one at Your right, and one at Your left.” 22 But Jesus replied, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able (Q)to drink the cup that I am about to drink?” They *said to Him, “We are able.” 23 He *said to them, “(R)My cup you shall drink; but to sit at My right and at My left is not Mine to give, (S)but it is for those for whom it has been (T)prepared by My Father.”
24 And after hearing this, the other ten disciples became indignant with the two brothers. 25 (U)But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles domineer over them, and [o]those in high position exercise authority over them. 26 It [p]is not this way among you, (V)but whoever wants to become [q]prominent among you shall be your servant, 27 and whoever desires to be first among you shall be your slave; 28 just as (W)the Son of Man (X)did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His [r]life as a ransom for many.”
Sight for Those Who Are Blind
29 (Y)As they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed Him. 30 And two people who were blind, sitting by the road, hearing that Jesus was passing by, cried out, “Lord, (Z)have mercy on us, (AA)Son of David!” 31 But the crowd sternly warned them to be quiet; yet they cried out all the more, “Lord, (AB)Son of David, have mercy on us!” 32 And Jesus stopped and called them, and said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” 33 They *said to Him, “Lord, we want our eyes to be opened.” 34 Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes; and immediately they regained their sight and followed Him.
Footnotes
- Matthew 20:1 Lit a man, a landowner
- Matthew 20:2 The denarius was a day’s wages for a laborer
- Matthew 20:3 I.e., 9 a.m.
- Matthew 20:5 I.e., noon and 3 p.m.
- Matthew 20:5 Lit similarly
- Matthew 20:6 I.e., 5 p.m.
- Matthew 20:8 Or lord
- Matthew 20:9 The denarius was a day’s wages for a laborer
- Matthew 20:10 Lit each one a denarius
- Matthew 20:15 Lit evil
- Matthew 20:15 Lit good
- Matthew 20:18 Or betrayed
- Matthew 20:20 I.e., the apostles James and John
- Matthew 20:20 Lit Him
- Matthew 20:25 Lit the great ones
- Matthew 20:26 One early ms shall not be
- Matthew 20:26 Lit great
- Matthew 20:28 Or soul
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
