Matthew 20
EasyEnglish Bible
Jesus tells a story about some workers in a field
20 Jesus said, ‘I will tell you a story to show what the kingdom of heaven is like. There was an important man who had a field where he grew grapes. He went out early in the morning. He wanted to find some people who would work in his field. 2 The master agreed with the workers that he would pay them one silver coin for a day's work.[a] Then he sent them to work in the field.
3 The master went out again about three hours later. He saw some other men standing in the market place. They had no work to do. 4 So the master said to these men, “You also go and work in my field. I will pay you the right amount of money.” 5 So the workers went to the master's field and started to work.
The master went out again at noon, and he went again three hours after that. Both times he sent men to his field to work. 6 Two hours later, at five o'clock, he went out again. He found more men who were standing there. And they had no work to do. The master asked them, “Why are you standing here all day and you are not working?”
7 The men said to the master, “Nobody has asked us to work for him.”
So the master said to them, “You also go now and work in my field.”
8 Then the evening came. The master of the field spoke to the man who had authority over the workers. He said to him, “Tell the workers to come here. Pay them their money. Begin with the workers who started to work at the end of the day. Finish with the workers who started first.”
9 The workers who had come to work at five o'clock in the evening received one silver coin each. 10 The workers who had come to work first thought that they would receive more than the other workers. But each of them also received one silver coin. 11 When they received their money, they were not happy. They told the master that he had not been fair to them. 12 They said to him, “Some of these other workers came last and only worked for one hour. But you have paid them the same money as you paid us. And we have worked all day in the hot sun.”
13 Then the master said to one of the workers, “My friend, I am being fair to you. You agreed to work for one day and to receive one silver coin. 14 Take your money and go home. I choose to give this last man the same amount of money as I gave to you. 15 It is my money. I can choose what to do with it. I want to be kind to people and give them more than we agreed. Does that make you upset?” ’
16 Jesus then said, ‘So, one day, those people who are not important now will become the most important. Those people who are very important now will become the least important.’
Jesus talks again about how he will die
17 Jesus and his disciples were going towards Jerusalem. As they walked along, Jesus took his 12 disciples away from the other people where he could speak to them alone. 18 ‘Listen!’ he said to them. ‘We are going to Jerusalem. There, someone will deliver the Son of Man to the leaders of the priests and the teachers of God's Law. These Jewish leaders will decide that I must die. 19 Then they will take me and they will deliver me to people who are not Jews. They will laugh at me. They will hit me with whips. Then they will kill me on a cross.[b] But after three days, I will become alive again.’
The mother of James and John asks Jesus for something
20 Then the mother of James and John took them to see Jesus. (Their father was Zebedee.) She went down on her knees in front of Jesus. She asked him to do something good for her.
21 ‘What do you want me to do?’ Jesus asked her.
She said, ‘One day, you will be king. Then I want my two sons to rule with you. One may sit at your right side and the other one at your left side. Please will you do this?’
22 Jesus said to them, ‘You do not understand what you are asking for. I will have much pain and trouble. Are you ready to have the same pain?’
James and John replied, ‘Yes, we can do that.’
23 Jesus said to them, ‘Yes, that is true. You will have pain and trouble like mine. But I cannot promise that you will sit at my right side or at my left side. My Father God has chosen the people who will sit there. He has prepared the places for those people.’
24 When the other ten disciples heard about this, they were angry with the two brothers. 25 Then Jesus told all the 12 disciples to come to him. He said to them, ‘You know the things that rulers of other countries do. They show that they have great power over their people. The leaders of those countries use great authority over their people. 26 But you should not be like that. The person who wants to be great among you must become your servant. 27 The person who wants to be the most important person among you must work hard for everyone else. 28 Even the Son of Man himself came to earth to be a servant to other people. He did not come here to have servants who must work for him. No, he came to die so that many people can be free.’
Jesus causes two men to see near Jericho
29 Later, Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho. A large crowd of people followed him. 30 Two men were sitting at the side of the road. They were blind. But they heard that Jesus was walking past them. So they shouted, ‘Master! Son of David![c] Please be kind to us and help us.’
31 The people who were in the crowd were angry with them. They told them that they should be quiet. But the men shouted even louder, ‘Master! Son of David! Please help us!’
32 Jesus stopped there. He asked the two men, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’
33 ‘Sir,’ the men replied, ‘we want to see again.’
34 Jesus felt sorry for the two men. He touched their eyes and immediately the men could see again. So they followed Jesus along the road.
Footnotes
- 20:2 A person usually received one small silver coin when he worked for one day.
- 20:19 At this time, the ruler's soldiers would kill bad people on a cross. Soldiers fixed them to a big cross made from wood. They remained on the cross until they died.
- 20:30 ‘Son of David’ is another name for the special person, the Christ, that God would send to save his people. It is another name for Jesus.
马太福音 20
Chinese New Version (Traditional)
葡萄園工人的比喻
20 “天國好像一個家主，清早出去雇請工人到他的葡萄園工作。 2 他和工人講定了一天的工錢是一個銀幣，然後派他們到葡萄園去。 3 大約九點鐘，他又出去，看見還有人閒站在街市上， 4 就對他們說：‘你們也到葡萄園來吧，我會給你們合理的工錢。’ 5 他們就去了。約在正午和下午三點鐘，他又出去，也是這樣作。 6 下午五點鐘左右，他再出去，看見還有人站著，就問他們：‘你們為甚麼整天站在這裡不去作工？’ 7 他們回答：‘沒有人用我們。’他說：‘你們也到葡萄園來吧。’ 8 到了黃昏，園主對管工說：‘把工人叫來，給他們工錢，從最後的開始，到最先來的。’ 9 那些下午五點鐘才開始作工的人來了，每個人都領到一個銀幣。 10 最先作工的人也來了，以為會多得一點，但每個人也是領到一個銀幣。 11 他們領到之後，就埋怨家主，說： 12 ‘我們整天在烈日之下勞苦，這些後來的人只工作了一個小時，你卻給他們跟我們一樣的工錢。’ 13 家主回答他們當中的一個，說：‘朋友，我並沒有虧待你。你我不是講定了一個銀幣嗎？ 14 拿你的工錢走吧！我給那後來的和給你的一樣，是我的主意。 15 難道我不可以照自己的主意用我的財物嗎？還是因為我仁慈你就嫉妒呢？’ 16 因此，在後的將要在前，在前的將要在後。”
第三次預言受難及復活(A)
17 耶穌上耶路撒冷去的時候，把十二門徒帶到一邊，在路上對他們說： 18 “我們現在上耶路撒冷去，人子要被交給祭司長和經學家，他們要定他死罪， 19 把他交給外族人凌辱、鞭打，並且釘在十字架上。然而第三天他要復活。”
不是要人服事而是要服事人(B)
20 那時，西庇太的兒子的母親，帶著她的兩個兒子前來見耶穌。她跪在耶穌面前求他。 21 耶穌問她：“你想要甚麼？”她說：“求你下令，使我這兩個兒子在你的國裡，一個坐在你的右邊，一個坐在你的左邊。” 22 耶穌回答：“你們不知道你們求的是甚麼。我將要喝的杯，你們能喝嗎？”他們說：“能。” 23 他對他們說：“我的杯你們固然要喝，只是坐在我的左右，不是我可以賜的；我父預備賜給誰，就賜給誰。” 24 其他十個門徒聽見了，就向他們兄弟二人生氣。 25 耶穌把他們叫過來，說：“你們知道各國都有元首統治他們，也有官長管轄他們。 26 但你們中間卻不要這樣；誰想在你們中間成為大的，就要作你們的僕役； 27 誰想在你們中間為首的，就要作你們的奴僕。 28 正如人子來，不是要受人的服事，而是要服事人，並且要捨命，作許多人的贖價。”
治好瞎眼的人(C)
29 他們從耶利哥出來的時候，有許多人跟著耶穌。 30 有兩個瞎眼的人坐在路旁，聽說耶穌經過，就喊叫：“主啊，大衛的子孫，可憐我們吧！” 31 群眾責備他們，叫他們不要出聲，他們卻更加放聲喊叫：“主啊，大衛的子孫，可憐我們吧！” 32 耶穌就站住，叫他們過來，說：“要我為你們作甚麼呢？” 33 他們說：“主啊，求你開我們的眼睛。” 34 耶穌就憐憫他們，摸他們的眼睛。他們立刻能看見，就跟從了耶穌。
Matthew 20
English Standard Version
Laborers in the Vineyard
20 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius[a] a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ 5 So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. 6 And (A)about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ 7 They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ 8 And (B)when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his (C)foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’ 9 And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. 10 Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. 11 And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, 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 (D)the scorching heat.’ 13 But he replied to one of them, (E)‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take (F)what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. 15 (G)Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or (H)do you begrudge my generosity?’[b] 16 So (I)the last will be first, and the first last.”
Jesus Foretells His Death a Third Time
17 (J)And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them, 18 “See, (K)we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will (L)condemn him to death 19 and (M)deliver him over to the Gentiles (N)to be mocked and flogged and (O)crucified, and he will be raised on (P)the third day.”
A Mother's Request
20 (Q)Then (R)the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and (S)kneeling before him she asked him for something. 21 And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Say that these two sons of mine (T)are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, (U)in your kingdom.” 22 Jesus answered, (V)“You do not know what you are asking. Are you able (W)to drink the cup that I am to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” 23 He said to them, (X)“You will drink (Y)my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, (Z)but it is for those for whom it has been (AA)prepared by my Father.” 24 And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers. 25 But Jesus called them to him and said, (AB)“You know that the rulers of the Gentiles (AC)lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 26 (AD)It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant,[c] 27 and whoever would be first among you must be your slave,[d] 28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but (AE)to serve, and (AF)to give his life as a ransom for (AG)many.”
Jesus Heals Two Blind Men
29 (AH)And as they went out of Jericho, a great crowd followed him. 30 And behold, there were two blind men sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, “Lord,[e] have mercy on us, (AI)Son of David!” 31 The crowd (AJ)rebuked them, telling them to be silent, but they cried out all the more, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” 32 And stopping, Jesus called them and said, “What do you want me to do for you?” 33 They said to him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.” 34 And Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and immediately they recovered their sight and followed him.
Footnotes
- Matthew 20:2 A denarius was a day's wage for a laborer
- Matthew 20:15 Or is your eye bad because I am good?
- Matthew 20:26 Greek diakonos
- Matthew 20:27 Or bondservant, or servant (for the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface)
- Matthew 20:30 Some manuscripts omit Lord
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