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. When he had agreed with the laborers for a [b]denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the [c]third hour and saw others standing idle in the market place; and to those he said, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ And so they went. Again he went out about the [d]sixth and the ninth hour, and did [e]the same thing. 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?’ They *said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He *said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’

“When (C)evening came, the [g]owner of the vineyard *said to his (D)foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last group to the first.’ When those hired about the eleventh hour came, each one received a [h]denarius. 10 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 last men have worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the (E)scorching heat of the day.’ 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 wish to give to this last man the same as to you. 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish 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 way He said to them, 18 “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of Man (J)will be [l]delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn Him to death, 19 and (K)will hand Him over to the Gentiles to mock and scourge and crucify Him, and on (L)the third day He will be raised up.”

Preferment Asked

20 (M)Then the mother of (N)the sons of Zebedee came to [m]Jesus with her sons, (O)bowing down and making a request of Him. 21 And He said to her, “What do you wish?” She *said to Him, “Command that in Your kingdom these two sons of mine (P)may sit one on Your right and one on Your left.” 22 But Jesus answered, “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 on My right and on My left, this is not Mine to give, (S)but it is for those for whom it has been (T)prepared by My Father.”

24 And hearing this, the ten became indignant with the two brothers. 25 (U)But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. 26 It is not this way among you, (V)but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, 27 and whoever wishes 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 [n]life a ransom for many.”

Sight for the Blind

29 (Y)As they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed Him. 30 And two blind men sitting by the road, hearing that Jesus was passing by, cried out, “Lord, (Z)have mercy on us, (AA)Son of David!” 31 The crowd sternly told them to be quiet, but 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

  1. Matthew 20:1 Lit a man, a landowner
  2. Matthew 20:2 The denarius was a day’s wages
  3. Matthew 20:3 I.e. 9 a.m.
  4. Matthew 20:5 I.e. noon and 3 p.m.
  5. Matthew 20:5 Lit similarly
  6. Matthew 20:6 I.e. 5 p.m.
  7. Matthew 20:8 Or lord
  8. Matthew 20:9 The denarius was a day’s wages
  9. Matthew 20:10 Lit each one a denarius
  10. Matthew 20:15 Lit evil
  11. Matthew 20:15 Lit good
  12. Matthew 20:18 Or betrayed
  13. Matthew 20:20 Lit Him
  14. Matthew 20:28 Or soul

20 `For the reign of the heavens is like to a man, a householder, who went forth with the morning to hire workmen for his vineyard,

and having agreed with the workmen for a denary a day, he sent them into his vineyard.

`And having gone forth about the third hour, he saw others standing in the market-place idle,

and to these he said, Go ye -- also ye -- to the vineyard, and whatever may be righteous I will give you;

and they went away. `Again, having gone forth about the sixth and the ninth hour, he did in like manner.

And about the eleventh hour, having gone forth, he found others standing idle, and saith to them, Why here have ye stood all the day idle?

they say to him, Because no one did hire us; he saith to them, Go ye -- ye also -- to the vineyard, and whatever may be righteous ye shall receive.

`And evening having come, the lord of the vineyard saith to his steward, Call the workmen, and pay them the reward, having begun from the last -- unto the first.

And they of about the eleventh hour having come, did receive each a denary.

10 `And the first having come, did suppose that they shall receive more, and they received, they also, each a denary,

11 and having received [it], they were murmuring against the householder, saying,

12 that These, the last, wrought one hour, and thou didst make them equal to us, who were bearing the burden of the day -- and the heat.

13 `And he answering said to one of them, Comrade, I do no unrighteousness to thee; for a denary didst not thou agree with me?

14 take that which is thine, and go; and I will to give to this, the last, also as to thee;

15 is it not lawful to me to do what I will in mine own? is thine eye evil because I am good?

16 So the last shall be first, and the first last, for many are called, and few chosen.'

17 And Jesus going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples by themselves in the way, and said to them,

18 `Lo, we go up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man shall be delivered to the chief priests and scribes,

19 and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the nations to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify, and the third day he will rise again.'

20 Then came near to him the mother of the sons of Zebedee, with her sons, bowing and asking something from him,

21 and he said to her, `What wilt thou?' She saith to him, `Say, that they may sit -- these my two sons -- one on thy right hand, and one on the left, in thy reign.'

22 And Jesus answering said, `Ye have not known what ye ask for yourselves; are ye able to drink of the cup that I am about to drink? and with the baptism that I am baptized with, to be baptized?' They say to him, `We are able.'

23 And he saith to them, `Of my cup indeed ye shall drink, and with the baptism that I am baptized with ye shall be baptized; but to sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give, but -- to those for whom it hath been prepared by my father.'

24 And the ten having heard, were much displeased with the two brothers,

25 and Jesus having called them near, said, `Ye have known that the rulers of the nations do exercise lordship over them, and those great do exercise authority over them,

26 but not so shall it be among you, but whoever may will among you to become great, let him be your ministrant;

27 and whoever may will among you to be first, let him be your servant;

28 even as the Son of Man did not come to be ministered to, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.'

29 And they going forth from Jericho, there followed him a great multitude,

30 and lo, two blind men sitting by the way, having heard that Jesus doth pass by, cried, saying, `Deal kindly with us, sir -- Son of David.'

31 And the multitude charged them that they might be silent, and they cried out the more, saying, `Deal kindly with us sir -- Son of David.'

32 And having stood, Jesus called them, and said, `What will ye [that] I may do to you?'

33 they say to him, `Sir, that our eyes may be opened;'

34 and having been moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes, and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.