Matthew 20
20
The Story of the Workers in the Vineyard
1“The kingdom of heaven is like the manager of an estate who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2He agreed to give them the usual pay for a day’s work, and he sent them into the vineyard.
3“About nine o’clock, he went out again and saw others standing in the market doing nothing. 4He told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I’ll pay you what’s fair.’ 5So they went.
“He went out again at about noon and at three o’clock and did the same thing. 6About five o’clock he went out and found others still standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day doing nothing?’
7“ ‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered.
“He said to them, ‘You go and work in my vineyard too.’
8“When evening came, the manager of the vineyard told his foreman, ‘Call the workers in and give them their pay. Begin with the ones I hired last and end with the ones I hired first.’
9“When the workers who’d been hired at about five o’clock came in, each one was given the usual pay for a whole day. 10So when those who’d been hired first came in, they expected to receive more. But each of them also received a day’s pay. 11When they saw what they were getting, they began to complain about the manager. 12‘Those people who were hired last only worked for one hour,’ they said. ‘But you paid them the same as us, even though we did most of the work and were out in the hot sun all day.’
13“The manager answered one of them, ‘I’m not being unfair to you, my friend. Didn’t you agree to work for the usual day’s pay? 14Take your money and go. I want to give the ones I hired last the same pay I gave you. 15Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Why should you feel cheated just because I was generous to the others?’
16“So those who are last will be first, and those who are first will be last.”
Jesus Speaks a Third Time About His Coming Death
17Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, and on the way, he took his 12 disciples to one side to talk to them. 18“We’re going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and there the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and teachers of the law. They will sentence him to death 19and hand him over to the Gentiles, who will make fun of him and whip him. They will nail him to a cross, but on the third day he will rise from the dead!”
High Positions in the Kingdom
20The mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus. They came along with her. She got down on her knees and asked him for a favor.
21“What do you want?” Jesus asked.
She said, “Promise that in your kingdom, my two sons will get thrones right next to yours, one on each side of you.”
22“You don’t know what you’re asking for,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup of suffering that I’m going to drink?”
“We can,” they answered.
23Jesus said to them, “You will certainly drink from my cup. But it’s not up to me who will sit next to me. Those places belong to the ones my Father has prepared them for.”
24When the other ten disciples heard about this, they got angry at the two brothers. 25But Jesus called them all together and said, “You know that the leaders of the Gentiles like to use their power over others and that their high officials order people around. 26Don’t be like that. Instead, any one of you who wants to be great must become a servant to all the others, 27and anyone who wants to be first must be a slave. 28Be like the Son of Man, who didn’t come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life to set people free.”
Two Blind Men Become Able to See
29As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples, a large crowd was following him. 30Two men who were blind were sitting by the side of the road. When they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, “Lord! Son of David! Have mercy on us!”
31The crowd told them to stop shouting and be quiet. But the two men shouted even more loudly, “Lord! Son of David! Have mercy on us!”
32Jesus stopped and called out to them, “What do you want me to do for you?”
33“Lord,” they answered, “we want to be able to see.”
34Jesus felt deep concern for them, so he went over and touched their eyes. Right away they became able to see, and they followed him.
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Matthew 20
20
Laborers in the Vineyard
1 “For the kingdom of heaven is like # 20:1 Lit a man, a landowner a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2When he had agreed with the laborers for a #20:2 The denarius was a day’s wages for a laborerdenarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3And he went out about the #20:3 I.e., 9 a.m.third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace; 4and to those he said, ‘You go into the vineyard also, and whatever is right, I will give you.’ And so they went. 5Again he went out about the #20:5 I.e., noon and 3 p.m.sixth and the ninth hour, and did #20:5 Lit similarlythe same thing. 6And about the #20:6 I.e., 5 p.m.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?’ 7They *said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He *said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’
8 “Now when evening came, the # 20:8 Or lord owner of the vineyard *said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, starting with the last group to the first.’ 9When those hired about the eleventh hour came, each one received a #20:9 The denarius was a day’s wages for a laborerdenarius. 10And so when those hired first came, they thought that they would receive more; #20:10 Lit each one a denariusbut each of them also received a denarius. 11When they received it, they grumbled at the landowner, 12saying, ‘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 scorching heat.’ 13But he answered and said to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14Take what is yours and go; but I want to give to this last person the same as to you. 15Is it not lawful for me to do what I want with what is my own? Or is your eye #20:15 Lit evilenvious because I am #20:15 Lit goodgenerous?’ 16So the last shall be first, and the first, last.”
Death, Resurrection Foretold
17As 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 will be #20:18 Or betrayedhanded over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn Him to death, 19and they will hand Him over to the Gentiles to mock and flog and crucify, and on the third day He will be raised up.”
Request for Preferred Treatment
20Then the mother of the #20:20 I.e., the apostles James and Johnsons of Zebedee came to #20:20 Lit HimJesus with her sons, bowing down and making a request of Him. 21And He said to her, “What do you desire?” She *said to Him, “Say that in Your kingdom these two sons of mine shall sit, one at Your right, and one at Your left.” 22But Jesus replied, “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.” 23He *said to them, “My cup you shall drink; but to sit at My right and at My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by My Father.”
24And after hearing this, the other ten disciples became indignant with the two brothers. 25But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles domineer over them, and #20:25 Lit the great onesthose in high position exercise authority over them. 26It #20:26 One early ms shall not beis not this way among you, but whoever wants to become #20:26 Lit greatprominent among you shall be your servant, 27and whoever desires to be first among you shall be your slave; 28just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His #20:28 Or soullife as a ransom for many.”
Sight for Those Who Are Blind
29As they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed Him. 30And two people who were blind, sitting by the road, hearing that Jesus was passing by, cried out, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” 31But the crowd sternly warned them to be quiet; yet they cried out all the more, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” 32And Jesus stopped and called them, and said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” 33They *said to Him, “Lord, we want our eyes to be opened.” 34Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes; and immediately they regained their sight and followed Him.
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