Matthew 20
20
Workers in a Vineyard
1As Jesus was telling what the kingdom of heaven would be like, he said:
Early one morning a man went out to hire some workers for his vineyard. 2After he had agreed to pay them the usual amount for a day's work, he sent them off to his vineyard.
3About nine that morning, the man saw some other people standing in the market with nothing to do. 4He promised to pay them what was fair, if they would work in his vineyard. 5So they went.
At noon and again about three in the afternoon he returned to the market. And each time he made the same agreement with others who were loafing around with nothing to do.
6Finally, about five in the afternoon the man went back and found some others standing there. He asked them, “Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?”
7“Because no one has hired us,” they answered. Then he told them to go work in his vineyard.
8 #
Lv 19.13; Dt 24.15. That evening the owner of the vineyard told the man in charge of the workers to call them in and give them their money. He also told the man to begin with the ones who were hired last. 9When the workers arrived, the ones who had been hired at five in the afternoon were given a full day's pay.
10The workers who had been hired first thought they would be given more than the others. But when they were given the same, 11they began complaining to the owner of the vineyard. 12They said, “The ones who were hired last worked for only one hour. But you paid them the same that you did us. And we worked in the hot sun all day long!”
13The owner answered one of them, “Friend, I didn't cheat you. I paid you exactly what we agreed on. 14Take your money now and go! What business is it of yours if I want to pay them the same that I paid you? 15Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Why should you be jealous, if I want to be generous?”
16 #
Mt 19.30; Mk 10.31; Lk 13.30. Jesus then said, “So it is. Everyone who is now last will be first, and everyone who is first will be last.”
Jesus Again Tells about His Death
(Mark 10.32-34; Luke 18.31-34)
17As Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, he took his twelve disciples aside and told them in private:
18We are now on our way to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the teachers of the Law of Moses. They will sentence him to death, 19and then they will hand him over to foreigners#20.19 foreigners: The Romans, who ruled Judea at this time. who will make fun of him. They will beat him and nail him to a cross. But on the third day he will rise from death.
A Mother's Request
(Mark 10.35-45)
20The mother of James and John#20.20 mother of James and John: The Greek text has “mother of the sons of Zebedee” (see 26.37). came to Jesus with her two sons. She knelt down and started begging him to do something for her. 21Jesus asked her what she wanted, and she said, “When you come into your kingdom, please let one of my sons sit at your right side and the other at your left.”#20.21 right side … left: The most powerful people in a kingdom sat at the right and left side of the king.
22Jesus answered, “Not one of you knows what you are asking. Are you able to drink from the cup#20.22 drink from the cup: In the Scriptures a cup is sometimes used as a symbol of suffering. To “drink from the cup” is to suffer. that I must soon drink from?”
James and John said, “Yes, we are!”
23Jesus replied, “You certainly will drink from my cup! But it isn't for me to say who will sit at my right side and at my left. This is for my Father to say.”
24When the ten other disciples heard this, they were angry with the two brothers. 25#Lk 22.25,26. But Jesus called the disciples together and said:
You know foreign rulers like to order their people around. And their great leaders have full power over everyone they rule. 26#Mt 23.11; Mk 9.35; Lk 22.26. But don't act like them. If you want to be great, you must be the servant of all the others. 27And if you want to be first, you must be the slave of the rest. 28The Son of Man did not come to be a slave master, but a slave who will give his life to rescue#20.28 rescue: The Greek word often, though not always, means the payment of a price to free a slave or a prisoner. many people.
Jesus Heals Two Blind Men
(Mark 10.46-52; Luke 18.35-43)
29Jesus was followed by a large crowd as he and his disciples were leaving Jericho. 30Two blind men were sitting beside the road. And when they heard that Jesus was coming their way, they shouted, “Lord and Son of David,#20.30 Son of David: See the note at 9.27. have pity on us!”
31The crowd told them to be quiet, but they shouted even louder, “Lord and Son of David, have pity on us!”
32When Jesus heard them, he stopped and asked, “What do you want me to do for you?”
33They answered, “Lord, we want to see!”
34Jesus felt sorry for them and touched their eyes. At once they could see, and they became his followers.
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Matthew 20: CEV
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.
Matthew 20
20
The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard
1 “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. 2And after#*Here “after” is supplied as a component of the participle (“coming to an agreement”) which is understood as temporal coming to an agreement with the workers for a denarius per day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3And going out about the third hour, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace. 4And to those people he said, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I will give you whatever is right.’ 5So they went. Going out#Some manuscripts have “And going out” again about the sixth and ninth hour he did the same thing. 6And about the eleventh hour he went out and#*Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“went out”) has been translated as a finite verb found others standing there and said to them, ‘Why are you standing here the whole day unemployed?’ 7They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go also into the vineyard.’ 8And when#*Here “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“came”) evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the workers and pay them their#Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun wages, beginning from the last up to the first.’ 9And when the ones hired about the eleventh hour came, they received a denarius apiece. 10And when#*Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“came”) which is understood as temporal the first came, they thought that they would receive more, and they also received a denarius apiece. 11And when they#*Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“received”) which is understood as temporal received it,#*Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation they began to complain#The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here (“began to complain”) against the master of the house, 12saying, ‘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!’ 13But he answered one of them and#*Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“answered”) has been translated as a finite verb said, ‘Friend, I am not doing you wrong. Did you not come to an agreement with me for a denarius? 14Take what is yours and go! But I want to give to this last person the same as I gave#The words “I gave” are an implied repetition from the verb earlier in the verse to you also. 15Is it not#Some manuscripts have “Or is it not” permitted for me to do whatever I want with what is mine? Or is your eye evil because I am generous?’ 16Thus the last will be first and the first last.”
Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection a Third Time
17And as#*Here “as” is supplied as a component of the participle (“was going up”) which is understood as temporal 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, 19and will hand him over to the Gentiles to mock him#*Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation and flog him#*Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation and crucify him,#*Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation and on the third day he will be raised.”
A Request by the Mother of James and John
20Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and#*Here “and” is supplied because the participle (“kneeling down”) has been translated as a finite verb in keeping with English style kneeling down she asked#*Here the participle (“asked”) is translated as a finite verb because of English style something from him. 21And 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.” 22But Jesus answered and#*Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“answered”) has been translated as a finite verb 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.” 23He said to them, “You will indeed drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine#Some manuscripts have “this is not mine” to grant, but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”
24And when#*Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“heard”) which is understood as temporal the ten heard this,#*Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation they were indignant concerning the two brothers. 25But Jesus called them to himself and#*Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“called … to himself”) has been translated as a finite verb said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in high positions exercise authority over them. 26It will not be like this among you! But whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27and whoever wants to be most prominent among you must be your slave—28just 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
29And as#*Here “as” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“were going out”) they were going out of Jericho, a large crowd followed him. 30And behold, there were two blind men sitting beside the road. When they#*Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“heard”) which is understood as temporal heard that Jesus was passing by, they called out, saying, “Lord, have mercy on us,#Some manuscripts have “Have mercy on us, Lord” Son of David!” 31And the crowd rebuked them so that they would be quiet. But they called out all the more, saying, “Lord, have mercy on us,#Some manuscripts have “Have mercy on us, Lord” Son of David!” 32And Jesus stopped,#*Here the participle (“stopped”) is translated as a finite verb because of English style called them, and said, “What do you want me to do for you?” 33They said to him, “Lord, that our eyes be opened!” 34And having compassion, Jesus touched their eyes, and immediately they received their sight and followed him.
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