St Matthew 20
20
1THE kingdom of heaven is like to an householder, who went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.
2And having agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
3And going about the third hour, he saw others standing in the market place idle.
4And he said to them: Go you also into my vineyard, and I will give you what shall be just.
5And they went their way. And again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did in like manner.
6But about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing, and he saith to them: Why stand you here all the day idle?
7They say to him: Because no man hath hired us. He saith to them: Go you also into my vineyard.
8And when evening was come, the lord of the vineyard saith to his steward: Call the labourers and pay them their hire, beginning from the last even to the first.
9When therefore they were come, that came about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.
10But when the first also came, they thought that they should receive more: and they also received every man a penny.
11And receiving it they murmured against the master of the house,
12Saying: These last have worked but one hour, and thou hast made them equal to us, that have borne the burden of the day and the heats.
13But he answering said to one of them: Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst thou not agree with me for a penny?
14Take what is thine, and go thy way: I will also give to this last even as to thee.
15Or, is it not lawful for me to do what I will? is thy eye evil, because I am good?
16So shall the last be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.
17And Jesus going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples apart, and said to them:
18Behold we go up to Jerusalem, and the Son of man shall be betrayed to the chief priests and the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death.
19And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to be mocked, and scourged, and crucified, and the third day he shall rise again.
20Then came to him the mother of the sons of Zebedee with her sons, adoring and asking something of him.
21Who said to her: What wilt thou? She saith to him: Say that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left, in thy kingdom.
22And Jesus answering, said: You know not what you ask. Can you drink the chalice that I shall drink? They say to him: We can.
23He saith to them: My chalice indeed you shall drink; but to sit on my right or left hand, is not mine to give to you, but to them for whom it is prepared by my Father.
24And the ten hearing it, were moved with indignation against the two brethren.
25But Jesus called them to him, and said: You know that the princes of the Gentiles lord it over them; and they that are the greater, exercise power upon them.
26It shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be the greater among you, let him be your minister:
27And he that will be first among you, shall be your servant.
28Even as the Son of man is not come to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a redemption for many.
29And when they went out from Jericho, a great multitude followed him.
30And behold two blind men sitting by the way side, heard that Jesus passed by, and they cried out, saying: O Lord, thou son of David, have mercy on us.
31And the multitude rebuked them that they should hold their peace. But they cried out the more, saying: O Lord, thou son of David, have mercy on us.
32And Jesus stood, and called them, and said: What will ye that I do to you?
33They say to him: Lord, that our eyes be opened.
34And Jesus having compassion on them, touched their eyes. And immediately they saw, and followed him.
Currently Selected:
St Matthew 20: DRC1752
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.
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 said he would pay them what was fair, if they would work in his vineyard. 5So they went.
At midday and again about three in the afternoon he returned to the market. And each time he made the same agreement with others who were lazing 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 and work in his vineyard.
8That 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.#Lv 19.13; Dt 24.15. 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?”
16Jesus then said, “So it is. Everyone who is now first will be last, and everyone who is last will be first.”#Mt 19.30; Mk 10.31; Lk 13.30.
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. That is for my Father to say.”
24When the ten other disciples heard this, they were angry with the two brothers. 25But Jesus called the disciples together and said:#Lk 22.25,26.
You know that foreign rulers like to order their people around. And their great leaders have full power over everyone they rule. 26But don't act like them. If you want to be great, you must be the servant of all the others.#Mt 23.11; Mk 9.35; Lk 22.26. 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. Straight away they could see, and they became his followers.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
© British and Foreign Bible Society 2012