Matthew 20
20
Laborers in the Vineyard
1 “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. 2After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius#20:2 A denarius was a day’s wage for a laborer a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ 5So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. 6And #[1 Cor. 15:8]about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ 7They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ 8And #Lev. 19:13; Deut. 24:15 when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his #Luke 8:3; [ch. 24:45]foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’ 9And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. 10Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. 11And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, 12saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and #Luke 12:55; James 1:11 (Gk.)the scorching heat.’ 13But he replied to one of them, #ch. 22:12; 26:50‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14Take #ch. 25:25what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. 15#[Rom. 9:15-24] Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or #ch. 6:23; Deut. 15:9; Prov. 23:6do you begrudge my generosity?’#20:15 Or is your eye bad because I am good? 16So #See ch. 19:30the last will be first, and the first last.”
Jesus Foretells His Death a Third Time
17 # For ver. 17-19, see Mark 10:32-34; Luke 18:31-33; [ch. 16:21-28; 17:12, 22, 23] And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them, 18“See, #See ch. 16:21 we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will #ch. 26:66; John 19:7condemn him to death 19and #ch. 27:2; John 18:30, 31; Acts 3:13; [Acts 2:23; 4:27; 21:11] deliver him over to the Gentiles #ch. 27:26-31 to be mocked and flogged and #ch. 26:2; Luke 24:7; John 12:32, 33; 18:32 crucified, and he will be raised on #ch. 16:21; 27:63the third day.”
A Mother’s Request
20 # For ver. 20-28, see Mark 10:35-45 Then #ch. 4:21; 27:56 the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and #See ch. 8:2kneeling before him she asked him for something. 21And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Say that these two sons of mine #[ch. 19:28] are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, #ch. 16:28; 25:31, 34; Luke 23:42in your kingdom.” 22Jesus answered, #[Luke 9:33; 23:34] “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able #ch. 26:29, 42; Mark 14:36; Luke 22:42; John 18:11; [Isa. 51:22]to drink the cup that I am to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” 23He said to them, #[Rom. 8:17; Phil. 3:10] “You will drink #Acts 12:2; Rev. 1:9 my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, #[ch. 19:11] but it is for those for whom it has been #ch. 25:34prepared by my Father.” 24And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers. 25But Jesus called them to him and said, #For ver. 25-28, [ch. 18:1-4; Luke 22:25-27] “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles #1 Pet. 5:3lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 26#ch. 23:11; [Luke 9:48]It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant,#20:26 Greek diakonos 27and whoever would be first among you must be your slave,#20:27 Or bondservant, or servant (for the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface) 28even as the Son of Man came not to be served but #John 13:4, 13-15; Phil. 2:7; [2 Cor. 8:9] to serve, and #Isa. 53:10; Dan. 9:26; John 10:15; 11:51, 52; Rom. 4:25; Gal. 1:4; 2:20; 1 Tim. 2:6; Titus 2:14; 1 Pet. 1:18, 19 to give his life as a ransom for #ch. 26:28; Isa. 53:11, 12; Heb. 2:10; 9:28; [Rom. 5:15; Rev. 5:9]many.”
Jesus Heals Two Blind Men
29 # For ver. 29-34, see Mark 10:46-52; Luke 18:35-43; [ch. 9:27-31] And as they went out of Jericho, a great crowd followed him. 30And behold, there were two blind men sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, “Lord,#20:30 Some manuscripts omit Lord have mercy on us, #ch. 21:9; 22:42; See ch. 1:1Son of David!” 31The crowd #ch. 19:13rebuked them, telling them to be silent, but they cried out all the more, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” 32And stopping, Jesus called them and said, “What do you want me to do for you?” 33They said to him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.” 34And Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and immediately they recovered their sight and followed him.
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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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Matthew 20
20
1For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that was a householder, who went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard. 2And when he had agreed with the laborers for a shilling a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing in the marketplace idle; 4and to them he said, Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. 5Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. 6And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing; and he saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? 7They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard. 8And when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the laborers, and pay them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. 9And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a shilling. 10And when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received every man a shilling. 11And when they received it, they murmured against the householder, 12saying, These last have spent but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat. 13But he answered and said to one of them, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a shilling? 14Take up that which is thine, and go thy way; it is my will to give unto this last, even as unto thee. 15Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? or is thine eye evil, because I am good? 16So the last shall be first, and the first last.
17And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples apart, and on the way he said unto them, 18Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests and scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, 19and shall deliver him unto the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify: and the third day he shall be raised up.
20Then came to him the mother of the sons of Zebedee with her sons, worshipping him, and asking a certain thing of him. 21And he said unto her, What wouldest thou? She saith unto him, Command that these my two sons may sit, one on thy right hand, and one on thy left hand, in thy kingdom. 22But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink the cup that I am about to drink? They say unto him, We are able. 23He saith unto them, My cup indeed ye shall drink: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left hand, is not mine to give; but it is for them for whom it hath been prepared of my Father. 24And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation concerning the two brethren. 25But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 26Not so shall it be among you: but whosoever would become great among you shall be your minister; 27and whosoever would be first among you shall be your servant: 28even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
29And as they went out from Jericho, a great multitude followed him. 30And behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, Lord, have mercy on us, thou son of David. 31And the multitude rebuked them, that they should hold their peace: but they cried out the more, saying, Lord, have mercy on us, thou son of David. 32And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I should do unto you? 33They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened. 34And Jesus, being moved with compassion, touched their eyes; and straightway they received their sight, and followed him.
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