Matthew 20

1 For 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.2 And when he had agreed with the laborers for a shilling a day, he sent them into his vineyard.3 And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing in the marketplace idle;4 and to them he said, Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.5 Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise.6 And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing; and he saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?7 They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard.8 And 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.9 And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a shilling.10 And when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received every man a shilling.11 And when they received it, they murmured against the householder,12 saying, 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.13 But he answered and said to one of them, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a shilling?14 Take up that which is thine, and go thy way; it is my will to give unto this last, even as unto thee.15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? or is thine eye evil, because I am good?16 So the last shall be first, and the first last.

17 And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples apart, and on the way he said unto them,18 Behold, 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,19 and shall deliver him unto the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify: and the third day he shall be raised up.

20 Then came to him the mother of the sons of Zebedee with her sons, worshipping him, and asking a certain thing of him.21 And 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.22 But 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.23 He 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.24 And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation concerning the two brethren.25 But 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.26 Not so shall it be among you: but whosoever would become great among you shall be your minister;27 and whosoever would be first among you shall be your servant:28 even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

29 And as they went out from Jericho, a great multitude followed him.30 And 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.31 And 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.32 And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I should do unto you?33 They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened.34 And Jesus, being moved with compassion, touched their eyes; and straightway they received their sight, and followed him.

Matthew 20

The Workers in the Vineyard

1  “The Kingdom of heaven is like this. Once there was a man who went out early in the morning to hire some men to work in his vineyard. 2  He agreed to pay them the regular wage, a silver coin a day, and sent them to work in his vineyard. 3  He went out again to the market place at nine o'clock and saw some men standing there doing nothing, 4  so he told them, ‘You also go and work in the vineyard, and I will pay you a fair wage.’ 5  So they went. Then at twelve o'clock and again at three o'clock he did the same thing. 6  It was nearly five o'clock when he went to the market place and saw some other men still standing there. ‘Why are you wasting the whole day here doing nothing?’ he asked them.

7  ‘No one hired us,’ they answered. ‘Well, then, you also go and work in the vineyard,’ he told them.
8  “When evening came, the owner told his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, starting with those who were hired last and ending with those who were hired first.’ t 9 The men who had begun to work at five o'clock were paid a silver coin each. 10 So when the men who were the first to be hired came to be paid, they thought they would get more; but they too were given a silver coin each. 11 They took their money and started grumbling against the employer.

12 ‘These men who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘while we put up with a whole day's work in the hot sun — yet you paid them the same as you paid us!’
13  “ ‘Listen, friend,’ the owner answered one of them, ‘I have not cheated you. After all, you agreed to do a day's work for one silver coin. 14  Now take your pay and go home. I want to give this man who was hired last as much as I have given you.

15  Don't I have the right to do as I wish with my own money? Or are you jealous because I am generous?’ ”

16 And Jesus concluded, “So those who are last will be first, and those who are first will be last.”t

Jesus Speaks a Third Time about his Death

(Mk 10.32–34; Lk 18.31–34)

19 and then hand him over to the Gentiles, who will mock him, whip him, and crucify him; but three days later he will be raised to life.”

A Mother's Request

(Mk 10.35–45)

20 Then the wife of Zebedee came to Jesus with her two sons, bowed before him, and asked him a favour.

21  “What do you want?” Jesus asked her.
She answered, “Promise me that these two sons of mine will sit at your right and your left when you are King.”

22  “You don't know what you are asking for,” Jesus answered the sons. “Can you drink the cup of suffering that I am about to drink?”
“We can,” they answered.

23  “You will indeed drink from my cup,” Jesus told them, “but I do not have the right to choose who will sit at my right and my left. These places belong to those for whom my Father has prepared them.”
24 When the other ten disciples heard about this, they became angry with the two brothers. 25 So Jesus called them all together and said, “You know that the rulers of the heathen have power over them, and the leaders have complete authority.t 26 This, however, is not the way it shall be among you. If one of you wants to be great, he must be the servant of the rest;t 27 and if one of you wants to be first, he must be your slave —

28 like the Son of Man, who did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life to redeem many people.”

Jesus Heals Two Blind Men

(Mk 10.46–52; Lk 18.35–43)

30 Two blind men who were sitting by the road heard that Jesus was passing by, so they began to shout, “Son of David! Take pity on us, sir!”

31 The crowd scolded them and told them to be quiet. But they shouted even more loudly, “Son of David! Take pity on us, sir!”

32 Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked them.

33 “Sir,” they answered, “we want you to give us our sight!”
34 Jesus had pity on them and touched their eyes; at once they were able to see, and they followed him.