Matthew 20

The Parable of the Vineyard Workers

1 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 After agreeing with the workers on one denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 When he went out about nine in the morning, he saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. 4 To those men he said, 'You also go to my vineyard, and I'll give you whatever is right.' So off they went. 5 About noon and at three, he went out again and did the same thing.

6 Then about five he went and found others standing around, and said to them, 'Why have you been standing here all day doing nothing?'

7 "'Because no one hired us,' they said to him.
"'You also go to my vineyard,' he told them.

8 When evening came, the owner of the vineyard told his foreman, 'Call the workers and give them their pay, starting with the last and ending with the first.'
9 "When those who were hired about five came, they each received one denarius. 10 So when the first ones came, they assumed they would get more, but they also received a denarius each. 11 When they received it, they began to complain to the landowner:

12 'These last men put in one hour, and you made them equal to us who bore the burden of the day and the burning heat!'
13 "He replied to one of them, 'Friend, I'm doing you no wrong. Didn't you agree with me on a denarius? 14 Take what's yours and go. I want to give this last man the same as I gave you.

15 Don't I have the right to do what I want with my business? Are you jealous because I'm generous?'

16 "So the last will be first, and the first last."

The Third Prediction of His Death

17 While going up to Jerusalem, Jesus took the 12 disciples aside privately and said to them on the way: 18 "Listen! We are going up to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn Him to death.

19 Then they will hand Him over to the Gentiles to be mocked, flogged, and crucified, and He will be resurrected on the third day."

Suffering and Service

20 Then the mother of Zebedee's sons approached Him with her sons. She knelt down to ask Him for something.

21 "What do you want?" He asked her.
"Promise," she said to Him, "that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right and the other on Your left, in Your kingdom."

22 But Jesus answered, "You don't know what you're asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?"
"We are able," they said to Him.
23 He told them, "You will indeed drink My cup. But to sit at My right and left is not Mine to give; instead, it belongs to those for whom it has been prepared by My Father." 24 When the 10 [disciples] heard this, they became indignant with the two brothers. 25 But Jesus called them over and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles dominate them, and the men of high position exercise power over them. 26 It must not be like that among you. On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave;

28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life-a ransom for many."

Two Blind Men Healed

29 As they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed Him. 30 There were two blind men sitting by the road. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, "Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!"

31 The crowd told them to keep quiet, but they cried out all the more, "Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!"

32 Jesus stopped, called them, and said, "What do you want Me to do for you?"
33 "Lord," they said to Him, "open our eyes!"

34 Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes. Immediately they could see, and they followed Him.

Matthew 20

Workers in a vineyard

1 As 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.

2 After he had agreed to pay them the usual amount for a day's work, he sent them off to his vineyard.
3 About nine that morning, the man saw some other people standing in the market with nothing to do. 4 He said he would pay them what was fair, if they would work in his vineyard.

5 So 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.

6 Finally, 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.
8 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.t

9 When the workers arrived, the ones who had been hired at five in the afternoon were given a full day's pay.
10 The workers who had been hired first thought they would be given more than the others. But when they were given the same, 11 they began complaining to the owner of the vineyard.

12 They 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!”
13 The owner answered one of them, “Friend, I didn't cheat you. I paid you exactly what we agreed on. 14 Take your money now and go! What business is it of yours if I want to pay them the same that I paid you?

15 Don'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 Jesus then said, “So it is. Everyone who is now first will be last, and everyone who is last will be first.”t

Jesus again tells about his death

(Mark 10.32-34; Luke 18.31-34)

17 As Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, he took his twelve disciples aside and told them in private:
18 We 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,

19 and then they will hand him over to foreignerst 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)

21 Jesus 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.”t

22 Jesus answered, “Not one of you knows what you are asking. Are you able to drink from the cupt that I must soon drink from?”
James and John said, “Yes, we are!”

23 Jesus 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.”
24 When the ten other disciples heard this, they were angry with the two brothers.

25 But Jesus called the disciples together and said:t
You know that foreign rulers like to order their people around. And their great leaders have full power over everyone they rule. 26 But don't act like them. If you want to be great, you must be the servant of all the others.t 27 And if you want to be first, you must be the slave of the rest.

28 The Son of Man did not come to be a slave master, but a slave who will give his life to rescuet many people.

Jesus heals two blind men

(Mark 10.46-52; Luke 18.35-43)

30 Two blind men were sitting beside the road. And when they heard that Jesus was coming their way, they shouted, “Lord and Son of David,t have pity on us!”

31 The crowd told them to be quiet, but they shouted even louder, “Lord and Son of David, have pity on us!”

32 When Jesus heard them, he stopped and asked, “What do you want me to do for you?”

33 They answered, “Lord, we want to see!”
34 Jesus felt sorry for them and touched their eyes. Straight away they could see, and they became his followers.