Matthew 20

The Parable of the Workers

1“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.

1“For the kingdom of the heavens is like a man, a master of a house, who went out in the morning to hire workmen for his vineyard.

2He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard.

2And having agreed with the workmen for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.

3About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing.

3And having gone out about the third hour, he saw others standing in the marketplace idle.

4‘You also go into my vineyard,’ he said, ‘and I will pay you whatever is right.’

4And to those ones he said, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I will give you whatever may be right.’

5So they went.

He went out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour and did the same thing.

5And they went away. And having gone out again about the sixth and ninth hour, he did likewise.

6About the eleventh hour he went out and found still others standing around. ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’ he asked.

6And about the eleventh, having gone out, he found others standing, and he says to them, ‘Why do you stand here all the day idle?’

7‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered.

So he told them, ‘You also go into my vineyard.’

7They say to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He says to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard.’

8When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, starting with the last ones hired and moving on to the first.’

8And evening having come, the master of the vineyard says to his foreman, ‘Call the workmen and pay them the wages, having begun from the last, up to the first.’

9The workers who were hired about the eleventh hour came and each received a denarius.

9And having come, the ones of about the eleventh hour each received a denarius.

10So when the original workers came, they assumed they would receive more. But each of them also received a denarius.

10And having come, the first thought that they will receive more. But they themselves also received each a denarius.

11On receiving their pay, they began to grumble against the landowner.

11And having received it, they were grumbling against the master of the house,

12‘These men who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the scorching heat of the day.’

12saying, ‘These, the last, worked one hour, and you made them equal to us, the ones having borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’

13But he answered one of them, ‘Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Did you not agree with me on one denarius?

13And answering one of them, he said, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me on a denarius?

14Take your pay and go. I want to give this last man the same as I gave you.

14Take what is yours and go. But I want to give to this last one as to you also.

15Do I not have the right to do as I please with what is mine? Or are you envious because I am generous?’

15Or is it not lawful for me to do what I want with what is mine? Or is your eye evil because I am good?’

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

16Thus the last will be first, and the first, last.”

The Third Prediction of the Passion

17As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, He took the twelve disciples aside and said,

17And Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took aside the twelve disciples by themselves, and on the way He said to them,

18“Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes. They will condemn Him to death

18“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn Him to death.

19and will deliver Him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. And on the third day He will be raised to life.”

19And they will betray Him to the Gentiles to mock and to flog and to crucify, and on the third day He will be raised up.”

A Mother’s Request

20Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and knelt down to make a request of Him.

20Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him.

21“What do you want?” He inquired.

She answered, “Declare that in Your kingdom one of these two sons of mine may sit at Your right hand, and the other at Your left.”

21And He said to her, “What do you want?” She says to Him, “Say that these two sons of mine shall sit, one at Your right hand and one at Your left hand, in Your kingdom.”

22“You do not know what you are asking,” Jesus replied. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?”

“We can,” the brothers answered.

22And answering, Jesus said, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?” They say to Him, “We are able.”

23“You will indeed drink My cup,” Jesus said. “But to sit at My right or left is not Mine to grant. These seats belong to those for whom My Father has prepared them.”

23He says to them, “Indeed you will drink My cup, but to sit at My right hand and at My left, this is not Mine to give, but to those for whom it has been prepared by My Father.”

24When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers.

24And having heard, the ten were indignant about the two brothers.

25But Jesus called them aside and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their superiors exercise authority over them.

25But Jesus, having summoned them, said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and the great ones exercise authority over them.

26It shall not be this way among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,

26It will not be this way among you. But whoever may want to become great among you, he will be your servant;

27and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave—

27and whoever may want to be first among you, he will 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.”

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

The Blind Men by the Road

29As they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed Him.

29And in their going out from Jericho, a great crowd followed Him.

30And there were two blind men sitting beside the road. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

30And behold, two blind men sitting beside the road, having heard that Jesus is passing by, cried out, saying, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!”

31The crowd admonished them to be silent, but they cried out all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

31And the crowd rebuked them, that they should be silent. But they cried out all the more, saying, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!”

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

32And having stood, Jesus called them and said, “What do you want that I may do for you?”

33“Lord,” they answered, “let our eyes be opened.”

33They say to Him, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened.”

34Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes, and at once they received their sight and followed Him.

34And having been moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes, and immediately they received their sight, and they followed Him.