Matthew 20

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

For the kingdom of heaven is like an employer who went out in the early morning to hire laborers for his vineyards.

2 He agreed to pay the workers one denarius for the day, and sent them to work in his vineyard.

He agreed with the laborers to pay them the standard daily rate of two silver coins, and sent them into his vineyard.

3 Around 9 a.m. he went out and saw others without work standing in the marketplace.

On going out again, about nine o’clock, he saw some others standing in the marketplace, doing nothing.

4 ‘Go and work in the vineyard too, and I'll pay you what's right,’ he told them. So they went to work.

‘You also may go into my vineyard,’ he said, ‘and I will pay you what is fair.’

5 Around noon and 3 p.m. he went out and did the same thing.

So they went. Going out again about midday and about three o’clock, he did as before.

6 At 5 p.m. he went out and found others standing there. ‘Why are you standing around all day doing nothing?’ he asked them.

When he went out about five, he found some others standing there, and said to them ‘Why have you been standing here all day long, doing nothing?’

7 ‘Because nobody has hired us,’ they replied. ‘Go and work in the vineyard too,’ he told them.

‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered. ‘You also may go into my vineyard,’ he said.

8 When evening came, the owner of the vineyard told his manager, ‘Call the workers in, and pay them their wages. Begin with the workers hired last and then move on to those hired first.’

In the evening the owner of the vineyard said to his steward ‘Call the laborers, and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, and ending with the first.’

9 When those who were hired at 5 p.m. came in, they each received one denarius.

Now when those who had been hired about five o’clock went up, they received two silver coins each.

10 So when those who were hired first came in, they thought they would get more, but they also received one denarius.

So, when the first went up, they thought that they would receive more, but they also received two silver coins each;

11 When they received their pay, they complained to the owner.

at which they began to grumble at their employer.

12 ‘Those who were hired last only worked for an hour, and you've paid them the same as us who worked the whole day in the burning heat,’ they grumbled.

‘These last,’ they said, ‘have done only one hour’s work, and yet you have put them on the same footing with us, who have borne the brunt of the day’s work, and the heat.’

13 The owner answered one of them, ‘My friend, I haven't treated you unfairly. Didn't you agree with me to work for one denarius?

‘My friend,’ was his reply to one of them, ‘I am not treating you unfairly. Didn’t you agree with me for two silver coins?

14 Take your pay and go. I want to pay those who were hired last the same as I paid you.

Take what belongs to you, and go. I choose to give to this last man the same as to you.

15 Can't I choose to do what I want with my own money? Why should you give me evil looks because I want to do good?’

Don’t I have the right to do as I choose with what is mine? Are you envious because I am generous?’

16 In this way the last shall be first and the first shall be last.”

So those who are last will be first, and the first last.”

17 On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus took the twelve disciples aside as they walked along and told them,

When Jesus was on the point of going up to Jerusalem, he gathered the twelve disciples around him by themselves, and said to them as they were on their way,

18 “Look, we're going to Jerusalem, and the Son of man will be betrayed to the chief priests and religious teachers. They will condemn him to death

“Listen! We are going up to Jerusalem; and there the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and teachers of the Law, and they will condemn him to death,

19 and hand him over to the foreigners to mock him, whip him, and crucify him. But on the third day he will be raised from the dead.”

and give him up to the Gentiles for them to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify; and on the third day he will rise.”

20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came with her two sons to Jesus. She kneeled down before him to make a request.

Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to him with her sons, bowing to the ground, and begging a favor.

21 “What is it you are asking me for?” Jesus said to her. “Please appoint my sons to sit beside you in your kingdom, one on your right and the other on your left,” she asked.

“What is it that you want?” he asked. “I want you to say,” she replied, “that in your kingdom these two sons of mine may sit, one on your right, and the other on your left.”

22 “You don't know what you're asking,” Jesus told them. “Are you able to drink the cup I'm about to drink?” “Yes, we are able to do that,” they told him.

“You do not know what you are asking,” was Jesus’ answer. “Can you drink the cup that I am to drink?” “Yes,” they exclaimed, “we can.”

23 “You will certainly drink from my cup,” he said to them, “but the privilege to sit on my right or on my left isn't mine to give. My Father is the one who has decided who that will be.”

“You will indeed drink my cup,” he said, “but as to a seat at my right and at my left – that is not mine to give, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”

24 When the other ten disciples heard what they had asked, they were annoyed with the two brothers.

On hearing of this, the ten others were very indignant about the two brothers.

25 Jesus called them together and told them, “You know that foreign rulers lord it over their subjects, and powerful leaders oppress them.

Jesus, however, called the ten to him, and said, “The rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them as you know, and their high officials oppress them.

26 It shall not be like that for you. Whoever among you wants to be the most important will be your servant.

Among you it is not so.

27 Whoever among you wants to be first will be like a slave.

No, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to take the first place among you, must be your slave;

28 In the same way the Son of man didn't come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

just as the Son of Man came, not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

29 As they left Jericho, a huge crowd followed Jesus.

As they were going out of Jericho, a great crowd followed him.

30 Two blind men were sitting at the side of the road. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they called out, “Have mercy on us, Lord, son of David!”

Two blind men who were sitting by the roadside, hearing that Jesus was passing, called out, “Take pity on us, Master, Son of David!”

31 The crowd told them to be quiet, but they shouted even louder, “Have mercy on us, Lord, son of David!”

The crowd told them to be quiet; but the men only called out the louder, “Take pity on us, Master, Son of David!”

32 Jesus stopped. He called them over, asking, “What do you want me to do for you?”

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

33 “Lord, please make us able to see,” they replied.

“Master,” they replied, “we want our eyes to be opened.”

34 Jesus had pity on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they could see, and they followed him.

So Jesus, moved with compassion, touched their eyes, and immediately they recovered their sight, and followed him.