Matthew 20
1 “[In order to illustrate how God rewards people], I will compare [the way] God [MTY/EUP] rules his people with what the owner of an estate [did]. Early in the morning the owner of the estate went to [the market] where [people who wanted work gathered]. He went there to hire laborers to work in his vineyard.
“The kingdom of heaven is like the father of a family who went out in early morning to lead workers into his vineyard.
2 He promised the men whom he hired that he would pay them the standard wage [for working] one day. Then he sent them to his vineyards.
Then, having made an agreement with the workers for one denarius per day, he sent them into his vineyard.
3 At nine o’clock [that same morning] he went back [to the market]. There he saw more men who did not have work.
And going out about the third hour, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace.
4 He said to them, ‘Go to my vineyard as other men have done, [and work there]. I will pay you whatever is a just [wage].’ [So they also went to his vineyard and began to work].
And he said to them, ‘You may go into my vineyard, too, and what I will give you will be just.’
5 At noon and at three o’clock he again went [to the market] and found [other laborers whom he promised to pay a fair wage].
So they went forth. But again, he went out about the sixth, and about the ninth hour, and he acted similarly.
6 At five o’clock he went [to the market again] and saw other [men] standing [there who were not working]. He said to them, ‘Why are you standing here all day and not working?’
Yet truly, about the eleventh hour, he went out and found others standing, and he said to them, ‘Why have you stood here idle all day?’
7 They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘[I will hire you]. Go to my vineyard as other men have done, [and work there.’ So they went].
They say to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also may go into my vineyard.’
8 When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Tell the men to come so that you can give them their wages. First, pay the men who started working last, and pay the men last who started working first.’
And when evening had arrived, the lord of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning from the last, even to the first.’
9 The [manager] paid the standard daily wage to each of the men who did not start working until five o’clock [in the afternoon].
And so, when those who had arrived about the eleventh hour came forward, each received a single denarius.
10 When the men who had begun working early [in the morning] went [to get their wages], they thought that they would receive more than the standard wage. But they also received only the standard wage.
Then when the first ones also came forward, they considered that they would receive more. But they, too, received one denarius.
11 So they complained to the owner of the vineyard [because they thought their payment was unfair].
And upon receiving it, they murmured against the father of the family,
12 They said [to him], ‘[You are not being fair!] The men who started working after [all of the rest of us started] worked for [only] one hour! You have [paid] them the same [wage] as [you paid] us! But we worked hard [all] day [IDM], [including working in the] hottest part of the day!’
saying, ‘These last have worked for one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who worked bearing the weight and heat of the day.’
13 The owner of the vineyard said to one of those [who complained], ‘Friend, I did not treat you unfairly. You agreed with me [to work the whole day] for the standard wage [RHQ].
But responding to one of them, he said: ‘Friend, I caused you no injury. Did you not agree with me to one denarius?
14 [Stop complaining to me]! Take your wage and go! I desire to give the same wage that I gave you to the men who began working after all of you [had begun working].
Take what is yours and go. But it is my will to give to this last, just as to you.
15 I certainly have a right to [spend my money] as I desire [RHQ], [including paying those laborers what I desire to pay them]. (You should not be envious about my being generous!/Are you angry [MET] because I am generous?) [RHQ]’”
And is it not lawful for me to do what I will? Or is your eye wicked because I am good?’
16 [Then Jesus said to us], “Similarly, [God will reward] well [some] people who [seem to be] less important now, and he will not reward [some] people who [seem to be] more important [now].”
So then, the last shall be first, and the first shall be last. For many are called, but few are chosen.”
17 When Jesus was walking [on the road] up to Jerusalem, [along with us] twelve [disciples], he took us to a place by ourselves [in order that he could talk to us privately]. Then he said to us,
And Jesus, ascending to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside in private and said to them:
18 “Listen carefully! We are [now] going up to Jerusalem. [While we are there, someone] will enable the chief priests and the men who teach the [Jewish] laws to seize [me], the one who came from heaven, [and they will put me on trial]. They will condemn me [and say] that I should be killed {the authorities should kill me}.
“Behold, we are ascending to Jerusalem, and the Son of man shall be handed over to the leaders of the priests and to the scribes. And they shall condemn him to death.
19 [Then they] will put me in the hands of non-Jews so that they can make fun of me, whip me, [and kill me by] nailing me to a cross. But on the third day [after that], [God] will cause me to live again.”
And they shall hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified. And on the third day, he shall rise again.”
20 Then the mother of James and John brought her two sons to Jesus. She bowed down before Jesus and asked him to do her a favor.
Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee approached him, with her sons, adoring him, and petitioning something from him.
21 Jesus said to her, “What do you want [me to do for you]?” She said to him, “Permit these two sons of mine to sit next to you (OR, Permit these two sons of mine to sit next to you at your right side and at your left side) [and rule with you] [MTY] when you become king.”
And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Declare that these, my two sons, may sit, one at your right hand, and the other at your left, in your kingdom.”
22 Jesus said to [her and her sons], “You do not understand what you are asking for. Can you suffer like I am about to suffer [IDM]?” [James and John] answered him, “Yes, we are able [to do that].”
But Jesus, responding, said: “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink from the chalice, from which I will drink?” They said to him, “We are able.”
23 Then Jesus said to them, “Yes, you will suffer as I will suffer [IDM]. But I am not the one who chooses the ones who [will] sit next to me [and rule with me]. [God], my Father, will give those places [MTY] to the ones whom he appoints.”
He said to them: “From my chalice, indeed, you shall drink. But to sit at my right or my left is not mine to give to you, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”
24 When we ten [other disciples] heard [what James and John had requested], we became angry with them [because we also wanted to rule with Jesus in the highest positions].
And the ten, upon hearing this, became indignant with the two brothers.
25 [So] Jesus called all of us together and said [to us], “You know that those who rule the non-Jews [enjoy] showing them that they are powerful. Their chief rulers [enjoy] commanding the people under them.
But Jesus called them to himself and said: “You know that the first ones among the Gentiles are their rulers, and that those who are greater exercise power among them.
26 You [should] not be like them. On the contrary, everyone among you who wants [God to consider] him great must become [like] a servant for [the rest of] you.
It shall not be this way among you. But whoever will want to be greater among you, let him be your minister.
27 And everyone among you who wants [God to consider him] to be the most important must become [like] a slave for [the rest of] you.
And whoever will want to be first among you, he shall be your servant,
28 [You should imitate me]. [Even though I am] the one who came from heaven, I did not come to be served {in order that people would serve me}. On the contrary, I [came in order] to serve [others] and to [IDM] allow myself to be killed {other people to kill me}, so that [my dying would be like] a payment to rescue many [people from being punished for their sins].” [MTY]
even as the Son of man has not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a redemption for many.”
29 As we were leaving Jericho [city], a large crowd of people followed [us].
And as they were departing from Jericho, a great crowd followed him.
30 [As we walked along, we saw] two blind men sitting alongside the road. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they yelled [to him], “Lord, Descendant of [King] David, [you are the Messiah] Take pity on us!”
And behold, two blind men, sitting by the way, heard that Jesus was passing by; and they cried out, saying, “Lord, Son of David, take pity on us.”
31 [People in] the crowd scolded them [and] told them to be quiet. But the blind men yelled even louder, “Lord, Descendant of [King] David, [you are the Messiah] Have pity on us!”
But the crowd rebuked them to be quiet. But they cried out all the more, saying, “Lord, Son of David, take pity on us.”
32 Jesus stopped and called them [to come to him]. [Then] he said [to them], “What do you want me to do for you?”
And Jesus stood still, and he called them and said, “What do you want, that I might do for you?”
33 They said to him, “Lord, heal our eyes [IDM] [so that we can see]!”
They said to him, “Lord, that our eyes be opened.”
34 Jesus [felt] sorry [for them and] touched their eyes. Immediately they were able to see, and they went with Jesus.
Then Jesus, taking pity on them, touched their eyes. And immediately they saw, and they followed him.
