1‘The kingdom of heaven is like a man who owned land. He went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.2He agreed to give them the usual pay for a day’s work. Then he sent them into his vineyard.3‘About nine o’clock in the morning he went out again. He saw others standing in the market doing nothing.4He told them, “You also go and work in my vineyard. I’ll pay you what is right.”5So they went. ‘He went out again about noon and at three o’clock and did the same thing.6About five o’clock he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, “Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?”7‘ “Because no one has hired us,” they answered. ‘He said to them, “You also go and work in my vineyard.”8‘When evening came, the owner of the vineyard spoke to the person who was in charge of the workers. He said, “Call the workers and give them their pay. Begin with the last ones I hired. Then go on to the first ones.”9‘The workers who were hired about five o’clock came. Each received the usual day’s pay.10So when those who were hired first came, they expected to receive more. But each of them also received the usual day’s pay.11When they received it, they began to complain about the owner.12“These people who were hired last worked only one hour,” they said. “You have paid them the same as us. We have done most of the work and have been in the hot sun all day.”13‘The owner answered one of them. “Friend”, he said, “I’m being fair to you. Didn’t you agree to work for the usual day’s pay?14Take your money and go. I want to give the one I hired last the same pay I gave you.15Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Do you feel cheated because I gave so freely to the others?”16‘So those who are last will be first. And those who are first will be last.’
Jesus speaks a third time about his coming death
17Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took his 12 disciples to one side to talk to them.18‘We are going up to Jerusalem,’ he said. ‘The Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will sentence him to death.19Then they will hand him over to the Gentiles. The people will make fun of him and whip him. They will nail him to a cross. On the third day, he will rise from the dead!’
A mother asks a favour of Jesus
20The mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus. Her sons came with her. Getting on her knees, she asked a favour of him.21‘What do you want?’ Jesus asked. She said, ‘Promise me that one of my two sons may sit at your right hand in your kingdom. Promise that the other one may sit at your left hand.’22‘You don’t know what you’re asking for,’ Jesus said to them. ‘Can you drink the cup of suffering I am going to drink?’ ‘We can’, they answered.23Jesus said to them, ‘You will certainly drink from my cup. But it is not for me to say who will sit at my right or left hand. These places belong to those my Father has prepared them for.’24The other ten disciples heard about this. They became angry at the two brothers.25Jesus called them together. He said, ‘You know about the rulers of the Gentiles. They hold power over their people. Their high officials order them around.26Don’t be like that. Instead, anyone who wants to be important among you must be your servant.27And anyone who wants to be first must be your slave.28Be like the Son of Man. He did not come to be served. Instead, he came to serve others. He came to give his life as the price for setting many people free.’
Two blind men receive their sight
29Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho. A large crowd followed him.30Two blind men were sitting by the side of the road. They heard that Jesus was going by. So they shouted, ‘Lord! Son of David! Have mercy on us!’31The crowd commanded them to stop. They told them to be quiet. But the two men shouted even louder, ‘Lord! Son of David! Have mercy on us!’32Jesus stopped and called out to them. ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ he asked.33‘Lord’, they answered, ‘we want to be able to see.’34Jesus felt deep concern for them. He touched their eyes. Right away they could see. And they followed him.
Matthew 20
English Standard Version
Laborers in the Vineyard
1“For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.2After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius[1] a day, he sent them into his vineyard.3And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace,4and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’5So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same.6And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ (1Co 15:8)7They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’8And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’ (Le 19:13; De 24:15; Mt 24:45; Lu 8:3)9And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius.10Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius.11And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house,12saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ (Lu 12:55; Jas 1:11)13But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? (Mt 22:12; Mt 26:50)14Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. (Mt 25:25)15Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’[2] (De 15:9; Pr 23:6; Mt 6:23; Ro 9:15)16So the last will be first, and the first last.” (Mt 19:30)
20Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. (Mt 4:21; Mt 8:2; Mt 27:56; Mr 10:35)21And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” (Mt 16:28; Mt 19:28; Mt 25:31; Mt 25:34; Lu 23:42)22Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” (Isa 51:22; Mt 26:29; Mt 26:42; Mr 14:36; Lu 9:33; Lu 22:42; Lu 23:34; Joh 18:11)23He said to them, “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” (Mt 19:11; Mt 25:34; Ac 12:2; Ro 8:17; Php 3:10; Re 1:9)24And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers.25But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. (Mt 18:1; Lu 22:25; 1Pe 5:3)26It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant,[3] (Mt 23:11; Lu 9:48)27and whoever would be first among you must be your slave,[4]28even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Isa 53:10; Isa 53:11; Da 9:26; Mt 26:28; Joh 10:15; Joh 11:51; Joh 13:4; Joh 13:13; Ro 4:25; Ro 5:15; 2Co 8:9; Ga 1:4; Ga 2:20; Php 2:7; 1Ti 2:6; Tit 2:14; Heb 2:10; Heb 9:28; 1Pe 1:18; Re 5:9)
Jesus Heals Two Blind Men
29And as they went out of Jericho, a great crowd followed him. (Mt 9:27; Mr 10:46; Lu 18:35)30And behold, there were two blind men sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, “Lord,[5] have mercy on us, Son of David!” (Mt 1:1; Mt 21:9; Mt 22:42)31The crowd rebuked them, telling them to be silent, but they cried out all the more, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” (Mt 19:13)32And stopping, Jesus called them and said, “What do you want me to do for you?”33They said to him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.”34And Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and immediately they recovered their sight and followed him.