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The Workers in the Vineyard

20 “The kingdom from[a] heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. After agreeing to pay the workers one denarius[b] a day, he sent them into his vineyard. When he went out about nine o’clock,[c] he saw others standing in the marketplace without work. He told them, ‘You go into the vineyard, too, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So off they went. He went out again about noon[d] and about three o’clock[e] and did the same thing. About five o’clock[f] he went out and found some others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why are you standing here all day long without work?’ They told him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He told them, ‘You go into the vineyard as well.’

“When evening came, the owner of the vineyard told his manager, ‘Call the workers and give them their wages, beginning with the last and ending with[g] the first.’ Those who were hired at five o’clock[h] came, and each received a denarius.

10 “When the first came, they thought they would receive more, but each received a denarius as well. 11 When they received it, they began to complain to the landowner, 12 ‘These last fellows worked only one hour, but you paid them the same as us, and we’ve been working all day,[i] enduring the scorching heat!’

13 “But he told one of them, ‘Friend, I’m not treating you unfairly. You did agree with me for a denarius, didn’t you? 14 Take what is yours and go. I want to give this last man as much as I gave you.[j] 15 I am allowed to do what I want with my own money,[k] am I not? Or are you envious[l] because I’m generous?’

16 “In the same way, the last will be first, and the first will be last, because many are called, but few are chosen.”[m]

Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection a Third Time(A)

17 When Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples[n] aside and told them as they were walking along, 18 “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the high priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death. 19 Then they will hand him over to unbelievers[o] to be mocked, whipped, and crucified, but on the third day he will be raised.”

The Request of James and John(B)

20 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus[p] with her sons. She bowed down in front of him to ask him for a favor. 21 He asked her, “What do you want?”

She told him, “Promise[q] that in your kingdom these two sons of mine will sit on your right and on your left.”

22 Jesus replied, “You don’t realize what you’re asking. Can you drink from the cup that I’m going to drink from?”[r]

They told him, “We can.”

23 He told them, “You will indeed drink from my cup. But it’s not up to me to grant you a seat at my right hand or at my left. These positions have already been prepared for others by my Father.”

24 When the ten heard this, they became furious with the two brothers. 25 But Jesus called the disciples[s] and said, “You know that the rulers of the unbelievers[t] lord it over them and their superiors act like tyrants over them. 26 That’s not the way it should be among you. Instead, whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave. 28 That’s the way it is with the Son of Man. He did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many people.”

Jesus Heals Two Blind Men(C)

29 As they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed Jesus.[u] 30 When two blind men who were sitting by the roadside heard that Jesus was passing by, they shouted, “Have mercy on us, Lord,[v] Son of David!” 31 When the crowd told them harshly to be silent, they shouted even louder, “Have mercy on us, Lord, Son of David!”

32 Jesus stopped and called them, saying, “What do you want me to do for you?”

33 They told him, “Lord, we want to be able to see!”[w] 34 Then Jesus, deeply moved with compassion, touched their eyes, and at once they could see again. So they followed him.

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 20:1 Lit. of
  2. Matthew 20:2 The denarius was the usual day’s wage for a laborer.
  3. Matthew 20:3 Lit. the third hour
  4. Matthew 20:5 Lit. the sixth hour
  5. Matthew 20:5 Lit. the ninth hour
  6. Matthew 20:6 Lit. the eleventh hour
  7. Matthew 20:8 Lit. and up to
  8. Matthew 20:9 Lit. the eleventh hour
  9. Matthew 20:12 Lit. we’ve endured the burden of the day
  10. Matthew 20:14 Lit. to this last man as also to you
  11. Matthew 20:15 Lit. things
  12. Matthew 20:15 Lit. Or is your eye evil
  13. Matthew 20:16 Other mss. lack For many are called, but few are chosen
  14. Matthew 20:17 Other mss. lack disciples
  15. Matthew 20:19 Lit. to the gentiles; i.e. unbelieving non-Jews
  16. Matthew 20:20 Lit. him
  17. Matthew 20:21 Lit. Say
  18. Matthew 20:22 Other mss. read to drink from, or be baptized with the baptism with which I’m going to be baptized?
  19. Matthew 20:25 Lit. them
  20. Matthew 20:25 Lit. gentiles; i.e. unbelieving non-Jews
  21. Matthew 20:29 Lit. him
  22. Matthew 20:30 Other mss. read Jesus
  23. Matthew 20:33 Lit. Lord, that our eyes be opened

The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard

20 “For the kingdom of heaven is like(A) a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.(B) He agreed to pay them a denarius[a] for the day and sent them into his vineyard.

“About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. He told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went.

“He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing. About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’

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

“He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’

“When evening came,(C) the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’

“The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. 10 So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. 11 When they received it, they began to grumble(D) against the landowner. 12 ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat(E) of the day.’

13 “But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend.(F) Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? 14 Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15 Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’(G)

16 “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”(H)

Jesus Predicts His Death a Third Time(I)

17 Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them, 18 “We are going up to Jerusalem,(J) and the Son of Man(K) will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law.(L) They will condemn him to death 19 and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged(M) and crucified.(N) On the third day(O) he will be raised to life!”(P)

A Mother’s Request(Q)

20 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons(R) came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down,(S) asked a favor of him.

21 “What is it you want?” he asked.

She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”(T)

22 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup(U) I am going to drink?”

“We can,” they answered.

23 Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup,(V) but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.”

24 When the ten heard about this, they were indignant(W) with the two brothers. 25 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,(X) 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man(Y) did not come to be served, but to serve,(Z) and to give his life as a ransom(AA) for many.”

Two Blind Men Receive Sight(AB)

29 As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. 30 Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David,(AC) have mercy on us!”

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

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

33 “Lord,” they answered, “we want our sight.”

34 Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 20:2 A denarius was the usual daily wage of a day laborer.