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Matthew 20
International Standard Version
Matthew 20
International Standard Version
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. 2 After agreeing to pay the workers one denarius[b] a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 When he went out about nine o’clock,[c] he saw others standing in the marketplace without work. 4 He told them, ‘You go into the vineyard, too, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ 5 So off they went. He went out again about noon[d] and about three o’clock[e] and did the same thing. 6 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?’ 7 They told him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He told them, ‘You go into the vineyard as well.’
8 “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.’ 9 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
- Matthew 20:1 Lit. of
- Matthew 20:2 The denarius was the usual day’s wage for a laborer.
- Matthew 20:3 Lit. the third hour
- Matthew 20:5 Lit. the sixth hour
- Matthew 20:5 Lit. the ninth hour
- Matthew 20:6 Lit. the eleventh hour
- Matthew 20:8 Lit. and up to
- Matthew 20:9 Lit. the eleventh hour
- Matthew 20:12 Lit. we’ve endured the burden of the day
- Matthew 20:14 Lit. to this last man as also to you
- Matthew 20:15 Lit. things
- Matthew 20:15 Lit. Or is your eye evil
- Matthew 20:16 Other mss. lack For many are called, but few are chosen
- Matthew 20:17 Other mss. lack disciples
- Matthew 20:19 Lit. to the gentiles; i.e. unbelieving non-Jews
- Matthew 20:20 Lit. him
- Matthew 20:21 Lit. Say
- Matthew 20:22 Other mss. read to drink from, or be baptized with the baptism with which I’m going to be baptized?
- Matthew 20:25 Lit. them
- Matthew 20:25 Lit. gentiles; i.e. unbelieving non-Jews
- Matthew 20:29 Lit. him
- Matthew 20:30 Other mss. read Jesus
- Matthew 20:33 Lit. Lord, that our eyes be opened
Matthew 20
New International Version
Matthew 20
New International Version
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) 2 He agreed to pay them a denarius[a] for the day and sent them into his vineyard.
3 “About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. 4 He told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ 5 So they went.
“He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing. 6 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?’
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,(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.’
9 “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
- Matthew 20:2 A denarius was the usual daily wage of a day laborer.
Matthew 20
King James Version
Matthew 20
King James Version
20 For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.
2 And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
3 And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
4 And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.
5 Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.
6 And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?
7 They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.
8 So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.
9 And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.
10 But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.
11 And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,
12 Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.
13 But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?
14 Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.
15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?
16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.
17 And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them,
18 Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death,
19 And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.
20 Then came to him the mother of Zebedees children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him.
21 And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom.
22 But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able.
23 And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.
24 And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren.
25 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.
26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
29 And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed him.
30 And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David.
31 And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David.
32 And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you?
33 They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened.
34 So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.
International Standard Version (ISV) 
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New International Version (NIV) 
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