20Matthew 20

The Workers in the Vineyard

1“The Kingdom of heaven is like this. Once there was a man who went out early in the morning to hire some men to work in his vineyard.Select Matthew 20:1

2He agreed to pay them the regular wage, a silver coin a day, and sent them to work in his vineyard.Select Matthew 20:2

3He went out again to the marketplace at nine o'clock and saw some men standing there doing nothing,Select Matthew 20:3

4so he told them, ‘You also go and work in the vineyard, and I will pay you a fair wage.’Select Matthew 20:4

5So they went. Then at twelve o'clock and again at three o'clock he did the same thing.Select Matthew 20:5

6It was nearly five o'clock when he went to the marketplace and saw some other men still standing there. ‘Why are you wasting the whole day here doing nothing?’ he asked them.Select Matthew 20:6

7‘No one hired us,’ they answered. ‘Well, then, you go and work in the vineyard,’ he told them.Select Matthew 20:7

8“When evening came, the owner told his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, starting with those who were hired last and ending with those who were hired first.’Select Matthew 20:8

9The men who had begun to work at five o'clock were paid a silver coin each.Select Matthew 20:9

10So when the men who were the first to be hired came to be paid, they thought they would get more; but they too were given a silver coin each.Select Matthew 20:10

11They took their money and started grumbling against the employer.Select Matthew 20:11

12‘These men who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘while we put up with a whole day's work in the hot sun—yet you paid them the same as you paid us!’Select Matthew 20:12

13‘Listen, friend,’ the owner answered one of them, ‘I have not cheated you. After all, you agreed to do a day's work for one silver coin.Select Matthew 20:13

14Now take your pay and go home. I want to give this man who was hired last as much as I gave you.Select Matthew 20:14

15Don't I have the right to do as I wish with my own money? Or are you jealous because I am generous?’”Select Matthew 20:15

16And Jesus concluded, “So those who are last will be first, and those who are first will be last.”Select Matthew 20:16

Jesus Speaks a Third Time about His Death

17As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside and spoke to them privately, as they walked along.Select Matthew 20:17

18“Listen,” he told them, “we are going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the teachers of the Law. They will condemn him to deathSelect Matthew 20:18

19and then hand him over to the Gentiles, who will make fun of him, whip him, and crucify him; but three days later he will be raised to life.”Select Matthew 20:19

A Mother's Request

20Then the wife of Zebedee came to Jesus with her two sons, bowed before him, and asked him for a favor.Select Matthew 20:20

21“What do you want?” Jesus asked her. She answered, “Promise me that these two sons of mine will sit at your right and your left when you are King.”Select Matthew 20:21

22“You don't know what you are asking for,” Jesus answered the sons. “Can you drink the cup of suffering that I am about to drink?” “We can,” they answered.Select Matthew 20:22

23“You will indeed drink from my cup,” Jesus told them, “but I do not have the right to choose who will sit at my right and my left. These places belong to those for whom my Father has prepared them.”Select Matthew 20:23

24When the other ten disciples heard about this, they became angry with the two brothers.Select Matthew 20:24

25So Jesus called them all together and said, “You know that the rulers of the heathen have power over them, and the leaders have complete authority.Select Matthew 20:25

26This, however, is not the way it shall be among you. If one of you wants to be great, you must be the servant of the rest;Select Matthew 20:26

27and if one of you wants to be first, you must be the slave of the others—Select Matthew 20:27

28like the Son of Man, who did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life to redeem many people.”Select Matthew 20:28

Jesus Heals Two Blind Men

29As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd was following.Select Matthew 20:29

30Two blind men who were sitting by the road heard that Jesus was passing by, so they began to shout, “Son of David! Have mercy on us, sir!”Select Matthew 20:30

31The crowd scolded them and told them to be quiet. But they shouted even more loudly, “Son of David! Have mercy on us, sir!”Select Matthew 20:31

32Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked them.Select Matthew 20:32

33“Sir,” they answered, “we want you to give us our sight!”Select Matthew 20:33

34Jesus had pity on them and touched their eyes; at once they were able to see, and they followed him.Select Matthew 20:34