Matthew 20
20
The Story of the Workers in the Vineyard
1“The kingdom of heaven is like the manager of an estate who 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, and he sent them into the vineyard.
3“About nine o’clock, he went out again and saw others standing in the market doing nothing. 4He told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I’ll pay you what’s fair.’ 5So they went.
“He went out again at about noon and at three o’clock and did the same thing. 6About five o’clock he went out and found others still standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day doing nothing?’
7“ ‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered.
“He said to them, ‘You go and work in my vineyard too.’
8“When evening came, the manager of the vineyard told his foreman, ‘Call the workers in and give them their pay. Begin with the ones I hired last and end with the ones I hired first.’
9“When the workers who’d been hired at about five o’clock came in, each one was given the usual pay for a whole day. 10So when those who’d been hired first came in, they expected to receive more. But each of them also received a day’s pay. 11When they saw what they were getting, they began to complain about the manager. 12‘Those people who were hired last only worked for one hour,’ they said. ‘But you paid them the same as us, even though we did most of the work and were out in the hot sun all day.’
13“The manager answered one of them, ‘I’m not being unfair to you, my friend. Didn’t you agree to work for the usual day’s pay? 14Take your money and go. I want to give the ones I hired last the same pay I gave you. 15Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Why should you feel cheated just because I was generous 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, and on the way, he took his 12 disciples to one side to talk to them. 18“We’re going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and there the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and teachers of the law. They will sentence him to death 19and hand him over to the Gentiles, who will make fun of him and whip him. They will nail him to a cross, but on the third day he will rise from the dead!”
High Positions in the Kingdom
20The mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus. They came along with her. She got down on her knees and asked him for a favor.
21“What do you want?” Jesus asked.
She said, “Promise that in your kingdom, my two sons will get thrones right next to yours, one on each side of you.”
22“You don’t know what you’re asking for,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup of suffering that I’m going to drink?”
“We can,” they answered.
23Jesus said to them, “You will certainly drink from my cup. But it’s not up to me who will sit next to me. Those places belong to the ones my Father has prepared them for.”
24When the other ten disciples heard about this, they got angry at the two brothers. 25But Jesus called them all together and said, “You know that the leaders of the Gentiles like to use their power over others and that their high officials order people around. 26Don’t be like that. Instead, any one of you who wants to be great must become a servant to all the others, 27and anyone who wants to be first must be a slave. 28Be like the Son of Man, who didn’t come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life to set people free.”
Two Blind Men Become Able to See
29As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples, a large crowd was following him. 30Two men who were blind were sitting by the side of the road. When they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, “Lord! Son of David! Have mercy on us!”
31The crowd told them to stop shouting and be quiet. But the two men shouted even more loudly, “Lord! Son of David! Have mercy on us!”
32Jesus stopped and called out to them, “What do you want me to do for you?”
33“Lord,” they answered, “we want to be able to see.”
34Jesus felt deep concern for them, so he went over and touched their eyes. Right away they became able to see, and they followed him.
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Matthew 20
20
The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard
1“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4and said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. 5Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. 6And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day?’ 7They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.’
8“So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, ‘Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.’ 9And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. 10But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. 11And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, 12saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.’ 13But he answered one of them and said, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. 15#(Rom. 9:20, 21)Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or #Deut. 15:9; Prov. 23:6; (Matt. 6:23); Mark 7:22is your eye evil because I am good?’ 16#Matt. 19:30; Mark 10:31; Luke 13:30So the last will be first, and the first last. #Matt. 22:14For many are called, but few chosen.”
Jesus a Third Time Predicts His Death and Resurrection
17#Matt. 20:17–19; Mark 10:32–34; Luke 18:31–33; John 12:12Now Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them, 18#Matt. 16:21; 26:47–57; Mark 14:42, 64; John 18:5; 19:7“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death, 19#Matt. 27:2; Mark 15:1, 16; Luke 23:1; John 18:28; Acts 3:13and deliver Him to the Gentiles to #Matt. 26:67, 68; 27:29, 41; Mark 15:20, 31mock and to #Matt. 27:26; Mark 15:15; John 19:1scourge and to #Matt. 27:35; Luke 23:33; Acts 3:13–15crucify. And the third day He will #Matt. 28:5, 6; Mark 16:6, 9; Luke 24:5–8, 46; Acts 10:40; 1 Cor. 15:4rise again.”
Greatness Is Serving
20#Mark 10:35–45Then the mother of #Matt. 4:21; 10:2Zebedee’s sons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him.
21And He said to her, “What do you wish?”
She said to Him, “Grant that these two sons of mine #(Matt. 19:28)may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom.”
22But Jesus answered and said, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink #Is. 51:17, 22; Jer. 49:12; Matt. 26:39, 42; Mark 14:36; Luke 22:42; John 18:11the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with #Luke 12:50the baptism that I am baptized with?”
They said to Him, “We are able.”
23So He said to them, #(Acts 12:2; Rom. 8:17; 2 Cor. 1:7; Rev. 1:9)“You will indeed drink 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 is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father.”
24#Mark 10:41; Luke 22:24, 25And when the ten heard it, they were greatly displeased with the two brothers. 25But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. 26Yet #(1 Pet. 5:3)it shall not be so among you; but #Matt. 23:11; Mark 9:35; 10:43; Luke 22:26whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. 27#(Matt. 18:4)And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave— 28#John 13:4just as the #(Matt. 26:28; John 13:13; 2 Cor. 8:9; Phil. 2:6, 7; 1 Tim. 2:5, 6; Titus 2:14; Heb. 9:28; Rev. 1:5)Son of Man did not come to be served, #Luke 22:27; John 13:14but to serve, and #(Is. 53:10, 11; Dan. 9:24, 26; John 11:51, 52; 1 Pet. 1:18, 19)to give His life a ransom #(Rom. 5:15, 19; Heb. 9:28)for many.”
Two Blind Men Receive Their Sight
29#Mark 10:46–52; Luke 18:35–43Now as they went out of Jericho, a great multitude followed Him. 30And behold, #Matt. 9:27two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, #(2 Sam. 7:14–17; Ps. 89:3–5, 19–37; Is. 11:10–12; Ezek. 37:21–25); Matt. 1:1; Luke 1:31, 32; (Acts 15:14–17)Son of David!”
31Then the multitude #Matt. 19:13warned them that they should be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!”
32So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, “What do you want Me to do for you?”
33They said to Him, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened.” 34So Jesus had #Matt. 9:36; 14:14; 15:32; 18:27compassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.