Matthew 20

For the kingdom of the heavens is like a man, the master of the house, who went out with the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.

Now, having agreed with the workers for a denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard. \*

And having gone out about the third hour, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace.

And to them he said, ‘You also, go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ \*

So they went out. Having gone out again about the sixth and ninth hour, he did likewise.

Now, having gone out about the eleventh {hour}, he found others standing, and he says to them, ‘Why have you stood here idle the whole day?’

They say to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He says to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard.’ \*

And evening having come, the owner of the vineyard says to his manager, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, having begun from the last to the first.’

And having come, the ones about the eleventh hour each received a denarius.

But having come, the first thought that they will receive more, but they also received a denarius each. \*

But, having received {it}, they were murmuring against the master of the house,

saying, ‘These last ones have done one hour, but you made them equal to us, the ones having borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ \*

But he, answering, said to one of them, ‘Friend, I am not wronging you. Did you not agree with me for a denarius?

Take {what is} yours and go away. But I desire to give to this last as also to you. \*

Or is it not lawful for me to do what I desire with {what is} mine? Or is your eye evil because I am good?’

In the same way, the last will be first, and the first last.” \*

And Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the 12 disciples aside by themselves, and on the way he said to them,

“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death

and hand him over to the Gentiles for them to mock and to whip and to crucify him. But on the third day he will be raised up.” \*

Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee approached him with her sons, bowing down and asking for something from him.

And he said to her, “What do you desire?” She says to him, “Say that these two sons of mine might sit, one at your right hand and one at your left hand, in your kingdom.” \*

But answering, Jesus said, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?” They say to him, “We are able.”

He says to them, “My cup you will drink. But to sit at my right hand and at my left hand is not mine to give, but for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”

And having heard this, the ten were very angry with the two brothers. \*

But Jesus, having summoned them, said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great ones exercise authority over them.

It is not this way among you. Instead, whoever desires to become great among you will be your servant,

and whoever desires to be first among you will be your slave,

just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom in exchange for many.” \*

And {as} they were going out from Jericho, a great crowd followed him.

And behold, two blind men, sitting beside the road, having heard that Jesus is passing by, cried out, saying, “Have mercy on us, Lord, Son of David.”

Now the crowd rebuked them, so that they would be silent, but they cried out even more, saying, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David.” \*

And having stood still, Jesus called them and said, “What do you desire {that} I might do for you?”

They say to him, “Lord, that our eyes might be opened.”

Now, having had compassion, Jesus touched their eyes. And immediately they saw again, and they followed him. \*