ISV - Matthew - 20

20:1  The Workers in the Vineyard“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.

20:2  After agreeing with the workers for one denariusThe denarius was the usual day's wage for a laborer. a day, he sent them into his vineyard.

20:3  When he went out about nine o'clock,Lit. the third hour he saw others standing in the marketplace without work.

20:4  He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard, too, and I will pay you whatever is right.’

20:5  So off they went. He went out again about noonLit. the sixth hour and about three o'clockLit. the ninth hour and did the same thing.

20:6  About five o'clockLit. the eleventh hour he went out and found some others standing around. He said to them, ‘Why are you standing here all day long without work?’

20:7  They told him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard as well.’

20:8  “When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the workers and give them their wages, beginning with the last and ending withLit. and up to the first.’

20:9  Those who were hired at five o'clockLit. the eleventh hour came, and each received a denarius.

20:10  When the first came, they thought they would receive more, but each received a denarius as well.

20:11  When they received it, they began to complain to the landowner,

20:12  saying, ‘These last fellows worked only one hour, yet you have made them equal to us who have endured the burden of the day and the scorching heat!’

20:13  But he said to one of them, ‘Friend, I'm not treating you unfairly. You did agree with me for a denarius, didn't you?

20:14  Take what is yours and go. I want to give this last man as much as I gave you.Lit. to this last man as also to you

20:15  I am allowed to do what I want with my own money,Lit. things am I not? Or is your eye evilI.e. envious because I am good?’

20:16  In the same way, the last will be first, and the first will be last. For many are called, but few are chosen.”Other mss. lack For many are called, but few are chosen

20:17  Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection a Third Time When Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciplesOther mss. lack disciples aside and said to them on the way,

20:18  “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.

20:19  Then they will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked, whipped, and crucified, but on the third day he will be raised.”

20:20  The Request of the Mother of James and John Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to JesusLit. him with her sons. She bowed down in front of him to ask him for a favor.

20:21  He asked her, “What do you want?”She said to him, “PromiseLit. Say that these two sons of mine will sit, one at your right and one at your left, in your kingdom.”

20:22  Jesus replied, “You don't realize what you're asking. Can you drink from the cup that I'm going to drink from?”Other mss. read to drink from, or be baptized with the baptism with which I'm going to be baptized?They told him, “We can.”

20:23  He said to 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.”

20:24  When the ten heard this, they became furious with the two brothers.

20:25  But Jesus called the disciplesLit. them and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them and their superiors act like tyrants over them.

20:26  That's not the way it should be among you. Instead, whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant,

20:27  and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave.

20:28  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.”

20:29  Jesus Heals Two Blind Men As they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed Jesus.Lit. him

20:30  When two blind men who were sitting by the roadside heard that Jesus was passing by, they shouted, “Have mercy on us, Lord,Other mss. read Jesus Son of David!”

20:31  The crowd sternly told them to be silent, but they shouted even louder, “Have mercy on us, Lord, Son of David!”

20:32  Jesus stopped and called them, saying, “What do you want me to do for you?”

20:33  They told him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened!”

20:34  Then Jesus, deeply moved with compassion, touched their eyes and at once they could see again. So they followed him.