FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS LIKE A LANDOWNER WHO WENT OUT EARLY IN THE MORNING TO HIRE WORKERS FOR HIS VINEYARD.
MATTHEW 20:2
HE AGREED TO PAY THEM A DENARIUS FOR THE DAY AND SENT THEM INTO HIS VINEYARD.
MATTHEW 20:3
ABOUT NINE IN THE MORNING HE WENT OUT AND SAW OTHERS STANDING IN THE MARKETPLACE DOING NOTHING.
MATTHEW 20:4
HE TOLD THEM, 'YOU ALSO GO AND WORK IN MY VINEYARD, AND I WILL PAY YOU WHATEVER IS RIGHT.'
MATTHEW 20:5
SO THEY WENT. 'HE WENT OUT AGAIN ABOUT NOON AND ABOUT THREE IN THE AFTERNOON AND DID THE SAME THING.
MATTHEW 20:6
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?'
MATTHEW 20:7
'BECAUSE NO ONE HAS HIRED US,' THEY ANSWERED. 'HE SAID TO THEM, 'YOU ALSO GO AND WORK IN MY VINEYARD.'
MATTHEW 20:8
WHEN EVENING CAME, 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.'
MATTHEW 20:9
THE WORKERS WHO WERE HIRED ABOUT FIVE IN THE AFTERNOON CAME AND EACH RECEIVED A DENARIUS.
MATTHEW 20:10
SO WHEN THOSE CAME WHO WERE HIRED FIRST, THEY EXPECTED TO RECEIVE MORE. BUT EACH ONE OF THEM ALSO RECEIVED A DENARIUS.
MATTHEW 20:11
WHEN THEY RECEIVED IT, THEY BEGAN TO GRUMBLE AGAINST THE LANDOWNER.
MATTHEW 20:12
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 OF THE DAY.'
MATTHEW 20:13
BUT HE ANSWERED ONE OF THEM, 'I AM NOT BEING UNFAIR TO YOU, FRIEND. DIDN'T YOU AGREE TO WORK FOR A DENARIUS?
MATTHEW 20:14
TAKE YOUR PAY AND GO. I WANT TO GIVE THE ONE WHO WAS HIRED LAST THE SAME AS I GAVE YOU.
MATTHEW 20:15
DON'T I HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO WHAT I WANT WITH MY OWN MONEY? OR ARE YOU ENVIOUS BECAUSE I AM GENEROUS?'
MATTHEW 20:16
SO THE LAST WILL BE FIRST, AND THE FIRST WILL BE LAST.'
MATTHEW 20:17
NOW JESUS WAS GOING UP TO JERUSALEM. ON THE WAY, HE TOOK THE TWELVE ASIDE AND SAID TO THEM,
MATTHEW 20:18
WE ARE GOING UP TO JERUSALEM, AND THE SON OF MAN WILL BE DELIVERED OVER TO THE CHIEF PRIESTS AND THE TEACHERS OF THE LAW. THEY WILL CONDEMN HIM TO DEATH
MATTHEW 20:19
AND WILL HAND HIM OVER TO THE GENTILES TO BE MOCKED AND FLOGGED AND CRUCIFIED. ON THE THIRD DAY HE WILL BE RAISED TO LIFE!'
MATTHEW 20:20
THEN THE MOTHER OF ZEBEDEE'S SONS CAME TO JESUS WITH HER SONS AND, KNEELING DOWN, ASKED A FAVOR OF HIM.
MATTHEW 20:21
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.'
MATTHEW 20:22
YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE ASKING,' JESUS SAID TO THEM. 'CAN YOU DRINK THE CUP I AM GOING TO DRINK?' 'WE CAN,' THEY ANSWERED.
MATTHEW 20:23
JESUS SAID TO THEM, 'YOU WILL INDEED DRINK FROM MY CUP, 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.'
MATTHEW 20:24
WHEN THE TEN HEARD ABOUT THIS, THEY WERE INDIGNANT WITH THE TWO BROTHERS.
MATTHEW 20:25
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.
MATTHEW 20:26
NOT SO WITH YOU. INSTEAD, WHOEVER WANTS TO BECOME GREAT AMONG YOU MUST BE YOUR SERVANT,
MATTHEW 20:27
AND WHOEVER WANTS TO BE FIRST MUST BE YOUR SLAVE--
MATTHEW 20:28
JUST AS THE SON OF MAN DID NOT COME TO BE SERVED, BUT TO SERVE, AND TO GIVE HIS LIFE AS A RANSOM FOR MANY.'
MATTHEW 20:29
AS JESUS AND HIS DISCIPLES WERE LEAVING JERICHO, A LARGE CROWD FOLLOWED HIM.
MATTHEW 20:30
TWO BLIND MEN WERE SITTING BY THE ROADSIDE, AND WHEN THEY HEARD THAT JESUS WAS GOING BY, THEY SHOUTED, 'LORD, SON OF DAVID, HAVE MERCY ON US!'
MATTHEW 20:31
THE CROWD REBUKED THEM AND TOLD THEM TO BE QUIET, BUT THEY SHOUTED ALL THE LOUDER, 'LORD, SON OF DAVID, HAVE MERCY ON US!'
MATTHEW 20:32
JESUS STOPPED AND CALLED THEM. 'WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO FOR YOU?' HE ASKED.
MATTHEW 20:33
LORD,' THEY ANSWERED, 'WE WANT OUR SIGHT.'
MATTHEW 20:34
Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.