Matthew Chapter 20
Parable About Workers in a Vineyard
1 “The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner that went out early to hire workers. 2 He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them to his vineyard. 3 About 9 o’clock he went out and saw some other men standing idle in the marketplace, 4 ‘You go to my vineyard too, and I’ll pay you what’s right.’ 5 At noon and one o’clock, he did the same thing. 6 About five o’clock he found some more standing around, ‘Why are you standing here idle all day?’
7 “‘Nobody’s hired us.’
“‘You go to my vineyard too.’
8 “That evening, he told his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them from last to first.’ 9 When the five o’clock men came, they got a denarius apiece. 10 When the first came, they thought they’d get more; but they got a denarius too. 11 They complained, 12 ‘These last hires worked an hour, and you made them equal to us who bore the burden and scorching heat of the day.’
13 “The landowner answered one of them, ‘Friend, I’ve been fair with you. Didn’t you agree to a denarius? 14 Take what’s yours and go. I want to pay this last hire what I paid you. 15 Can’t I do what I want with what’s mine? Are you jealous because I’m generous?’ 16 That’s how the last will be first and the first, last.”
Mt 20:1-16
Another Prediction of His Death
17 As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside on the way, 18 “We’re going to Jerusalem, and I’ll be betrayed to the chief priests and scribes, and they’ll condemn me to death. 19 They’ll turn me over to the Gentiles to make fun of, flog, and crucify; but on the third day I’ll resurrect.”
Mt 20:17-19
James and John’s Request for Rank
20 Then Zebedee’s wife came with her sons, bowed down, to ask for something,
21“What is it you want?”
“Say that my two sons will sit on your right and left hand in your kingdom.”
22 Jesus answered, “Youpl don’t know what you’re asking. Can youpl drink the cup I’m about to drink?”
“Yes.”
23 “You’ll drink it, but I don’t decide who sits on my right and left hand. They’re the ones my Father prepared it for.”
24 When the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers.
25 Jesus called them over to him,
“You know the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; their important ones act like tyrants. 26 It won’t be that way with you. Whoever wants to be great among you will minister to you, 27 whoever wants to be first among you will serve you— 28 just like I didn’t come to be served but to serve, and to give my life as a ransom for many.”
Mt 20:20-28
Healing Two Blind Men at Jericho
29 As they were leaving Jericho, a big crowd was following him. 30 Two blind men were sitting by the road. When they heard that Jesus was going by, they yelled out, “Have mercy on us, Lord,, son of David.”
31 The crowd sternly told them to be quiet, but they yelled louder, “Have mercy on us, Lord, son of David.”
32 Jesus stopped, “What do you want me to do?”
33 “Make us able to see.”
34 Jesus felt sorry for them and touched their eyelids. Immediately they could see again, and went along with him.
Mt 20:29-34