Mat 20 | NASB1995 | STEP | “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard .

Matthew 20

Laborers in the Vineyard

1 “For ^athe kingdom of heaven is like ^{▼▼ Lit a man, a landowner}a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his ^cvineyard. 2 “When he had agreed with the laborers for a ^{▼▼ The denarius was a day’s wages}denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 “And he went out about the ^{▼▼ I.e. 9 a.m.}third hour and saw others standing idle in the market place; 4 and to those he said, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ And so they went. 5 “Again he went out about the ^{▼▼ I.e. noon and 3 p.m.}sixth and the ninth hour, and did ^{▼▼ Lit similarly}the same thing. 6 “And about the ^{▼▼ I.e. 5 p.m.}eleventh hour he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day long?’ 7 “They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’

8 “When ⁱevening came, the ^{▼▼ Or lord}owner of the vineyard said to his ^kforeman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last group to the first.’ 9 “When those hired about the eleventh hour came, each one received a ^{▼▼ The denarius was a day’s wages}denarius. 10 “When those hired first came, they thought that they would receive more; ^{▼▼ Lit each one a denarius}but each of them also received a denarius. 11 “When they received it, they grumbled at the landowner, 12 saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the ⁿscorching heat of the day.’ 13 “But he answered and said to one of them, ‘ ^oFriend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 ‘Take what is yours and go, but I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. 15 ‘Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with what is my own? Or is your ^peye ^{▼▼ Lit evil}envious because I am ^{▼▼ Lit good}generous?’ 16 “So ^sthe last shall be first, and the first last.”

Death, Resurrection Foretold

17 ^tAs Jesus was about to go up to Jerusalem, He took the twelve disciples aside by themselves, and on the way He said to them, 18 “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of Man ^uwill be ^{▼▼ Or betrayed}delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn Him to death, 19 and ^wwill hand Him over to the Gentiles to mock and scourge and crucify Him, and on ^xthe third day He will be raised up.”

Preferment Asked

20 ^yThen the mother of ^zthe sons of Zebedee came to ^{▼▼ Lit Him}Jesus with her sons, ^abbowing down and making a request of Him. 21 And He said to her, “What do you wish?” She said to Him, “Command that in Your kingdom these two sons of mine ^acmay sit one on Your right and one on Your left.” 22 But Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able ^adto drink the cup that I am about to drink?” They said to Him, “We are able.” 23 He said to them, ^ae“My cup you shall drink; but to sit on My right and on My left, this is not Mine to give, ^afbut it is for those for whom it has been ^agprepared by My Father.”

24 And hearing this, the ten became indignant with the two brothers. 25 ^ahBut Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. 26 “It is not this way among you, ^aibut whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, 27 and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; 28 just as ^ajthe Son of Man ^akdid not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His ^{▼▼ Or soul}life a ransom for many.”

Sight for the Blind

29 ^amAs they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed Him. 30 And two blind men sitting by the road, hearing that Jesus was passing by, cried out, “Lord, ^anhave mercy on us, ^aoSon of David!” 31 The crowd sternly told them to be quiet, but they cried out all the more, “Lord, ^apSon of David, have mercy on us!” 32 And Jesus stopped and called them, and said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” 33 They said to Him, “Lord, we want our eyes to be opened.” 34 Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes; and immediately they regained their sight and followed Him.