Matthew 20

Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard and Teachings on Servanthood and Sacrifice

4 min read

1 For the kingdom of heaven is like to a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard.
2 And when he had agreed with the laborers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
3 And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
4 And said to them; Go you also into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you. And they went their way.
5 Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.
6 And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and says to them, Why stand you here all the day idle?
7 They say to him, Because no man has hired us. He says to them, Go you also into the vineyard; and whatever is right, that shall you receive.
8 So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard says to his steward, Call the laborers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last to the first.
9 And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.
10 But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.
11 And when they had received it, they murmured against the manager of the house,
12 Saying, These last have worked but one hour, and you have made them equal to us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.
13 But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do you no wrong: did not you agree with me for a penny?
14 Take that your is, and go your way: I will give to this last, even as to you.
15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with my own? Is your eye evil, because I am good?
16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen. ¶
17 And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said to them,
18 Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death,
19 And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to whip, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again. ¶
20 Then came to him the mother of Zebedees children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him.
21 And he said to her, What will you? She says to him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on your right hand, and the other on the left, in your kingdom.
22 But Jesus answered and said, You know not what you ask. Are you able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say to him, We are able.
23 And he says to them, You shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not my to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.
24 And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brothers.
25 But Jesus called them to him, and said, You know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority on them.
26 But it shall not be so among you: but whoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
27 And whoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered to, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
29 And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed him. ¶
30 And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, you son of David.
31 And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, you son of David.
32 And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will you that I shall do to you?
33 They say to him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened.
34 So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.
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