The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Matthew 20
1 “For the Kingdom of Heaven is like a
man who was the master of a household,
who went out early in the morning to hire
laborers for his vineyard.
2 When he had agreed with the laborers
for a denarius† a day, he sent them into his
vineyard.
3 He went out about the third hour,‡ and
saw others standing idle in the marketplace.
4 He said to them, ‘You also go into the
vineyard, and whatever is right I will give
you.’ So they went their way.
5 Again he went out about the sixth and
the ninth hour,§ and did likewise.
6 About the eleventh hour† he went out
and found others standing idle. He said to
them, ‘Why do youstandhere all day idle?’
7 “They said to him, ‘Because no one has
hired us.’ “He said to them, ‘You also go into the
vineyard, and you will receive whatever is right.’
8 “When evening had come, the lord of
the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the
laborers and pay them their wages,
beginning from the last to the first.’
9 “When those who were hired at about
the eleventh hour came, they each
received a denarius.
10 When the first came, they supposed
that they would receive more; and they
likewise each received a denarius.
11 When they received it, they murmured
against the master of the household,
12 saying, ‘These last have spent one
hour, and you have made them equal to us
who have borne the burden of the day and
the scorching heat!’
13 “Buthe answeredone ofthem, ‘Friend,
I am doing you no wrong. Didn’t you agree
with me for a denarius?
14 Take that which is yours, and go your
way. It is my desire to give to this last just
as much as to you.
15 Isn’t it lawful for me to do what I want
to with what I own? Or is your eye evil,
because I am good?’
16 So the last will be first, and the first
last. For many are called, but few are chosen.”
17 As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he
took the twelve disciples aside, and on the
way he said to them,
18 “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem,
and the Son of Man will be delivered to
the chief priests and scribes, and they will
condemn him to death,
19 and will hand him over to the Gentiles
to mock, to scourge, and to crucify; and the
third day he will be raised up.”
20 Then the mother of the sons of
Zebedee came to him with her sons,
kneeling and asking a certain thing of him.
21 He said to her, “What do you want?”
She said to him, “Command that these,
my two sons, may sit, one on your right
hand and one on your left hand, in your
Kingdom.”
22 But Jesus answered, “You don’t know
what you are asking. Are you able to drink
the cup that I am about to drink, and be
baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?”
They said to him, “We are able.”
23 He said to them, “You willindeed drink
my cup, and be baptized with the baptism
that I am baptized with; but to sit on my
right hand and on my left hand is not mine
to give, but it is for whom it has been
prepared by my Father.”
24 When the ten heard it, they were
indignant with the two brothers.
25 But Jesus summoned them, and said,
“You know that the rulers of the nations
lord it over them, and their great ones
exercise authority over them.
26 It shall not be so among you; but
whoever desires to become great among you
shall be‡ your servant.
27 Whoever desires to be first among you
shall be your bondservant,
28 even as the Son of Man came not to be
served, but to serve, and to give his life as
a ransom for many.”
29 As they went out from Jericho, a great
multitude followed him.
30 Behold, two blind men sitting by the
road, when they heard thatJesus was
passing by, cried out, “Lord, have mercy on us,
you son of David!”
31 The multitude rebuked them, telling
them that they should be quiet, but they
cried out even more, “Lord, have mercy on
us, you son of David!”
32 Jesus stood still and called them, and
asked, “What do you want me to do for you?”
33 They told him, “Lord, that our eyes
may be opened.”
34 Jesus, being moved with compassion,
touched their eyes; and immediately their
eyes received their sight, and they followed him.