20TH CHAPTER

A Story about Vineyard Workers

1 “The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out at daybreak to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 After agreeing to pay the workers the usual day’s wages, he sent them to work in his vineyard. 3 About 9 a.m. he saw others standing in the marketplace without work. 4 He said to them, ‘Work in my vineyard, and I’ll give you whatever is right.’ So they went. 

5 “He went out again about noon and 3 p.m. and did the same thing. 6 About 5 p.m. he went out and found some others standing around. He said to them, ‘Why are you standing here all day long without work?’ 

7 “ ‘No one has hired us,’ they answered him. 

“He said to them, ‘Work in my vineyard.’ 

8 “When evening came, the owner of the vineyard told the supervisor, ‘Call the workers, and give them their wages. Start with the last, and end with the first.’ 

9 “Those who started working about 5 p.m. came, and each received a day’s wages. 10 When those who had been hired first came, they expected to receive more. But each of them received a day’s wages. 11 Although they took it, they began to protest to the owner. 12 They said, ‘These last workers have worked only one hour. Yet, you’ve treated us all the same, even though we worked hard all day under a blazing sun.’ 

13 “The owner said to one of them, ‘Friend, I’m not treating you unfairly. Didn’t you agree with me on a day’s wages? 14 Take your money and go! I want to give this last worker as much as I gave you. 15 Can’t I do what I want with my own money? Or do you resent my generosity towards others?’ 

16 “In this way the last will be first, and the first will be last.” 

For the Third Time Jesus Foretells That He Will Die and Come Back to Life—Mark 10:32–34; Luke 18:31–34

17 When Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, he took the twelve apostles aside and said to them privately, 18 “We’re going to Jerusalem. There the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the experts in Moses’ Teachings. They will condemn him to death 19 and hand him over to foreigners. They will make fun of him, whip him, and crucify him. But on the third day he will be brought back to life.” 

A Mother Makes a Request—Mark 10:35–45

20 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her two sons. She bowed down in front of him to ask him for a favor. 

21 “What do you want?” he asked her. 

She said to him, “Promise that one of my sons will sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.” 

22 Jesus replied, “You don’t realize what you’re asking. Can you drink the cup that I’m going to drink?” 

“We can,” they told him. 

23 Jesus said to them, “You will drink my cup. But I don’t have the authority to grant you a seat at my right or left. My Father has already prepared these positions for certain people.” 

24 When the other ten apostles heard about this, they were irritated with the two brothers. 25 Jesus called the apostles and said, “You know that the rulers of nations have absolute power over people and their officials have absolute authority over people. 26 But that’s not the way it’s going to be among you. Whoever wants to become great among you will be your servant. 27 Whoever wants to be most important among you will be your slave. 28 It’s the same way with the Son of Man. He didn’t come so that others could serve him. He came to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many people.” 

Jesus Gives Two Blind Men Their Sight—Mark 10:46–52; Luke 18:35–43

29 As they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed Jesus. 30 Two blind men were sitting by the road. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” 

31 The crowd told them to be quiet. But they shouted even louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” 

32 Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. 

33 They told him, “Lord, we want you to give us our eyesight back.” 

34 Jesus felt sorry for them, so he touched their eyes. Their sight was restored at once, and they followed him.