Matthew 20

1For this is what the kingdom of heaven is like: a landowner went out at first light to hire laborers to work in his vineyard. 2He settled with the laborers on the usual wage for a day and sent them off into his vineyard. 3Around nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace with nothing to do. 4‘You too, go to the vineyard,’ he told them, ‘and I will give you what is fair.’ 5So they went. He went out again around noon, and again around three in the afternoon, and did the same. 6Then, about five in the afternoon, he went out and found still others standing there. ‘Why have you been standing here all day doing nothing?’ he asked them. 7‘Because nobody has hired us,’ they answered. He told them, ‘You go to the vineyard too.’ 8When evening came, the owner of the vineyard told his manager, ‘Call in the laborers and give them their pay. Start with the ones hired last and finish with the first.’ 9Those hired around five o’clock came, and each of them was given a full day’s wage. 10So when the first ones came, they expected to get more. But they too were each paid a day’s wage. 11When they were paid, they began to grumble at the landowner. 12‘The ones who came last put in a single hour,’ they said, ‘and you have treated them the same as us, though we carried the load of the whole day in the burning heat.’ 13But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I have done you no wrong. Was it not for a day’s wage that you made your agreement with me? 14Take what is yours and be on your way. It is my choice to give this last worker just what I gave you. 15Do I not have the right to do as I please with what belongs to me? Or do you look on my generosity with an evil eye?’ 16That is how it will be: those who are last will be first, and those who are first, last.”

17As Jesus was on his way up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, away from the others, and spoke to them as they walked. 18“We are going up to Jerusalem now. There the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes. They will sentence him to death 19and turn him over to the Gentiles, who will mock him, whip him, and crucify him. And on the third day he will be raised to life.”

20Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came up to him together with her sons. She knelt in front of him and asked him for a favor. 21“What is it you want?” he asked her. She said to him, “Give your word that in your kingdom these two sons of mine will sit beside you, one at your right and one at your left.” 22Jesus answered, “You do not realize what you are asking. The cup I am about to drink: are you able to drink it?” “We are able,” they answered. 23He told them, “You will indeed drink my cup. But the places at my right and left are not mine to hand out. They belong to those for whom my Father has prepared them.”

24The other ten were furious with the two brothers when they heard of this. 25Jesus called them together and said, “You know that among the Gentiles, rulers act as lords over their people, and the powerful wield their authority over them. 26With you it must be different. If any of you wants to become great, that one must serve the rest of you. 27And if any of you wants to be first, that one must be your slave. 28It is the same with the Son of Man. He did not come so that others would wait on him. He came to serve them, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

29A large crowd went along behind him as he and the disciples left Jericho. 30Beside the road sat two blind men. They heard that Jesus was passing, and they began to shout, “Have mercy on us, Lord, Son of David!” 31The crowd scolded them and told them to keep quiet, but they only shouted louder, “Have mercy on us, Lord, Son of David!” 32Jesus stood still and called to them. “What would you like me to do for you?” he asked. 33“Lord,” they replied, “we want our eyes to be opened.” 34Jesus felt deep pity for them and touched their eyes. At once they could see, and they followed him.