Chapter 20

'For the Kingdom of the Heavens is like an employer who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard,

and having made an agreement with them for a shilling a day, sent them into his vineyard.

About nine o'clock he went out and saw others loitering in the market-place.

To these also he said, ''You also, go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.'

'So they went. Again about twelve, and about three o'clock, he went out and did the same.

And going out about five o'clock he found others loitering, and he asked them, ''Why have you been standing here all day long, doing nothing?'

''Because no one has hired us,' they replied. ''You also, go into the vineyard,' he said.

'When evening came, the master said to his steward, ''Call the men and pay them their wages. Begin with the last set and finish with the first.'

'When those came who had begun at five o'clock, they received a shilling apiece;

and when the first came, they expected to get more, but they also each got the shilling.

So when they had received it, they grumbled against the employer, saying,

''These who came last have done only one hour's work, and you have put them on a level with us who have worked the whole day and have borne the scorching heat.'

''My friend,' he answered to one of them, 'I am doing you no injustice. Did you not agree with me for a shilling?

Take your money and go. I choose to give this last comer just as much as I give you.

Have I not a right to do what I choose with my own property? Or are you envious because I am generous?'

'So the last shall be first, and the first last.'

Jesus was now going up to Jerusalem, and He took the twelve disciples aside by themselves, and on the way He said to them,

'We are going up to Jerusalem, and there the Son of Man will be betrayed to the High Priests and Scribes. They will condemn Him to death,

and hand Him over to the Gentiles to be made sport of and scourged and crucified; and on the third day He will be raised to life.'

Then the mother of the sons of Zabdi came to Him with her sons, and knelt before Him to make a request of Him.

'What is it you desire?' He asked. 'Command,' she replied, 'that these my two sons may sit one at your right hand and one at your left in your Kingdom.'

'None of you know what you are asking for,' said Jesus; 'can you drink out of the cup from which I am about to drink?' 'We can,' they replied.

'You shall drink out of my cup,' He said, 'but a seat at my right hand or at my left it is not for me to allot, but it belongs to those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.'

The other ten heard of this, and their indignation was aroused against the two brothers.

But Jesus called them to Him, and said, 'You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them.

Not so shall it be among you; but whoever desires to be great among you shall be your servant,

and whoever desires to be first among you shall be your bondservant;

just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as the redemption-price for many.'

As they were leaving Jericho, an immense crowd following Him,

two blind men sitting by the roadside heard that it was Jesus who was passing by, and cried aloud, 'Sir, Son of David, pity us.'

The people angrily tried to silence them, but they cried all the louder. 'O Sir, Son of David, pity us,' they said.

So Jesus stood still and called to them. 'What shall I do for you?' He asked.

'Sir, let our eyes be opened,' they replied.

Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes, and immediately they regained their sight and followed Him.