• Laborers in the Vineyard

  • 1 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.
  • 2 Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius for the 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 to those he said, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ And so they went.
  • 5 Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did the same thing.
  • 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing around; and he *said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day long?’
  • 7 They *said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He *said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’
  • 8 “Now when evening came, the owner of the vineyard *said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last group to the first.’
  • 9 And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each one received a denarius.
  • 10 And when those hired first came, they supposed that they would receive more; but each of them also received a denarius.
  • 11 Now when they received it, they were grumbling at the landowner,
  • 12 saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’
  • 13 But he answered and said to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius?
  • 14 Take what is yours and go, but I wish to give to this last man the same as to you.
  • 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with what is my own? Or is your eye envious because I am generous?’
  • 16 So the last shall be first, and the first last.”

  • Jesus Again Foretells His Death and Resurrection

  • 17 And as Jesus was about to go up to Jerusalem, He took the twelve disciples aside by themselves, and on the way He said to them,
  • 18 “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn Him to death,
  • 19 and will deliver Him over to the Gentiles to mock and flog and crucify Him, and on the third day He will be raised up.”

  • A Request for Status

  • 20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to Him with her sons, bowing down and making a request of Him.
  • 21 And He said to her, “What do you wish?” She *said to Him, “Command that in Your kingdom these two sons of mine may sit one on Your right and one on Your left.”
  • 22 But Jesus answered and said, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?” They *said to Him, “We are able.”
  • 23 He *said to them, “My cup you shall drink; but to sit on My right and on My left, this is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by My Father.”
  • 24 And hearing this, the ten became indignant with the two brothers.
  • 25 But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them.
  • 26 It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant,
  • 27 and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave;
  • 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

  • Sight for the Blind

  • 29 And as they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed Him.
  • 30 And behold, two blind men sitting by the road, hearing that Jesus *was passing by, cried out, saying, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!”
  • 31 But the crowd sternly told them to be quiet, but they cried out all the more, saying, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”
  • 32 And Jesus stopped and called them, and said, “What do you want Me to do for you?”
  • 33 They *said to Him, “Lord, that our eyes be opened.”
  • 34 And moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes; and immediately they regained their sight and followed Him.