Matthew 20
A father of a family hired workers for his vineyard at different hours of the day, but paid them all the same wage, one denarius, regardless of the time they worked. The workers who were hired first complained, feeling they deserved more, but the father explained that he was being generous to the later workers and had fulfilled his agreement with the earlier ones. Jesus then told his disciples that he would be handed over to the leaders of the priests and scribes, condemned to death, and crucified, but would rise again on the third day. The mother of the sons of Zebedee asked Jesus to grant her sons seats at his right and left hands in his kingdom, but Jesus explained that this was not his to give and that true greatness comes from serving others. Jesus then healed two blind men who cried out to him for pity as he was departing from Jericho.
1"The kingdom of heaven is like the father of a family who went out in early morning to lead workers into his vineyard2Then, having made an agreement with the workers for one denarius per day, he sent them into his vineyard3And going out about the third hour, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace4And he said to them, ‘You may go into my vineyard, too, and what I will give you will be just.5So they went forth. But again, he went out about the sixth, and about the ninth hour, and he acted similarly6Yet truly, about the eleventh hour, he went out and found others standing, and he said to them, ‘Why have you stood here idle all day?7They say to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also may go into my vineyard.8And when evening had arrived, the lord of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning from the last, even to the first.9And so, when those who had arrived about the eleventh hour came forward, each received a single denarius10Then when the first ones also came forward, they considered that they would receive more. But they, too, received one denarius11And upon receiving it, they murmured against the father of the family12saying, ‘These last have worked for one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who worked bearing the weight and heat of the day.13But responding to one of them, he said: ‘Friend, I caused you no injury. Did you not agree with me to one denarius14Take what is yours and go. But it is my will to give to this last, just as to you15And is it not lawful for me to do what I will? Or is your eye wicked because I am good?16So then, the last shall be first, and the first shall be last. For many are called, but few are chosen.17And Jesus, ascending to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside in private and said to them18"Behold, we are ascending to Jerusalem, and the Son of man shall be handed over to the leaders of the priests and to the scribes. And they shall condemn him to death19And they shall hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified. And on the third day, he shall rise again.20Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee approached him, with her sons, adoring him, and petitioning something from him21And he said to her, "What do you want?" She said to him, "Declare that these, my two sons, may sit, one at your right hand, and the other at your left, in your kingdom.22But Jesus, responding, said: "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink from the chalice, from which I will drink?" They said to him, "We are able.23He said to them: "From my chalice, indeed, you shall drink. But to sit at my right or my left is not mine to give to you, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.24And the ten, upon hearing this, became indignant with the two brothers25But Jesus called them to himself and said: "You know that the first ones among the Gentiles are their rulers, and that those who are greater exercise power among them26It shall not be this way among you. But whoever will want to be greater among you, let him be your minister27And whoever will want to be first among you, he shall be your servant28even as the Son of man has not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a redemption for many.29And as they were departing from Jericho, a great crowd followed him30And behold, two blind men, sitting by the way, heard that Jesus was passing by; and they cried out, saying, "Lord, Son of David, take pity on us.31But the crowd rebuked them to be quiet. But they cried out all the more, saying, "Lord, Son of David, take pity on us.32And Jesus stood still, and he called them and said, "What do you want, that I might do for you?33They said to him, "Lord, that our eyes be opened.34Then Jesus, taking pity on them, touched their eyes. And immediately they saw, and they followed him
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