| 1 | '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, |
| 2 | and having made an agreement with them for a shilling a day, sent them into his vineyard. |
| 3 | About nine o'clock he went out and saw others loitering in the market-place. |
| 4 | To these also he said, ''You also, go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.' |
| 5 | 'So they went. Again about twelve, and about three o'clock, he went out and did the same. |
| 6 | 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?' |
| 7 | ''Because no one has hired us,' they replied. ''You also, go into the vineyard,' he said. |
| 8 | '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.' |
| 9 | 'When those came who had begun at five o'clock, they received a shilling apiece; |
| 10 | and when the first came, they expected to get more, but they also each got the shilling. |
| 11 | So when they had received it, they grumbled against the employer, saying, |
| 12 | ''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.' |
| 13 | ''My friend,' he answered to one of them, 'I am doing you no injustice. Did you not agree with me for a shilling? |
| 14 | Take your money and go. I choose to give this last comer just as much as I give you. |
| 15 | Have I not a right to do what I choose with my own property? Or are you envious because I am generous?' |
| 16 | 'So the last shall be first, and the first last.' |
| 17 | Jesus was now going up to Jerusalem, and He took the twelve disciples aside by themselves, and on the way He said to them, |
| 18 | '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, |
| 19 | 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.' |
| 20 | Then the mother of the sons of Zabdi came to Him with her sons, and knelt before Him to make a request of Him. |
| 21 | '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.' |
| 22 | '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. |
| 23 | '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.' |
| 24 | The other ten heard of this, and their indignation was aroused against the two brothers. |
| 25 | 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. |
| 26 | Not so shall it be among you; but whoever desires to be great among you shall be your servant, |
| 27 | and whoever desires to be first among you shall be your bondservant; |
| 28 | 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.' |
| 29 | As they were leaving Jericho, an immense crowd following Him, |
| 30 | 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.' |
| 31 | The people angrily tried to silence them, but they cried all the louder. 'O Sir, Son of David, pity us,' they said. |
| 32 | So Jesus stood still and called to them. 'What shall I do for you?' He asked. |
| 33 | 'Sir, let our eyes be opened,' they replied. |
| 34 | Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes, and immediately they regained their sight and followed Him. |