The Gospel According to St. Matthew

⭑ Catholic Public Domain :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 20 -

“The kingdom of heaven is like the father of a family who went out in early morning to lead workers into his vineyard.

Then, having made an agreement with the workers for one denarius per day, he sent them into his vineyard.

And going out about the third hour, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace.

And he said to them, ‘You may go into my vineyard, too, and what I will give you will be just.’

So they went forth. But again, he went out about the sixth, and about the ninth hour, and he acted similarly.

Yet 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?’

They say to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also may go into my vineyard.’

And 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.’

And so, when those who had arrived about the eleventh hour came forward, each received a single denarius.

Then when the first ones also came forward, they considered that they would receive more. But they, too, received one denarius.

And upon receiving it, they murmured against the father of the family,

saying, ‘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.’

But responding to one of them, he said: ‘Friend, I caused you no injury. Did you not agree with me to one denarius?

Take what is yours and go. But it is my will to give to this last, just as to you.

And is it not lawful for me to do what I will? Or is your eye wicked because I am good?’(a)

So then, the last shall be first, and the first shall be last. For many are called, but few are chosen.”(b)

The Third Prediction of the Passion

(Mark 10:32–34; Luke 18:31–34)

And Jesus, ascending to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside in private and said to them:

“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 death.

And they shall hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified. And on the third day, he shall rise again.”

A Mother’s Request

(Mark 10:35–45)

Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee approached him, with her sons, adoring him, and petitioning something from him.

And 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.”

But 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.”

He 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.”

And the ten, upon hearing this, became indignant with the two brothers.

But 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 them.

It shall not be this way among you. But whoever will want to be greater among you, let him be your minister.

And whoever will want to be first among you, he shall be your servant,

even as the Son of man has not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a redemption for many.”

The Blind Men by the Road

(Mark 10:46–52; Luke 18:35–43)

And as they were departing from Jericho, a great crowd followed him.

And 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.”

But the crowd rebuked them to be quiet. But they cried out all the more, saying, “Lord, Son of David, take pity on us.”

And Jesus stood still, and he called them and said, “What do you want, that I might do for you?”

They said to him, “Lord, that our eyes be opened.”

Then Jesus, taking pity on them, touched their eyes. And immediately they saw, and they followed him.

Footnotes

(a)20:15 What I will:Viz., with my own, and in matters that depend on my own bounty.(Challoner)

(b)20:16 Or: “For the called are many, yet truly, the elect are few.”(Conte)

“For the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who was the master of a household, who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.

When he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius (a) a day, he sent them into his vineyard.

He went out about the third hour, (b) and saw others standing idle in the marketplace.

He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went their way.

Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, (c) and did likewise.

About the eleventh hour (d) he went out and found others standing idle. He said to them, ‘Why do you stand here all day idle?’

“They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ “He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and you will receive whatever is right.’

“When evening had come, the lord of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning from the last to the first.’

“When those who were hired at about the eleventh hour came, they each received a denarius.

When the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise each received a denarius.

When they received it, they murmured against the master of the household,

saying, ‘These last have spent one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat!’

“But he answered one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Didn’t you agree with me for a denarius?

Take that which is yours, and go your way. It is my desire to give to this last just as much as to you.

Isn’t it lawful for me to do what I want to with what I own? Or is your eye evil, because I am good?’

So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few are chosen.”

The Third Prediction of the Passion

(Mark 10:32–34; Luke 18:31–34)

As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them,

“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death,

and will hand him over to the Gentiles to mock, to scourge, and to crucify; and the third day he will be raised up.”

A Mother’s Request

(Mark 10:35–45)

Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, kneeling and asking a certain thing of him.

He said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Command that these, my two sons, may sit, one on your right hand and one on your left hand, in your Kingdom.”

But Jesus answered, “You don’t know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” They said to him, “We are able.”

He said to them, “You will indeed drink my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give, but it is for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”

When the ten heard it, they were indignant with the two brothers.

But Jesus summoned them, and said, “You know that the rulers of the nations lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.

It shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be (e) your servant.

Whoever desires to be first among you shall be your bondservant,

even as the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

The Blind Men by the Road

(Mark 10:46–52; Luke 18:35–43)

As they went out from Jericho, a great multitude followed him.

Behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, “Lord, have mercy on us, you son of David!”

The multitude rebuked them, telling them that they should be quiet, but they cried out even more, “Lord, have mercy on us, you son of David!”

Jesus stood still and called them, and asked, “What do you want me to do for you?”

They told him, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened.”

Jesus, being moved with compassion, touched their eyes; and immediately their eyes received their sight, and they followed him.

Footnotes

(a)20:2 A denarius is a silver Roman coin worth 1/25th of a Roman aureus. This was a common wage for a day of farm labor.

(b)20:3 Time was measured from sunrise to sunset, so the third hour would be about 9:00 a.m.

(d)20:6 p.m.

(e)20:26 TR reads “let him be” instead of “shall be”