The Parable of the Vineyard Workers

1“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.a 2After agreeing with the workers on one denarius,A he sent them into his vineyard for the day. 3When he went out about nine in the morning,A he saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. 4He said to them, ‘You also go into my vineyard, and I’ll give you whatever is right.’ So off they went. 5About noon and about three,A he went out again and did the same thing. 6Then about fiveA he went and found others standing aroundB and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day doing nothing? ’

7“ ‘Because no one hired us,’ they said to him.

“ ‘You also go into my vineyard,’ he told them.A 8When evening came, the owner of the vineyard told his foreman, ‘Call the workers and give them their pay,a starting with the last and ending with the first.’

9“When those who were hired about five came, they each received one denarius. 10So when the first ones came, they assumed they would get more, but they also received a denarius each. 11When they received it, they began to complain to the landowner: 12‘These last men put in one hour, and you made them equal to us who bore the burden of the day’s work and the burning heat.’a

13“He replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I’m doing you no wrong. Didn’t you agree with me on a denarius?a 14Take what’s yours and go. I want to give this last man the same as I gave you. 15Don’t I have the right to do what I want with what is mine? Are you jealousA because I’m generous? ’B a

16“So the last will be first, and the first last.”a a

The Third Prediction of His Death

17While going up to Jerusalem,a Jesus took the twelve disciples aside privately and said to them on the way, 18“See, we are going up to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death.a 19They will hand him over to the Gentilesa to be mocked, flogged,A and crucified, and on the third day he will be raised.”B

Suffering and Service

20Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons approached him with her sons.a She knelt down to ask him for something.b 21“What do you want? ” he asked her.

“Promise,”A she said to him, “that these two sons of mine may sit, one on your right and the other on your left, in your kingdom.”a

22Jesus answered, “You don’t know what you’re asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink? ”a a

“We are able,” they said to him.

23He told them, “You will indeed drink my cup,A but to sit at my right and left is not mine to give; instead, it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”a

24When the ten disciples heard this, they became indignant with the two brothers. 25Jesus called them over and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in high positions act as tyrants over them. 26It must not be like that among you. On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,a 27and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave; 28just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve,a and to give his life as a ransom for many.”b

Two Blind Men Healed

29As they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him.a 30There were two blind men sitting by the road. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David! ” 31The crowd demanded that they keep quiet, but they cried out all the more, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David! ”a

32Jesus stopped, called them, and said, “What do you want me to do for you? ”

33“Lord,” they said to him, “open our eyes.” 34Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes. Immediately they could see, and they followed him.