Chapter 20

¹The kingdom of heaven is like to an householder, who went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. ²And having agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. ³And going about the third hour, he saw others standing in the market place idle. ⁴And he said to them: Go you also into my vineyard, and I will give you what shall be just. ⁵And they went their way. And again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did in like manner. ⁶But about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing, and he saith to them: Why stand you here all the day idle? ⁷They say to him: Because no man hath hired us. He saith to them: Go you also into my vineyard. ⁸And when evening was come, the lord of the vineyard saith to his steward: Call the labourers and pay them their hire, beginning from the last even to the first. ⁹When therefore they were come, that came about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. ¹⁰But when the first also came, they thought that they should receive more: and they also received every man a penny. ¹¹And receiving it they murmured against the master of the house, ¹²Saying: These last have worked but one hour, and thou hast made them equal to us, that have borne the burden of the day and the heats. ¹³But he answering said to one of them: Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst thou not agree with me for a penny? ¹⁴Take what is thine, and go thy way: I will also give to this last even as to thee. ¹⁵Or, is it not lawful for me to do what I will? is thy eye evil, because I am good? ¹⁶So shall the last be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen. ¹⁷And Jesus going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples apart, and said to them: ¹⁸Behold we go up to Jerusalem, and the Son of man shall be betrayed to the chief priests and the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death. ¹⁹And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to be mocked, and scourged, and crucified, and the third day he shall rise again. ²⁰Then came to him the mother of the sons of Zebedee with her sons, adoring and asking something of him. ²¹Who said to her: What wilt thou? She saith to him: Say that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left, in thy kingdom. ²²And Jesus answering, said: You know not what you ask. Can you drink the chalice that I shall drink? They say to him: We can. ²³He saith to them: My chalice indeed you shall drink; but to sit on my right or left hand, is not mine to give to you, but to them for whom it is prepared by my Father. ²⁴And the ten hearing it, were moved with indignation against the two brethren. ²⁵But Jesus called them to him, and said: You know that the princes of the Gentiles lord it over them; and they that are the greater, exercise power upon them. ²⁶It shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be the greater among you, let him be your minister: ²⁷And he that will be first among you, shall be your servant. ²⁸Even as the Son of man is not come to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a redemption for many. ²⁹And when they went out from Jericho, a great multitude followed him. ³⁰And behold two blind men sitting by the way side, heard that Jesus passed by, and they cried out, saying: O Lord, thou son of David, have mercy on us. ³¹And the multitude rebuked them that they should hold their peace. But they cried out the more, saying: O Lord, thou son of David, have mercy on us. ³²And Jesus stood, and called them, and said: What will ye that I do to you? ³³They say to him: Lord, that our eyes be opened. ³⁴And Jesus having compassion on them, touched their eyes. And immediately they saw, and followed him.