GOD'S WORD Translation GW
New King James Version NKJV
1 "The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out at daybreak to hire workers for his vineyard.
1 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.
2 After agreeing to pay the workers the usual day's wages, he sent them to work in his vineyard.
2 Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
3 About 9 a.m. he saw others standing in the marketplace without work.
3 And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
4 He said to them, 'Work in my vineyard, and I'll give you whatever is right.' So they went.
4 and said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.' So they went.
5 "He went out again about noon and 3 p.m. and did the same thing.
5 Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise.
6 About 5 p.m. he went out and found some others standing around. He said to them, 'Why are you standing here all day long without work?'
6 And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, 'Why have you been standing here idle all day?'
7 "'No one has hired us,' they answered him. "He said to them, 'Work in my vineyard.'
7 They said to him, 'Because no one hired us.' He said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.'
8 "When evening came, the owner of the vineyard told the supervisor, 'Call the workers, and give them their wages. Start with the last, and end with the first.'
8 So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, 'Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.'
9 "Those who started working about 5 p.m. came, and each received a day's wages.
9 And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius.
10 When those who had been hired first came, they expected to receive more. But each of them received a day's wages.
10 But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius.
11 Although they took it, they began to protest to the owner.
11 And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner,
12 They said, 'These last workers have worked only one hour. Yet, you've treated us all the same, even though we worked hard all day under a blazing sun.'
12 saying, 'These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.'
13 "The owner said to one of them, 'Friend, I'm not treating you unfairly. Didn't you agree with me on a day's wages?
13 But he answered one of them and said, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius?
14 Take your money and go! I want to give this last worker as much as I gave you.
14 Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you.
15 Can't I do what I want with my own money? Or do you resent my generosity towards others?'
15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?'
16 "In this way the last will be first, and the first will be last."
16 So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen."
17 When Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, he took the twelve apostles aside and said to them privately,
17 Now Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them,
18 "We're going to Jerusalem. There the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and scribes. They will condemn him to death
18 "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death,
19 and hand him over to foreigners. They will make fun of him, whip him, and crucify him. But on the third day he will be brought back to life."
19 and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And the third day He will rise again."
20 Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Jesus with her two sons. She bowed down in front of him to ask him for a favor.
20 Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him.
21 "What do you want?" he asked her. She said to him, "Promise that one of my sons will sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom."
21 And He said to her, "What do you wish?" She said to Him, "Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom."
22 Jesus replied, "You don't realize what you're asking. Can you drink the cup that I'm going to drink?" "We can," they told him.
22 But Jesus answered and said, "You do not know what you ask. 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."
23 Jesus said to them, "You will drink my cup. But I don't have the authority to grant you a seat at my right or left. My Father has already prepared these positions for certain people."
23 So 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 is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father."
24 When the other ten apostles heard about this, they were irritated with the two brothers.
24 And when the ten heard it, they were greatly displeased with the two brothers.
25 Jesus called the apostles and said, "You know that the rulers of nations have absolute power over people and their officials have absolute authority over people.
25 But Jesus called them to Himself and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them.
26 But that's not the way it's going to be among you. Whoever wants to become great among you will be your servant.
26 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant.
27 Whoever wants to be most important among you will be your slave.
27 And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave--
28 It's the same way with the Son of Man. He didn't come so that others could serve him. He came to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many people."
28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."
29 As they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed Jesus.
29 Now as they went out of Jericho, a great multitude followed Him.
30 Two blind men were sitting by the road. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they shouted, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!"
30 And behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, "Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!"
31 The crowd told them to be quiet. But they shouted even louder, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!"
31 Then the multitude warned them that they should be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying, "Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!"
32 Jesus stopped and called them. "What do you want me to do for you?" he asked.
32 So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, "What do you want Me to do for you?"
33 They told him, "Lord, we want you to give us our eyesight back."
33 They said to Him, "Lord, that our eyes may be opened."
34 Jesus felt sorry for them, so he touched their eyes. Their sight was restored at once, and they followed him.
34 So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.
GOD'S WORD® is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.