Matthew 19; Matthew 20

1 When Jesus had finished these discourses, He removed from Galilee and came into that part of Judaea which lay beyond the Jordan.

2 And a vast multitude followed him, and He cured them there.

3 Then came some of the Pharisees to Him to put Him to the proof by the question, "Has a man a right to divorce his wife whenever he chooses?"

4 "Have you not read," He replied, "that He who made them `made them' from the beginning `male and female,

5 and said, For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two shall be one'?

6 Thus they are no longer two, but `one'! What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate."

7 "Why then," said they, "did Moses command the husband to give her `a written notice of divorce,' and so put her away?"

8 "Moses," He replied, "in consideration of the hardness of your nature permitted you to put away your wives, but it has not been so from the beginning.

9 And I tell you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except her unfaithfulness, and marries another woman, commits adultery."

10 "If this is the case with a man in relation to his wife," said the disciples to Him, "it is better not to marry."

11 "It is not every man," He replied, "who can receive this teaching, but only those on whom the grace has been bestowed.

12 There are men who from their birth have been disabled from marriage, others who have been so disabled by men, and others who have disabled themselves for the sake of the Kingdom of the Heavens. He who is able to receive this, let him receive it."

13 Then young children were brought to Him for Him to put His hands on them and pray; but the disciples interfered.

14 Jesus however said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them; for it is to those who are childlike that the Kingdom of the Heavens belongs."

15 So He laid His hands upon them and went away.

16 "Teacher," said one man, coming up to Him, "what that is good shall I do in order to win the Life of the Ages?"

17 "Why do you ask me," He replied, "about what is good? There is only One who is truly good. But if you desire to enter into Life, keep the Commandments."

18 "Which Commandments?" he asked. Jesus answered, "`Thou shalt not kill;' `Thou shalt not commit adultery;' `Thou shalt not steal;' `Thou shalt not lie in giving evidence;'

19 `Honour thy father and thy mother'; and `Thou shalt love thy fellow man as much as thyself.'"

20 "All of these," said the young man, "I have carefully kept. What do I still lack?"

21 "If you desire to be perfect," replied Jesus, "go and sell all that you have, and give to the poor, and you shall have wealth in Heaven; and come, follow me."

22 On hearing those words the young man went away much cast down; for he had much property.

23 So Jesus said to His disciples, "I solemnly tell you that it is with difficulty that a rich man will enter the Kingdom of the Heavens.

24 Yes, I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God."

25 These words utterly amazed the disciples, and they asked, "Who then can be saved?"

26 Jesus looked at them and said, "With men this is impossible, but with God everything is possible."

27 Then Peter said to Jesus, "See, *we* have forsaken everything and followed you; what then will be *our* reward?"

28 "I solemnly tell you," replied Jesus, "that in the New Creation, when the Son of Man has taken His seat on His glorious throne, all of you who have followed me shall also sit on twelve thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel.

29 And whoever has forsaken houses, or brothers or sisters, or father or mother, or children or lands, for my sake, shall receive many times as much and shall have as his inheritance the Life of the Ages.

30 "But many who are now first will be last, and many who are now last will be first.

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.