Matthew 20

1 “For the kingdom [of God’s royal power and dominion] of heaven [the sky and God’s home] is like [similar in appearance or character] a landowner [householder, master of a family] who went out [came out of a place] early [at dawn] in the morning to hire [pay someone to work] workers [laborers, field workers] for his vineyard [a place where grapes are grown]. word study 2 He agreed [to be in harmony with, to come to terms] to pay them a denarius [a day’s wage, a Roman coin] for the day [a 24-hour period, a period of time] and sent [dispatched, set apart] them into his vineyard [a garden of grapes]. word study 3 About [around, approximately] the third [at the third time, during the third hour of the day] hour he went out [came out, proceeded] and saw others [different ones, additional people] standing [in an upright position, idle] in the marketplace [public area, forum] doing [engaging in, being occupied with] nothing [idle, without work, lacking purpose]. word study 4 ‘You also [too, in addition] go into my vineyard [a garden of grapes],’ he said, ‘and I will pay you whatever [all that, whatsoever] is right [just, fair, righteous, being fair and innocent].’ word study 5 So they went. He went out again [once more] about [around, near] the sixth [mid-morning] hour and the ninth [3 pm, late afternoon] hour and did [accomplished, performed] the same thing [likewise, in the same manner]. word study 6 About [approximately, near] the eleventh [the last of a series] hour he went out [to go forth, to proceed] and found [discovered, encountered] still others [different ones, additional people] standing [in an upright position, idle] around [in the area, nearby]. ‘Why have you been standing [remaining, waiting] here [in this place, at this location] all day long [the entire day, throughout the day] doing nothing [idle, without work, unoccupied]?’ he asked [said, spoke to them]. word study 7 ‘Because [since, for the reason that] no one [nobody, none] has hired [employed, paid for work] us,’ they answered [said, spoke]. So he told [said, instructed] them, ‘You also [too, in addition] go [depart, proceed] into my [belonging to me, my own] vineyard [place of grape cultivation].’ word study 8 When [at the end of the day] evening came, the owner [lord, master] of the vineyard [a place where grapes are grown] said to his foreman [manager, steward], ‘Call [invite, summon] the workers [laborers, those who toil] and pay [give, repay] them their wages [compensation, reward], starting [beginning] with the last ones [those who came last, the final ones] hired [employed, contracted] and moving on [continuing] to the first [those who came first, the initial ones].’ word study 9 The workers [laborers, those who toiled] who were hired [employed, given a task] about [around, near] the eleventh [eleventh in a list or order] hour [a specific time, a period of sixty minutes] came and each [every individual, one by one] received [took, accepted] a denarius [a Roman coin, a day’s wage]. word study 10 So when the original workers [first laborers, those hired first] came, they assumed [thought, supposed] they would receive [take, be given] more [a larger amount, greater reward]. But each [every one, individually] of them also received [was given, took] a denarius [a day’s wage, standard pay]. word study 11 On receiving [taking, accepting] their pay, they began [started, commenced] to grumble [murmur, complain] against the landowner [householder, master of the house, the one in charge]. word study 12 ‘These men who were hired last [at the end of the day] worked only [one brief] one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal [in payment, with the same reward] to us who have borne [carried, endured] the burden [weight, load] and the scorching heat [intense burning, fiery blaze] of the day [the full 24-hour period, the entire daytime].’ word study 13 But he answered [in response, replied] one of them, ‘Friend [close companion], I am not being [practicing, committing] unfair [unrighteous] to you. Did you not agree [come to harmony] with me on [for the wage of, in exchange for] one denarius [a day’s wage, a Roman coin]? word study 14 Take your pay [that which is thine, your rightful wage] and go [depart, go your way]. I want [it is my will, I desire] to give [bestow, grant] this last man [the last, the least] the same [even as, just as] as I gave [bestowed upon] you [to you, for your benefit]. word study 15 Do I [as the master of my own] not have the right [to be permitted, lawful] to do as I please [to will, desire] with what is mine [my own, belonging to me]? Or are you envious [having an evil eye, resentful] because I am generous [good, benevolent, doing good]?’ word study 16 So the last [farthest, most distant] will be first [foremost, of highest priority], and the first [most prominent, of highest rank] will be last [least important, of lowest position].” word study 17 As Jesus [the Greek name for Joshua, meaning God is salvation] was going up [ascending, traveling to a higher location] to Jerusalem [the capital of Palestine, a city of great spiritual significance], He took [received, gathered to Himself] the twelve disciples [learners, followers] aside [in a private, secluded area] and said [spoke, communicated His thoughts], word study 18 “Look [behold, see], we are going up [ascending, traveling] to Jerusalem [the capital of Palestine], and the Son [a child or descendant] of Man [a human being] will be delivered [handed over, betrayed] over to the chief priests [high-priest] and scribes [scholars of the law]. They will condemn [judge against, sentence] Him to death [physical or spiritual destruction] word study 19 and will deliver Him [to be surrendered, yielded up] over to the Gentiles [non-Jewish people, nations] to be mocked [to jeer at, ridiculed] and flogged [to whip, scourged] and crucified [to be impaled on a cross]. And on the third [following two days, in a sequence] day He will be raised [to stand up, arise from the dead] to life [eternal existence, spiritual vitality].” word study 20 Then [at that specific point in time] the mother [parent, caregiver] of Zebedee’s sons [James and John, Jesus’ apostles] came to Jesus [approached, drew near] with her sons [accompanied by, together with] and knelt down [worshipping, bowing] to make a request [ask, petition] of Him [from Jesus, the Messiah]. word study 21 “What do you want [desire, wish to have]?” He inquired. She answered, “Declare [command, appoint] that in Your kingdom [reign, dominion] one of these two sons [children, offspring] of mine may sit [be seated, reside] at Your right hand [place of honor, authority], and the other at Your left [side of lesser honor, subordinate position].” word study 22 “You do not know [are unaware of, have no understanding] what you are asking [requesting, seeking],” Jesus [the Messiah, Savior] replied. “Can you drink [partake of, share in] the cup [a drinking vessel] I am going to drink [experience, endure]?” “We can [are able, have the strength],” the brothers [James and John, the disciples] answered. word study 23 “You will indeed drink My cup [the cup of suffering, the cup of God’s wrath],” Jesus said. “But to sit at My right [the place of honor, the position of authority] or left [the position of lesser honor, the place of humility] is not Mine to grant [bestow, give as a gift]. These seats [positions of authority, thrones] belong to those for whom My Father [the supreme Creator, the One who has prepared all things] has prepared [made ready, ordained] them.” word study 24 When the ten [other disciples, ten of them] heard about this [it, the request], they were [deeply] indignant [moved with indignation, much displeased] with the two [brethren, fellow disciples] brothers [brethren, fellow Christians]. word study 25 But Jesus [the Greek name for Joshua, meaning God is salvation] called them aside and said, “You know [perceive, have spiritual awareness] that the rulers [leaders, chiefs] of the Gentiles [non-Jewish people, nations] lord it over them [exercise dominion, master], and their superiors [great ones, those in authority] exercise authority [rule, have control] over them [their subjects, the people under them]. word study 26 It shall not be this way [not so, in a completely different manner] among you. Instead, whoever wants [desires, has a will to] to become great [prominent, esteemed] among you must be your [faithful] servant [minister, attendant to others], word study 27 and whoever [desires to be, wishes to] wants to be first [first in importance, foremost] among [in the midst of, surrounded by] you must be [like a servant, a bondservant] your slave [a servant subject to another]— word study 28 just as [exactly like, in the same way] the Son [Child, descendant] of Man [a human being, a person] did not come [arrive, appear] to be served [ministered to, attended], but [on the contrary] to serve [minister, attend to others’ needs], and to give [bestow, grant] His life [soul, breath of life] as [in the place of, for the sake of] a ransom [redemption price, payment for sin] for [instead of, on behalf of] many [a large number, numerous].” word study 29 As they were leaving [departing from, going out of] Jericho [an important city in Palestine], a large [great, huge] crowd [multitude, group of people] followed [accompanied, went after] Him [Jesus, the Messiah]. word study 30 And there were two [a pair] blind [physically and spiritually unable to see] men sitting [seated, resting] beside [near, adjacent to] the road [path, way]. When they heard [listened, perceived] that Jesus [Joshua, God’s salvation] was passing by [going along, proceeding], they cried out [shouted, exclaimed], “Lord [Master, God], Son [Uios, descendant] of David [the king of Israel], have mercy [show compassion, pity] on us [have compassion on me]!” word study 31 The crowd [multitude, large group of people] admonished them to be silent [hold their peace, quiet], but they cried out all the louder [with greater intensity], “Lord [Son of God, Master], Son of David [Descendant of King David], have mercy [show compassion, pity] on us [on me, on them]!” word study 32 Jesus [the Greek name for Joshua, meaning God is salvation] stopped [stood still, came to a halt] and called [addressed by name, summoned] them [and then He said to them]. “What [which thing, what matter] do you want [desire, will] Me to do [make, perform] for you [on your behalf, in your interest]?” He asked [said, spoke to them]. word study 33 “Lord [Master, God, the One in authority],” they answered, “let [that, in order that] our eyes [the ability to see, physical and spiritual vision] be opened [made accessible, restored to sight, as if a door is unlocked].” word study 34 Moved with [deep] compassion [pity, sympathy], Jesus [the Savior] touched [laid his hands on] their eyes [sight, vision], and at once [immediately, straight away] they received [regained, recovered] their sight [vision, ability to see] and followed [accompanied, walked with] Him [their Lord, Master]. word study