Matthew 20
Workers in the Vineyard
1 For the kingdom of the heavens is like [a] man [who is] master of the house, who went out early to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 And having agreed with the workers on [a] denarius [for] the day he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And having gone out around the third hour he saw others standing in the market place idle. 4 And to those he said: You also be going into my vineyard, and whatever is just I will give you. 5 Again having gone out around the sixth and seventh hour he did likewise. 6 And around the eleventh hour having gone out he found others standing and says to them: Why have you stood here the whole day idle? 7 They say to him: Because no one has hired us. He says to them: You also be going into the vineyard. 8 Now when it became late the Lord of the vineyard says to his steward: Call the workers and pay the wage, beginning with the last until the first. 9 So the [ones] having come around the eleventh hour each received [a] denarius. 10 And the [ones] who came first thought they would receive more, and they themselves also received [a] denarius each. 11 But when they received [it] they were murmuring against the master of the house 12 saying: These last [ones] worked one hour, and they [are] equal to us [who] worked enduring the burden of the day and the heat. 13 But the [one] answering said to one of them: Friend, I did not do you injustice, Did you not agree with me on [a] denarius? 14 Take what is yours and be going, for I wish to this last [one] to give as also [I gave] to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I wish with mine own? Or is your eye wicked1 because I am good? 16 Thus will the last be first and the first last. For many are called but few are chosen2.Third Prediction of Jesus's Death and Resurrection
17 As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve aside privately, and said to them on the way: 18 Behold we go up to Jerusalem, and the son of man will be given over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death. 19 And they will give him over to the Gentiles to mock and flog and crucify [him], and the third day he will rise again.A Request for James and John
20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons kneeling before [him] and asking3 something from him. 21 So he said to her: What do you wish? She says to him: Say that these my two sons shall sit one on your right and one on your left in your kingdom. 22 But Jesus answering said: You do not know what you ask3. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to be drinking? They say to him: We are able. 23 He says to them: Indeed you will drink my cup, but to sit on my right and my left, this is not mine to give, but [is] to be given to those for whom it is prepared by my father.24 And when the [other] ten heard, they were indignant concerning the two brothers. 25 But Jesus having called them said: You know that the rulers of the nations Lord it over them, and they exercise great authority over them. 26 It will not be4 thus among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you, he will be your servant, 27 And whoever wishes to be first among you, he will be your slave, 28 Just as the son of man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his psyche-life5 [as] ransom for many.
Two Blind Men Healed
29 And when they went out from Jericho [a] great crowd followed him. 30 And behold two blind men sitting by the road, having heard that Jesus passes by, cried out saying: Lord, have mercy on us, son of David! 31 But the crowd rebuked them that they be silent, but they cried out more saying: Lord, have mercy on us, son of David!! 32 And having stood [still] he called them and said: What do you wish I do for you? 33 Lord, that our eyes be opened. 34 So having compassion, Jesus touched their eyes, and immediately they regained [their] sight, and they followed him.1PONEROS (πoνηρoς ) here. The Greek word KAKOS (κακoς ) is always translated `evil', PONEROS is usually translated as `wicked' although occasionally as `bad'; it can also mean 'diseased', 'sickly' and is thus translated where appropriate. Like KAKOS, PONEROS also means `evil', but the harm that evil does is more in view, where KAKOS is more `evil as evil'.
2"For many are called ... chosen" KD most; omit; ℵ few
3AITEO "ay-TEH-oh" (αιτεω) "request", "demand", "beg" something for oneself. Far from humbly requesting—it's more like 'demanding'. Jesus uses AITEO only of the prayer of others, not of His own (cf. John.16:26)—and not requesting things for Himself, only for others. AITEO seems to suppose a lesser degree of intimacy than EROTAO (ερωταω), hence AITEO is used of the requests of the disciples to God, but EROTAO of the requests of the disciples to Jesus, and of those of Jesus to the Father ( John.14:16). AITEO is demanding/begging/pleading, EROTAO is polite and friendlier. Both AITEO and EROTAO occur in John.16:26.
4"will not be" ℵW vg K; "is not" BD
5from PSYCHE (ψυχη): an individual manifestation of life/consciousness. Animals have PSYCHEs as well as humans. Contrast ZOE (ζωη)—Life 'collectively', interdependent, interconnected.