Matthew · Bible in Basic English
Matthew 20 Bible in Basic English
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 For the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a house, who went out early in the morning to get workers into his vine-garden.
1 Ὁμοία γάρ ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν ἀνθρώπῳ οἰκοδεσπότῃ, ὅστις ἐξῆλθεν ἅμα πρωΐ μισθώσασθαι ἐργάτας εἰς τὸν ἀμπελῶνα αὐτοῦ.
2 And when he had made an agreement with the workmen for a penny a day, he sent them into his vine-garden.
2 καὶ συμφωνήσας μετὰ τῶν ἐργατῶν ἐκ δηναρίου τὴν ἡμέραν ἀπέστειλεν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸν ἀμπελῶνα αὐτοῦ.
3 And he went out about the third hour, and saw others in the market-place doing nothing;
3 καὶ ἐξελθὼν περὶ τρίτην ὥραν εἶδεν ἄλλους ἑστῶτας ἐν τῇ ἀγορᾷ ἀργούς,
4 And he said to them, Go into the vine-garden with the others, and whatever is right I will give you. And they went to work.
4 καὶ ἐκείνοις εἶπεν· ὑπάγετε καὶ ὑμεῖς εἰς τὸν ἀμπελῶνα, καὶ ὃ ἐὰν ᾖ δίκαιον δώσω ὑμῖν.
5 Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did the same.
5 οἱ δὲ ἀπῆλθον. πάλιν ἐξελθὼν περὶ ἕκτην καὶ ἐνάτην ὥραν ἐποίησεν ὡσαύτως.
6 And about the eleventh hour he went out and saw others doing nothing; and he says to them, Why are you here all the day doing nothing?
6 περὶ δὲ τὴν ἑνδεκάτην ὥραν ἐξελθὼν εὗρεν ἄλλους ἑστῶτας ἀργούς, καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· τί ὧδε ἑστήκατε ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν ἀργοί;
7 They say to him, Because no man has given us work. He says to them, Go in with the rest, into the vine-garden.
7 λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· ὅτι οὐδεὶς ἡμᾶς ἐμισθώσατο. λέγει αὐτοῖς· ὑπάγετε καὶ ὑμεῖς εἰς τὸν ἀμπελῶνα, καὶ ὃ ἐὰν ᾖ δίκαιον λήψεσθε.
8 And when evening came, the lord of the vine-garden said to his manager, Let the workers come, and give them their payment, from the last to the first.
8 ὀψίας δὲ γενομένης λέγει ὁ κύριος τοῦ ἀμπελῶνος τῷ ἐπιτρόπῳ αὐτοῦ· κάλεσον τοὺς ἐργάτας καὶ ἀπόδος αὐτοῖς τὸν μισθόν, ἀρξάμενος ἀπὸ τῶν ἐσχάτων ἕως τῶν πρώτων.
9 And when those men came who had gone to work at the eleventh hour, they were given every man a penny.
9 καὶ ἐλθόντες οἱ περὶ τὴν ἑνδεκάτην ὥραν ἔλαβον ἀνὰ δηνάριον.
10 Then those who came first had the idea that they would get more; and they, like the rest, were given a penny.
10 ἐλθόντες δὲ οἱ πρῶτοι ἐνόμισαν ὅτι πλείονα λήψονται, καὶ ἔλαβον καὶ αὐτοὶ ἀνὰ δηνάριον.
11 And when they got it, they made a protest against the master of the house,
11 λαβόντες δὲ ἐγόγγυζον κατὰ τοῦ οἰκοδεσπότου
12 Saying, These last have done only one hour's work, and you have made them equal to us, who have undergone the hard work of the day and the burning heat.
12 λέγοντες ὅτι οὗτοι οἱ ἔσχατοι μίαν ὥραν ἐποίησαν, καὶ ἴσους ἡμῖν αὐτοὺς ἐποίησας τοῖς βαστάσασι τὸ βάρος τῆς ἡμέρας καὶ τὸν καύσωνα.
13 But he in answer said to one of them, Friend, I do you no wrong: did you not make an agreement with me for a penny?
13 ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν ἑνὶ αὐτῶν· ἑταῖρε, οὐκ ἀδικῶ σε· οὐχὶ δηναρίου συνεφώνησάς μοι;
14 Take what is yours, and go away; it is my pleasure to give to this last, even as to you.
14 ἆρον τὸ σὸν καὶ ὕπαγε· θέλω δὲ τούτῳ τῷ ἐσχάτῳ δοῦναι ὡς καὶ σοί·
15 Have I not the right to do as seems good to me in my house? or is your eye evil, because I am good?
15 ἢ οὐκ ἔξεστί μοι ποιῆσαι ὃ θέλω ἐν τοῖς ἐμοῖς; εἰ ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου πονηρός ἐστιν ὅτι ἐγὼ ἀγαθός εἰμι;
16 So the last will be first, and the first last.
16 Οὕτως ἔσονται οἱ ἔσχατοι πρῶτοι καὶ οἱ πρῶτοι ἔσχατοι· πολλοὶ γάρ εἰσι κλητοί, ὀλίγοι δὲ ἐκλεκτοί.
17 And when Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples on one side, and said to them,
17 Καὶ ἀναβαίνων ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα παρέλαβε τοὺς δώδεκα μαθητὰς κατ᾽ ἰδίαν ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς·
18 See, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man will be given into the hands of the chief priests and scribes; and they will give orders for him to be put to death,
18 ἰδοὺ ἀναβαίνομεν εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα, καὶ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου παραδοθήσεται τοῖς ἀρχιερεῦσι καὶ γραμματεῦσι καὶ κατακρινοῦσιν αὐτὸν θανάτῳ,
19 And will give him up to the Gentiles to be made sport of and to be whipped and to be put to death on the cross: and the third day he will come back again from the dead.
19 καὶ παραδώσουσιν αὐτὸν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν εἰς τὸ ἐμπαῖξαι καὶ μαστιγῶσαι καὶ σταυρῶσαι, καὶ τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ ἀναστήσεται.
20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, giving him worship and making a request of him.
20 Τότε προσῆλθεν αὐτῷ ἡ μήτηρ τῶν υἱῶν Ζεβεδαίου μετὰ τῶν υἱῶν αὐτῆς προσκυνοῦσα καὶ αἰτοῦσά τι παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ.
21 And he said to her, What is your desire? She says to him, Let my two sons be seated, the one at your right hand, and the other at your left, in your kingdom.
21 ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτῇ· τί θέλεις; λέγει αὐτῷ· εἰπὲ ἵνα καθίσωσιν οὗτοι οἱ δύο υἱοί μου εἷς ἐκ δεξιῶν σου καὶ εἷς ἐξ εὐωνύμων σου ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ σου.
22 But Jesus made answer and said, You have no idea what you are requesting. Are you able to take of the cup which I am about to take?
22 ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν· οὐκ οἴδατε τί αἰτεῖσθε. δύνασθε πιεῖν τὸ ποτήριον ὃ ἐγὼ μέλλω πίνειν, ἢ τὸ βάπτισμα ὃ ἐγὼ βαπτίζομαι βαπτισθῆναι; λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· δυνάμεθα.
23 They say to him, We are able. He says to them, Truly, you will take of my cup: but to be seated at my right hand and at my left is not for me to give, but it is for those for whom my Father has made it ready.
23 καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· τὸ μὲν ποτήριόν μου πίεσθε, καὶ τὸ βάπτισμα ὃ ἐγὼ βαπτίζομαι βαπτισθήσεσθε· τὸ δὲ καθίσαι ἐκ δεξιῶν μου καὶ ἐξ εὐωνύμων μου οὐκ ἔστιν ἐμὸν δοῦναι, ἀλλ᾽ οἷς ἡτοίμασται [ὑπὸ τοῦ πατρός μου].
24 And when it came to the ears of the ten, they were angry with the two brothers.
24 καὶ ἀκούσαντες οἱ δέκα ἠγανάκτησαν περὶ τῶν δύο ἀδελφῶν.
25 But Jesus said to them, You see that the rulers of the Gentiles are lords over them, and their great ones have authority over them.
25 ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς προσκαλεσάμενος αὐτοὺς εἶπεν· οἴδατε ὅτι οἱ ἄρχοντες τῶν ἐθνῶν κατακυριεύουσιν αὐτῶν καὶ οἱ μεγάλοι κατεξουσιάζουσιν αὐτῶν.
26 Let it not be so among you: but if anyone has a desire to become great among you, let him be your servant;
26 οὐχ οὕτως ἔσται ἐν ὑμῖν, ἀλλ᾽ ὃς ἐὰν θέλῃ ἐν ὑμῖν μέγας γενέσθαι, ἔσται ὑμῶν διάκονος,
27 And whoever has a desire to be first among you, let him take the lowest place:
27 καὶ ὃς ἐὰν θέλῃ ἐν ὑμῖν εἶναι πρῶτος, ἔσται ὑμῶν δοῦλος·
28 Even as the Son of man did not come to have servants, but to be a servant, and to give his life for the salvation of men.
28 ὥσπερ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου οὐκ ἦλθε διακονηθῆναι, ἀλλὰ διακονῆσαι καὶ δοῦναι τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ λύτρον ἀντὶ πολλῶν.
29 And when they were going out from Jericho, a great number went after him.
29 Καὶ ἐκπορευομένων αὐτῶν ἀπὸ Ἱεριχὼ ἠκολούθησεν αὐτῷ ὄχλος πολύς.
30 And two blind men seated by the wayside, when they had the news that Jesus was going by, gave a loud cry, saying, Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us.
30 καὶ ἰδοὺ δύο τυφλοὶ καθήμενοι παρὰ τὴν ὁδόν, ἀκούσαντες ὅτι Ἰησοῦς παράγει, ἔκραξαν λέγοντες· ἐλέησον ἡμᾶς, Κύριε, υἱὸς Δαυΐδ.
31 And the people gave them orders to be quiet; but they went on crying even louder, Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us.
31 ὁ δὲ ὄχλος ἐπετίμησεν αὐτοῖς ἵνα σιωπήσωσιν· οἱ δὲ μεῖζον ἔκραζον λέγοντες· ἐλέησον ἡμᾶς, Κύριε, υἱὸς Δαυΐδ.
32 And Jesus, stopping, sent for them, and said, What would you have me do to you?
32 καὶ στὰς ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐφώνησεν αὐτοὺς καὶ εἶπε· τί θέλετε ποιήσω ὑμῖν;
33 They say to him, Lord, that our eyes may be open.
33 λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· Κύριε, ἵνα ἀνοιχθῶσιν ἡμῶν οἱ ὀφθαλμοί.
34 And Jesus, being moved with pity, put his fingers on their eyes: and straight away they were able to see, and went after him.
34 σπλαγχνισθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἥψατο τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτῶν, καὶ εὐθέως ἀνέβλεψαν αὐτῶν οἱ ὀφθαλμοί, καὶ ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ.
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Zebedee
A fisherman in whose boat his sons James and John were mending nets when Jesus called them; they left him in the boat with the hired men.
Cited in the guide: Matthew 4:21; Matthew 20:20; Mark 1:20
Cross references (33)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Matthew 13:47; Matthew 13:24; 1 Corinthians 15:58; John 15:1; Hebrews 13:21
- 2 Exodus 19:5–6; Matthew 22:19; Luke 10:35; 2 Timothy 3:15; Matthew 18:28
- 3 1 Timothy 5:13; Proverbs 19:15; Matthew 20:6–7; Mark 15:25; Acts 17:17–21
- 4 1 Peter 4:2–3; Romans 6:16–22; Luke 19:7–10; Matthew 9:9; Titus 3:8
- 5 Joshua 24:2–3; Mark 15:33–34; Hebrews 11:24–26; Acts 3:1; Luke 23:44–46
- 6 John 9:4; Acts 17:21; Hebrews 6:12; Proverbs 19:15; Luke 23:40–43
- 7 Ephesians 2:11–12; Hebrews 6:10; Acts 17:30–31; Acts 4:16; Matthew 22:9–10
- 8 Deuteronomy 24:15; 1 Peter 4:10; Romans 2:6–10; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Titus 1:7
- 9 Romans 4:3–6; Ephesians 2:8–10; Ephesians 1:6–8; Matthew 20:2; Luke 23:40–43
- 11 Luke 19:7; 1 Thessalonians 2:16; Jude 16; Acts 11:2–3; Acts 22:21–22
- 12 Romans 11:5–6; 2 Corinthians 11:23–28; Luke 14:10–11; 1 Corinthians 4:11; Luke 18:11–12
- 13 Matthew 26:50; Matthew 22:12; Romans 9:14–15; Job 34:8–12; Job 35:2
- 14 John 17:2; Luke 15:31; Ezekiel 29:18–20; Matthew 6:2; Matthew 6:6
- 15 Romans 9:15–24; Deuteronomy 15:9; Mark 7:22; Exodus 33:19; Matthew 6:23
- 16 Matthew 19:30; Mark 10:31; Matthew 22:14; Luke 13:28–30; Luke 15:7
- 17 Mark 10:32–34; Luke 18:31–34; Matthew 13:11; John 15:15; Genesis 18:17
- 18 Matthew 16:21; Acts 2:23; Matthew 27:1; Matthew 26:2; Matthew 17:22–23
- 19 Matthew 16:21; Mark 15:16–20; 1 Corinthians 15:3–7; Acts 2:23; Isaiah 53:3
- 20 Mark 10:35–45; Matthew 4:21; Matthew 8:2; Matthew 27:56; Matthew 2:11
- 21 Matthew 19:28; Mark 10:36–37; Psalm 110:1; Esther 5:3; 1 Kings 3:5
- 22 Luke 22:42; Matthew 26:42; Matthew 26:39; Mark 14:36; John 18:11
- 23 Revelation 1:9; Mark 10:40; Matthew 25:34; Acts 12:2; 2 Timothy 2:11–12
- 24 James 4:5–6; 1 Peter 5:5; Luke 22:23–25; Philippians 2:3; 1 Corinthians 13:4
- 25 Luke 22:25–27; Matthew 20:25–28; John 13:12–17; Mark 10:42; Matthew 18:3–4
- 26 Mark 10:43; Mark 9:35; Mark 10:45; 1 Peter 5:3; Luke 18:14
- 27 Luke 22:26; Mark 9:33–35; Matthew 18:4; 2 Corinthians 4:5; Romans 1:14
- 28 Luke 22:27; Hebrews 9:28; Titus 2:14; 1 Peter 3:18; Philippians 2:4–8
- 29 Mark 10:46–52; Luke 18:35–43; Matthew 9:27–31
- 30 Mark 10:46; Matthew 12:22–23; Matthew 22:42; Matthew 21:9; Isaiah 42:16
- 31 Matthew 19:13; Colossians 4:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:17; Luke 18:1–8; Luke 11:8–10
- 32 Ezekiel 36:37; Philippians 4:6; Matthew 20:21; Acts 10:29
- 33 Psalm 119:18; Ephesians 1:17–19
- 34 Matthew 9:29; Psalm 145:8; Hebrews 4:15–16; Luke 22:51; Luke 7:13
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
Ye have heard out of the Holy Gospel a parable well suited to the present season, concerning the labourers in the vineyard. For now is the time of the material vintage. Now there is also a spiritual vintage, wherein God rejoiceth in the fruit of His vineyard. For we cultivate God, and God cultivateth us.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
He goeth not up at once to Jerusalem when He is come out of Galilee, but having first wrought miracles, and having stopped the mouths of Pharisees, and having discoursed with His disciples of renouncing possessions: for, "if thou wilt be perfect," saith He, "sell that thou hast:" and of virginity, "He that is able to receive, let him receive …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
They maintain also, that these thirty Æons are most plainly indicated in the parable of the labourers sent into the vineyard.
Of these two, the two blind men also are a figure, who sat by the way side, to whom the Lord gave sight. And if ye pay attention to the Scriptures, ye will find the two Churches, which are not two but One, figured out in many places.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
… of the heavens, that whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth, shall be bound in Heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, shall be loosed in Heaven." How then is it not "His to give to sit on His right hand, and on His left," when He saith, "I will give thee"?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)