Matthew · Literal Standard Version
Matthew 20 Literal Standard Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 “For the kingdom of the heavens is like to a man, a householder, who went forth with the morning to hire workmen for his vineyard,
1 “For the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who was the master of a household, who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.
2 and having agreed with the workmen for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
2 When he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
3 And having gone forth about the third hour, he saw others standing in the marketplace idle,
3 He went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace.
4 and to these he said, Go—also you—to the vineyard, and whatever may be righteous I will give you;
4 He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went their way.
5 and they went away. Again, having gone forth about the sixth and the ninth hour, he did in like manner.
5 Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise.
6 And about the eleventh hour, having gone forth, he found others standing idle and says to them, Why have you stood here idle all day?
6 About the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle. He said to them, ‘Why do you stand here all day idle?’
7 They say to him, Because no one hired us; he says to them, Go—you also—to the vineyard, and whatever may be righteous you will receive.
7 “They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ “He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and you will receive whatever is right.’
8 And evening having come, the lord of the vineyard says to his steward, Call the workmen, and pay them the reward, having begun from the last—to the first.
8 “When evening had come, the lord of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning from the last to the first.’
9 And they of about the eleventh hour having come, each received a denarius.
9 “When those who were hired at about the eleventh hour came, they each received a denarius.
10 And the first having come, supposed that they will receive more, and they received, they also, each a denarius,
10 When the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise each received a denarius.
11 and having received [it], they were murmuring against the householder, saying,
11 When they received it, they murmured against the master of the household,
12 that, These, the last, worked one hour, and you made them equal to us, who were bearing the burden of the day—and the heat.
12 saying, ‘These last have spent one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat!’
13 And he answering said to one of them, Friend, I do no unrighteousness to you; did you not agree with me for a denarius?
13 “But he answered one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Didn’t you agree with me for a denarius?
14 Take that which is yours, and go; and I will to give to this, the last, also as to you;
14 Take that which is yours, and go your way. It is my desire to give to this last just as much as to you.
15 is it not lawful to me to do what I will in my own? Is your eye evil because I am good?
15 Isn’t it lawful for me to do what I want to with what I own? Or is your eye evil, because I am good?’
16 So the last will be first, and the first last, for many are called, and few chosen.”
16 So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few are chosen.”
17 And Jesus going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples by themselves in the way and said to them,
17 As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them,
18 “Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes,
18 “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death,
19 and they will condemn Him to death, and will deliver Him to the nations to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify, and the third day He will rise again.”
19 and will hand him over to the Gentiles to mock, to scourge, and to crucify; and the third day he will be raised up.”
20 Then came near to Him the mother of the sons of Zebedee, with her sons, prostrating and asking something from Him,
20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, kneeling and asking a certain thing of him.
21 and He said to her, “What do you will?” She says to Him, “Say that they may sit—these two sons of mine—one on Your right hand and one on the left, in Your kingdom.”
21 He said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Command that these, my two sons, may sit, one on your right hand and one on your left hand, in your Kingdom.”
22 And Jesus answering said, “You have not known what you ask for yourselves; are you able to drink of the cup that I am about to drink? And with the immersion that I am immersed with, to be immersed?” They say to Him, “We are able.”
22 But Jesus answered, “You don’t know what you are asking. 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 And He says to them, “Of My cup indeed you will drink, and with the immersion that I am immersed with you will be immersed; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but—to those for whom it has been prepared by My Father.”
23 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 hand is not mine to give, but it is for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”
24 And the ten having heard, were much displeased with the two brothers,
24 When the ten heard it, they were indignant with the two brothers.
25 and Jesus having called them near, said, “You have known that the rulers of the nations exercise lordship over them, and those [who are] great exercise authority over them,
25 But Jesus summoned them, and said, “You know that the rulers of the nations lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.
26 but not so will it be among you, but whoever may will among you to become great, let him be your servant;
26 It shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant.
27 and whoever may will among you to be first, let him be your servant;
27 Whoever desires to be first among you shall be your bondservant,
28 even as the Son of Man did not come to be ministered to, but to minister, and to give His life [as] a ransom for many.”
28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
29 And they going forth from Jericho, there followed Him a great multitude,
29 As they went out from Jericho, a great multitude followed him.
30 and behold, two blind men sitting by the way, having heard that Jesus passes by, cried, saying, “Deal kindly with us, Lord—Son of David.”
30 Behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, “Lord, have mercy on us, you son of David!”
31 And the multitude charged them that they might be silent, and they cried out the more, saying, “Deal kindly with us Lord—Son of David.”
31 The multitude rebuked them, telling them that they should be quiet, but they cried out even more, “Lord, have mercy on us, you son of David!”
32 And having stood, Jesus called them and said, “What do you will [that] I may do to you?”
32 Jesus stood still and called them, and asked, “What do you want me to do for you?”
33 They say to Him, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened”;
33 They told him, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened.”
34 and having been moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes, and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.
34 Jesus, being moved with compassion, touched their eyes; and immediately their eyes received their sight, and they followed him.
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)