| New Living Translation | Berean Study Bible |
| 1 “For the Kingdom of Heaven is like the landowner who went out early one morning to hire workers for his vineyard. | 1“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. |
| 2 He agreed to pay the normal daily wage and sent them out to work. | 2He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard. |
| 3 “At nine o’clock in the morning he was passing through the marketplace and saw some people standing around doing nothing. | 3About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. |
| 4 So he hired them, telling them he would pay them whatever was right at the end of the day. | 4‘You also go into my vineyard,’ he said, ‘and I will pay you whatever is right.’ |
| 5 So they went to work in the vineyard. At noon and again at three o’clock he did the same thing. | 5So they went. He went out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour and did the same thing. |
| 6 “At five o’clock that afternoon he was in town again and saw some more people standing around. He asked them, ‘Why haven’t you been working today?’ | 6About the eleventh hour he went out and found still others standing around. ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’ he asked. |
| 7 “They replied, ‘Because no one hired us.’ “The landowner told them, ‘Then go out and join the others in my vineyard.’ | 7‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered. So he told them, ‘You also go into my vineyard.’ |
| 8 “That evening he told the foreman to call the workers in and pay them, beginning with the last workers first. | 8When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, starting with the last ones hired and moving on to the first.’ |
| 9 When those hired at five o’clock were paid, each received a full day’s wage. | 9The workers who were hired about the eleventh hour came and each received a denarius. |
| 10 When those hired first came to get their pay, they assumed they would receive more. But they, too, were paid a day’s wage. | 10So when the original workers came, they assumed they would receive more. But each of them also received a denarius. |
| 11 When they received their pay, they protested to the owner, | 11On receiving their pay, they began to grumble against the landowner. |
| 12 ‘Those people worked only one hour, and yet you’ve paid them just as much as you paid us who worked all day in the scorching heat.’ | 12‘These men who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the scorching heat of the day.’ |
| 13 “He answered one of them, ‘Friend, I haven’t been unfair! Didn’t you agree to work all day for the usual wage? | 13But he answered one of them, ‘Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Did you not agree with me on one denarius? |
| 14 Take your money and go. I wanted to pay this last worker the same as you. | 14Take your pay and go. I want to give this last man the same as I gave you. |
| 15 Is it against the law for me to do what I want with my money? Should you be jealous because I am kind to others?’ | 15Do I not have the right to do as I please with what is mine? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ |
| 16 “So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.” Jesus Again Predicts His Death | 16So the last will be first, and the first will be last.” |
| 17As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside privately and told them what was going to happen to him. | 17As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, He took the twelve disciples aside and said, |
| 18 “Listen,” he said, “we’re going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die. | 18“Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes. They will condemn Him to death |
| 19 Then they will hand him over to the Romans to be mocked, flogged with a whip, and crucified. But on the third day he will be raised from the dead.” Jesus Teaches about Serving Others | 19and will deliver Him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. And on the third day He will be raised to life.” |
| 20Then the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus with her sons. She knelt respectfully to ask a favor. | 20Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and knelt down to make a request of Him. |
| 21 “What is your request?” he asked. She replied, “In your Kingdom, please let my two sons sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left.” | 21“What do you want?” He inquired. She answered, “Declare that in Your kingdom one of these two sons of mine may sit at Your right hand, and the other at Your left.” |
| 22But Jesus answered by saying to them, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink?” “Oh yes,” they replied, “we are able!” | 22“You do not know what you are asking,” Jesus replied. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” “We can,” the brothers answered. |
| 23Jesus told them, “You will indeed drink from my bitter cup. But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. My Father has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen.” | 23“You will indeed drink My cup,” Jesus said. “But to sit at My right or left is not Mine to grant. These seats belong to those for whom My Father has prepared them.” |
| 24When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. | 24When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. |
| 25But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. | 25But Jesus called them aside and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their superiors exercise authority over them. |
| 26 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, | 26It shall not be this way among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, |
| 27 and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. | 27and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave— |
| 28 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Jesus Heals Two Blind Men | 28just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” |
| 29As Jesus and the disciples left the town of Jericho, a large crowd followed behind. | 29As they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed Him. |
| 30Two blind men were sitting beside the road. When they heard that Jesus was coming that way, they began shouting, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” | 30And there were two blind men sitting beside the road. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” |
| 31“Be quiet!” the crowd yelled at them. But they only shouted louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” | 31The crowd admonished them to be silent, but they cried out all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” |
| 32When Jesus heard them, he stopped and called, “What do you want me to do for you?” | 32Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want Me to do for you?” He asked. |
| 33“Lord,” they said, “we want to see!” | 33“Lord,” they answered, “let our eyes be opened.” |
| 34Jesus felt sorry for them and touched their eyes. Instantly they could see! Then they followed him. | 34Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes, and at once they received their sight and followed Him. |
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