Matthew 20:2-24

2When he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard.

3And he went out about the third hour (9:00 a.m.) and saw others standing idle in the market place;

4and he said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right (an appropriate wage).’ And they went.

5He went out about the sixth hour (noon) and the ninth hour (3:00 p.m.), and did the same thing.

6And about the eleventh hour (5:00 p.m.) he went out and found others standing around, and he said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day?’

7They answered him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He told them, ‘You go into the vineyard also.’

8“When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last [to be hired] and ending with the first [to be hired].’

9Those who had been hired at the eleventh hour (5:00 p.m.) came and received a denarius each [a day’s wage].

10Now when the first [to be hired] came, they thought they would get more; but each of them also received a denarius.

11When they received it, they protested and grumbled at the owner of the estate,

12saying, ‘These men who came last worked [only] one hour, and yet you have made them equal [in wages] to us who have carried [most of] the burden and [worked in] the scorching heat of the day.’

13But the owner of the estate replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no injustice. Did you not agree with me for a denarius?

14Take what belongs to you and go, but I choose to give to this last man [hired] the same as I give to you.

15Am I not lawfully permitted to do what I choose with what is mine? Or is your eye envious because I am generous?’

16So those who are last [in this world] shall be first [in the world to come], and those who are first, last.”

17As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, He took the twelve [disciples] aside, and along the way He said to them,

18“Listen carefully: we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and scribes (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court), and they will [judicially] condemn Him and sentence Him to death,

19and will hand Him over to the Gentiles (Roman authorities) to be mocked and scourged and crucified, and He will be raised [to life] on the third day.”

20Then [Salome] the mother of Zebedee’s children [James and John] came up to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down [in respect], asked a favor of Him.

21And He said to her, “What do you wish?” She answered Him, “Command that in Your kingdom these two sons of mine may sit [in positions of honor and authority] one on Your right and one on Your left.”

22But Jesus replied, “You do not realize what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup [of suffering] that I am about to drink?” They answered, “We are able.”

23He said to them, “You will drink My cup [of suffering]; but to sit on My right and on My left this is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by My Father.”

24And when the [other] ten heard this, they were resentful and angry with the two brothers.