Parable of the Worker’s Pay
- “For the kingdom of the heavens is like a man – a master of a house – who at dawn immediately went out to hire workmen for his vineyard.
- “And having agreed with the workmen to pay a denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard.
- “And having gone out about the third hour, he saw other workmen *standing idle in the marketplace.
- “And he told those men: “You also go into the vineyard, and I will give you whatever is right.”
- “And they went. And having gone out again about the sixth and the ninth hour, he did the same thing again.
- “And having gone out at about the eleventh hour, he found other workmen *standing idle. And he says to them: “Why have you stood here idle all day?
- “They tell him: “Because no one hired us.” He tells them: “You also go into the vineyard. [And you will receive whatever is right.]
- “And when it became evening, the master of the vineyard says to his foreman: “Call the workmen and pay them their wage, beginning from the last, up to the first.
- “And having come forward, the men hired about the eleventh hour received a denarius each.
- “And having come forward, the men hired first assumed that they would receive more, but they also received a denarius each.
- “And having received it, they were grumbling against the master of the house,
- “saying: “These last men only worked one hour, and you made them equal to us: the men who bore the whole day’s burden and the scorching heat.”
- “But answering one of them, he said: “Friend, I don’t wrong or hurt you. Didn’t you agree with me on a denarius?”
- “Take what’s yours and go. But I wish to give this last man the same as you.
- “Or, isn’t it lawful for me to do what I desire with what’s mine? Or, is your eye evil with greed because I’m generous?”
- “In this way, the last will be first, and the first last. [for many are called, but few are chosen.]
Jesus Predicts His Death again
- And going up to Jerusalem, Jesus took the twelve disciples aside privately and He told them on the way: “Behold,
- “we go up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn Him to death.
- And they will hand Him over to the gentiles to mock, and to flog, and to crucify; and on the third day He will be raised again.
The Greatest in the Kingdom
- Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Him with her sons, bowing down at His feet and asking something from Him.
- And He said to her: “What do you desire?” She says to Him: “Say that in your kingdom, these two sons of mine might sit down with one at your right hand, and one at your left hand.”
- But answering, Jesus said to them: “You don’t *know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I’m about to drink? [Or to be baptized in the baptism that I’m baptized?] They tell Him: “We are able.”
- He tells them: “Indeed, you will drink My cup [and you will be baptized in the baptism that I’m baptized.] But to sit on My right hand and on My left hand: this isn’t Mine to give. But that’s for whom it has been prepared by My Father.”
- And having heard this, the ten were indignant about the two brothers.
- And having summoned them, Jesus said: “You *know that the rulers of the gentiles exercise authority over them, and their great men dominate them.
- “It shall not be this way among you, but whoever desires to become great among you, he will be your servant.
- “And whoever desires to be first among you, he will be your slave,
- “just as the Son of Man didn’t come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a purchase price for many.”
Jesus Heals Two Blind Men
- And while departing from Jericho, a great crowd followed Him.
- And having heard that Jesus is passing by, behold: two blind men sitting along the road cried out saying: “Lord, have mercy on us Son of David.”
- But the crowd scolded them so they might be silent, but they cried out louder, saying: “Lord, have mercy on us Son of David.”
- And having stopped, Jesus called them and said: “What do you want Me to do for you?”
- They say to Him: “Lord, we ask that our eyes might be opened.”
- and having been moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes and at once they recovered their sight, and they followed Him.