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¹ "For the Kingdom of the Heavens is like an employer who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard,² and having made an agreement with them for a shilling a day, sent them into his vineyard.³ About nine o'clock he went out and saw others loitering in the market-place.⁴ To these also he said, "`You also, go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.'<sup>5</sup> "So they went. Again about twelve, and about three o'clock, he went out and did the same.<sup>6</sup> And going out about five o'clock he found others loitering, and he asked them, "`Why have you been standing here all day long, doing nothing?'⁷ "`Because no one has hired us,' they replied. "`You also, go into the vineyard,' he said.⁸ "When evening came, the master said to his steward, "`Call the men and pay them their wages. Begin with the last set and finish with the first.'<sup>9</sup> "When those came who had begun at five o'clock, they received a shilling apiece;<sup>10</sup> and when the first came, they expected to get more, but they also each got the shilling.<sup>11</sup> So when they had received it, they grumbled against the employer, saying,<sup>12</sup> "`These who came last have done only one hour's work, and you have put them on a level with us who have worked the whole day and have borne the scorching heat.'¹³ "`My friend,' he answered to one of them, `I am doing you no injustice. Did you not agree with me for a shilling?¹⁴ Take your money and go. I choose to give this last comer just as much as I give you.¹⁵ Have I not a right to do what I choose with my own property? Or are you envious because I am generous?'¹⁶ "So the last shall be first, and the first last."

¹⁷ Jesus was now going up to Jerusalem, and He took the twelve disciples aside by themselves, and on the way He said to them,¹⁸ "We are going up to Jerusalem, and there the Son of Man will be betrayed to the High Priests and Scribes. They will condemn Him to death,¹⁹ and hand Him over to the Gentiles to be made sport of and scourged and crucified; and on the third day He will be raised to life."

²⁰ Then the mother of the sons of Zabdi came to Him with her sons, and knelt before Him to make a request of Him.²¹ "What is it you desire?" He asked. "Command," she replied, "that these my two sons may sit one at your right hand and one at your left in your Kingdom."²² "None of you know what you are asking for," said Jesus; "can you drink out of the cup from which I am about to drink?" "We can," they replied.²³ "You shall drink out of my cup," He said, "but a seat at my right hand or at my left it is not for me to allot, but it belongs to those for whom it has been prepared by my Father."²⁴ The other ten heard of this, and their indignation was aroused against the two brothers.²⁵ But Jesus called them to Him, and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them.²⁶ Not so shall it be among you; but whoever desires to be great among you shall be your servant,²⁷ and whoever desires to be first among you shall be your bondservant;²⁸ just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as the redemption-price for many."

²⁹ As they were leaving Jericho, an immense crowd following Him,³⁰ two blind men sitting by the roadside heard that it was Jesus who was passing by, and cried aloud, "Sir, Son of David, pity us."³¹ The people angrily tried to silence them, but they cried all the louder. "O Sir, Son of David, pity us," they said.³² So Jesus stood still and called to them. "What shall I do for you?" He asked.³³ "Sir, let our eyes be opened," they replied.³⁴ Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes, and immediately they regained their sight and followed Him.