Study Desk

"For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.^(a)

After agreeing with the workers on one denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard.

When he went out about nine in the morning,^[a] he saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing.

To those men he said, ‘You also go to my vineyard, and I'll give you whatever is right.' So off they went.

About noon and at three,^[b] he went out again and did the same thing.

Then about five^[c] he went and found others standing around,^[d] and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day doing nothing?'

"‘Because no one hired us,' they said to him. "‘You also go to my vineyard,' he told them.^[e]

When evening came, the owner of the vineyard told his foreman, ‘Call the workers and give them their pay,^(b) starting with the last and ending with the first.' ^[f]

"When those who were hired about five^[g] came, they each received one denarius.

So when the first ones came, they assumed they would get more, but they also received a denarius each.

When they received it, they began to complain to the landowner:

‘These last men put in one hour, and you made them equal to us who bore the burden of the day and the burning heat!'^(c)

"He replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I'm doing you no wrong. Didn't you agree with me on a denarius?^(d)

Take what's yours and go. I want to give this last man the same as I gave you.

Don't I have the right to do what I want with my business?^[h] Are you jealous^[i] because I'm generous?' ^[j](e)

"So the last will be first, and the first last." ^[k](f)

While going up to Jerusalem,^(g) Jesus took the 12 disciples aside privately and said to them on the way:

"Listen! We are going up to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn Him to death.^(h)

Then they will hand Him over to the Gentiles⁽ⁱ⁾ to be mocked, flogged,^[l] and crucified, and He will be resurrected^[m] on the third day."

Then the mother of Zebedee's sons approached Him with her sons.^(j) She knelt down to ask Him for something.^(k)

"What do you want?" He asked her. "Promise,"^[n] she said to Him, "that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right and the other on Your left, in Your kingdom."^(l)

But Jesus answered, "You don't know what you're asking. Are you able to drink the cup^[o] that I am about to drink?" ^[p](m) "We are able," they said to Him.

He told them, "You will indeed drink My cup.^[q] But to sit at My right and left is not Mine to give; instead, it belongs to those for whom it has been prepared by My Father."⁽ⁿ⁾

When the 10 disciples heard this, they became indignant with the two brothers.

But Jesus called them over and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles dominate them, and the men of high position exercise power over them.

It must not be like that among you. On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,^(o)

and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave;

just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve,^(p) and to give His life—a ransom for many." ^(q)

As they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed Him.^(r)

There were two blind men sitting by the road. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, "Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!"

The crowd told them to keep quiet, but they cried out all the more, "Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!"^(s)

Jesus stopped, called them, and said, "What do you want Me to do for you?"

"Lord," they said to Him, "open our eyes!"

Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes. Immediately they could see, and they followed Him.