Matthew 20 "So you see, the reign of the heavens (the heavens' kingdom; or: the sovereign rule and activities pertaining to the atmospheres) exists being like a person (human) – a householder – who went out at the usual time, early in the morning (or: at daybreak), to hire for himself workers to send into his vineyard.

JMNT⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ "So you see, the reign of the heavens (the heavens' kingdom; or: the sovereign rule and activities pertaining to the atmospheres) exists being like a person (human) – a householder – who went out at the usual time, early in the morning (or: at daybreak), to hire for himself workers [to send] into his vineyard. ² "Now upon voicing together [and coming] out with an agreement with the workers – a denarius [for] the day [note: a normal day's wage] – he sent them off into his vineyard. ³ "Then, upon going out about [the] third hour [of the day; = about nine in the morning], he saw other folks having taken their place standing idle and unemployed, within the market place. ⁴ "And so he says to those folks, 'You people, also, lead the way under [my word and direction] into the vineyard, and whatever may be fair and equitable (just and in accord with the way pointed out; or: = the going rate) I will proceed in giving to you.' ⁵ "So they went off. Now again, upon going out about [the] sixth hour (= around noon), and later [at the] ninth hour (= about three in the afternoon), he did similarly (or: in just the same way). ⁶ "Now about the eleventh hour (= around five o'clock), after going out, he found other folks having taken their place standing, and he is proceeding to say to them, 'Why have you taken your place and are still standing here idle and unemployed the whole day?' ⁷ "They are, as a group, responding to him, 'Because nobody hired us.' He then replies to them, 'You people, also, lead the way under [my word and direction] into the vineyard.' ⁸ "Now when it was becoming evening, the owner of the vineyard proceeds saying to his foreman (or: manager; supervisor), 'Call the workers and pay the wages, starting from the last ones, [and proceeding] until the first ones.' ⁹ "So those coming about the eleventh hour received a denarius apiece. ¹⁰ "And then, when the first ones were coming, they concluded from inference to custom that they will receive more, and yet they, themselves, also received a denarius apiece. ¹¹ "Now, upon receiving [the pay], they began muttering complaints and in low voices uttering discontent against the householder, ¹² "one after another saying, 'These last folks do one hour, and you make them equal to us – the ones who were bearing the burden and intense heat of the day!' ¹³ "So, giving a decisive reply to one of them, he said, 'My friend, I am not doing wrong or acting unjustly to you. Did you not voice agreement with me for a denarius? ¹⁴ "'Take up what is yours and humbly go away. However, I, myself, continue wanting, and intending, to give to this last person just as [I] also [gave] to you. ¹⁵ "'Is it not allowed by law and custom for me to do that which I continue wanting and intending, in [regard] to my own things? Or does your eye continue being worthless (= is your way of viewing things knavish, base, unsound and in a poor condition, or even malicious and degenerate) because I, myself, continue being good (virtuous; = having generous and benevolent qualities)?' ¹⁶ "It is in this way that the last folks will be first and the first folks [will be] last." [comment: this parable shows the equity of kingdom life: all receive the same; first and last have no significance – it is an illustration of additional folks being added into the sovereign activities of the heavens, and being equal to regular workers; it further shows the care of the Householder for the needs of the "unemployed," i.e., those not at that time being a part of His sovereign reign, and how He repeatedly goes, even in the heat of the day, to search for those in need, pointing to outreach beyond the House] ¹⁷ Now Jesus, being progressively about to be walking up in Jerusalem, took aside the twelve disciples down to a spot which corresponded to what is His own, privately, and in the midst of the path (or: on the way) said to them, ¹⁸ "Look at this, and consider. We are progressively walking up into Jerusalem, and later, the Son of the Man (= Adam's son; the human; or: = the eschatological messiah figure) will proceed being turned over to the chief (or: ranking) priests and scribes (scholars and experts in the Law), then they will according to pattern proceed judging (condemning) Him to (for) death. ¹⁹ "Next, they will proceed turning Him over to the ethnic multitudes (the nations; = foreigners) – into [a situation] to ridicule, make fun of and mock, and then scourge [Him] with a whip, and finally to execute [Him] on a torture stake (or: to crucify [Him]). Later, on (or: in; during) the third day, He will proceed being aroused and raised up." ²⁰ Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee – with her sons – came up to Him, repeatedly bowing down in obeisance and homage, while making a request of something from Him. ²¹ So He said to her, "What are you continuing in wanting (or: = What's you purpose)?" She then replies to Him, "Say that these – my two sons – can (or: should) sit, one at Your right (the place of power and authority) and one on Your left (the place of honor with a good name), within the reign of Your kingdom." ²² But Jesus, giving a discerning reply, said, "You have not seen, so you are not aware of what you are now requesting for yourselves. Are you folks now able and do you continue having power to drink at once the cup which I, Myself, am continuing about to be progressively drinking?" They are presently insisting to Him, "We are now able and continue having the power." ²³ He is then saying to them, "You will indeed be progressively drinking My cup. Yet to sit at My right and on [My] left is not Mine to give, but rather [it belongs] to those for whom it has been prepared and made ready by My Father." ²⁴ And then, upon hearing [of it], the ten became indignant, annoyed and resentful concerning the two brothers. ²⁵ So Jesus, after calling them to His side, said, "The rulers and chiefs of the ethnic multitudes (the nations or people groups; the pagans) habitually lord it over them, bringing their ownership to bear down on them, while the 'great ones' are constantly wielding authority upon them, even tyrannizing them. ²⁶ "It is not this way among you folks; but to the contrary, whoever may be now wanting or should continue intending to become great (or: = to make himself to be important) among you, he will continue (or: proceed in) being your attending servant. ²⁷ "And whoever may now be wanting or should continue intending to be first (or: foremost; = prominent) among you folks, he will continue (or: proceed in) being your slave. ²⁸ "Just as the Son of the Man (= Adam's son; the eschatological human) did not come to be taken care of by attending service, but to the contrary, to give attending service – even to give His soul-life (= Himself): a ransom, a price paid (or: a loosener) in the place of many to effect their release." ²⁹ And now, as they are proceeding on their way out from [the town of] Jericho, a large crowd followed Him. ³⁰ Then – look, and consider! – two blind men sitting beside the road, upon hearing that Jesus is presently passing by, cried out, repeatedly saying, "Lord, Master, Son of David, mercy us (extend mercy into us at once)!" ³¹ Now the crowd expressed respectful admonition to them, so that they would be silent (keep quiet). Yet they cried out even louder, continuing in saying, "O Lord, Master, mercy us at once, Son of David!" ³² Then standing, Jesus voiced a response to them and said, "What are you men wanting Me to do for you?" ³³ They went on saying to Him, "O Lord (Master), [something] so that our eyes can be opened up!" ³⁴ So Jesus, feeling compassion, touches and thus kindles outer portion of their eyes, and immediately they regained their sight (or: saw again), and then followed Him.