1The Kingdom of Heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.
2He agreed to pay the workers a silver coin for the day, and then sent them into his vineyard.
3Around nine o'clock in the morning, he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing.
4He told them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is fair.' So they went.
5He went out again around noon and at three in the afternoon, and did the same thing.
6About five o'clock in the afternoon, he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, 'Why have you been standing here all day doing nothing?'
7They answered, 'Because no one has hired us.' He told them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and you will receive whatever is fair.'
8When evening came, the owner of the vineyard told his manager, 'Call the workers and pay them their wages, starting with the last ones hired and ending with the first.'
9When those hired at about five o'clock came, each received a silver coin.
10So when the first ones came, they expected to receive more, but each of them also received a silver coin.
11When they received their pay, they complained to the owner of the vineyard,
12saying, ‘These people who were hired last worked only one hour, yet you paid them the same as us, who have worked all day in the hot sun!’
13But the owner answered one of them, ‘Friend, I haven’t treated you unfairly. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius?
14Take your pay and go. I want to give this last person the same amount I gave you.
15Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you jealous because I am generous?’
16So the last will be first, and the first will be last. For many are invited, but few are chosen.”
17As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside and told them on the way,
18“Listen, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes. They will sentence him to death,
19and hand him over to the non-Jewish people to be mocked, whipped, and crucified. But on the third day, he will rise again.”
20Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons. She knelt down and asked him for a special favor.
21He said to her, "What do you want?" She said to him, "Command that these two sons of mine may sit, one at your right side and one at your left side, in your Kingdom."
22But Jesus answered, "You don't know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup of suffering that I am about to drink and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" They said to him, "We are able."
23He said to them, "You will indeed drink my cup and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with, but to sit at my right side and at my left side is not mine to give. It is for those whom my Father has prepared it for."
24When the ten other disciples heard this, they were angry with the two brothers.
25But Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the nations boss them around, and their powerful leaders act as tyrants over them.
26It should not be that way among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.
27And whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave,
28just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a rescue payment for many."
29As they left Jericho, a large crowd followed him.
30Suddenly, two blind men sitting by the road heard that Jesus was passing by and shouted, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!"
31The crowd told them to be quiet, but they shouted even louder, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!"
32Jesus stopped, called them over, and asked, "What do you want me to do for you?"
33They told him, "Lord, we want our eyes to be opened."
34Jesus felt deep pity for them. He touched their eyes, and immediately they could see. Then they followed him.