Matthew 20 :: New King James Version (NKJV)

The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard

Christ Foretells His Sufferings

Mat 20:1“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.

Mat 20:2

Mat 20:2“Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.

Mat 20:3

Mat 20:3“And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,

Mat 20:4

Mat 20:4“and said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went.

Mat 20:5

Mat 20:5“Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise.

Mat 20:6

Mat 20:6“And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle,[fn] and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day?’

Mat 20:7

Mat 20:7“They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.’[fn]

Mat 20:8

Mat 20:8“So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, ‘Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.’

Mat 20:9

Mat 20:9“And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius.

Mat 20:10

Mat 20:10“But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius.

Mat 20:11

Mat 20:11“And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner,

Mat 20:12

Mat 20:12“saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.’

Mat 20:13

Mat 20:13“But he answered one of them and said, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius?

Mat 20:14

Mat 20:14‘Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you.

Mat 20:15

Mat 20:15‘Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?’

Mat 20:16

Mat 20:16“So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.”[fn]

Jesus a Third Time Predicts His Death and Resurrection

(Mark 10:32–34; Luke 18:31–34 )

Mat 20:17

Mat 20:17Now Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them,

Mat 20:18

Mat 20:18“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death,

Mat 20:19

Mat 20:19“and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And the third day He will rise again.”

Greatness Is Serving

(Mark 10:35–45 )

Mat 20:20

Mat 20:20Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him.

Mat 20:21

Mat 20:21And He said to her, “What do you wish?” She said to Him, “Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom.”

Mat 20:22

Mat 20:22But Jesus answered and said, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?”[fn] They said to Him, “We are able.”

Mat 20:23

Mat 20:23So He said to them, “You will indeed drink My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with;[fn] but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father.”

Mat 20:24

Mat 20:24And when the ten heard it, they were greatly displeased with the two brothers.

Mat 20:25

Mat 20:25But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them.

Mat 20:26

Mat 20:26“Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant.

Mat 20:27

Mat 20:27“And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave—

Mat 20:28

Mat 20:28“just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

Two Blind Men Receive Their Sight

(Mark 10:46–52; Luke 18:35–43 )

Mat 20:29

Mat 20:29Now as they went out of Jericho, a great multitude followed Him.

Mat 20:30

Mat 20:30And behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!”

Mat 20:31

Mat 20:31Then the multitude warned them that they should be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!”

Mat 20:32

Mat 20:32So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, “What do you want Me to do for you?”

Mat 20:33

Mat 20:33They said to Him, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened.”

Mat 20:34

Mat 20:34So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.

See the NKJV Preface (Especially for Parenthesis, Brackets, & Asterisks).

NKJV Footnotes

(20:6)

NU-Text omits idle.

(20:7)

NU-Text omits the last clause of this verse.

(20:16)

NU-Text omits the last sentence of this verse.

(20:22)

NU-Text omits and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with.

(20:23)

NU-Text omits and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with.

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For more information on this translation, see the NKJV Preface.

Matthew Chapter 20 — Additional Translations:

King James Version New Living Translation New International Version English Standard Version Christian Standard Bible New American Standard Bible 2020 New American Standard Bible 1995 Legacy Standard Bible Amplified Bible New English Translation Revised Standard Version American Standard Version Young's Literal Translation Darby Translation Webster's Bible Hebrew Names Version Latin Vulgate Morphological Greek New Testament Textus Receptus Smith Van Dyck Arabic Bible Open New Arabic Version Reina Valera 1909 Reina-Valera 1960 Bible in Basic English Chinese Traditional Union Espanol Moderno Korean Holy Bible Louis Segond German Luther Russian Synodal Translation Sagradas Escrituras

Matthew 20 :: New King James Version (NKJV)

NKJV Footnotes

Matthew Chapter 20 — Additional Translations:

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