Matthew 20

Bible in Basic English (BBE)

1 Ref For the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a house, who went out early in the morning to get workers into his vine-garden.

2 Ref And when he had made an agreement with the workmen for a penny a day, he sent them into his vine-garden.

3 Ref And he went out about the third hour, and saw others in the market-place doing nothing;

4 Ref And he said to them, Go into the vine-garden with the others, and whatever is right I will give you. And they went to work.

5 Ref Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did the same.

6 Ref And about the eleventh hour he went out and saw others doing nothing; and he says to them, Why are you here all the day doing nothing?

7 Ref They say to him, Because no man has given us work. He says to them, Go in with the rest, into the vine-garden.

8 Ref And when evening came, the lord of the vine-garden said to his manager, Let the workers come, and give them their payment, from the last to the first.

9 Ref And when those men came who had gone to work at the eleventh hour, they were given every man a penny.

10 Then those who came first had the idea that they would get more; and they, like the rest, were given a penny.

11 Ref And when they got it, they made a protest against the master of the house,

12 Ref Saying, These last have done only one hour's work, and you have made them equal to us, who have undergone the hard work of the day and the burning heat.

13 Ref But he in answer said to one of them, Friend, I do you no wrong: did you not make an agreement with me for a penny?

14 Ref Take what is yours, and go away; it is my pleasure to give to this last, even as to you.

15 Ref Have I not the right to do as seems good to me in my house? or is your eye evil, because I am good?

16 Ref So the last will be first, and the first last.

17 Ref And when Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples on one side, and said to them,

18 Ref See, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man will be given into the hands of the chief priests and scribes; and they will give orders for him to be put to death,

19 Ref And will give him up to the Gentiles to be made sport of and to be whipped and to be put to death on the cross: and the third day he will come back again from the dead.

20 Ref Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, giving him worship and making a request of him.

21 Ref And he said to her, What is your desire? She says to him, Let my two sons be seated, the one at your right hand, and the other at your left, in your kingdom.

22 Ref But Jesus made answer and said, You have no idea what you are requesting. Are you able to take of the cup which I am about to take?

23 Ref They say to him, We are able. He says to them, Truly, you will take of my cup: but to be seated at my right hand and at my left is not for me to give, but it is for those for whom my Father has made it ready.

24 Ref And when it came to the ears of the ten, they were angry with the two brothers.

25 Ref But Jesus said to them, You see that the rulers of the Gentiles are lords over them, and their great ones have authority over them.

26 Ref Let it not be so among you: but if anyone has a desire to become great among you, let him be your servant;

27 Ref And whoever has a desire to be first among you, let him take the lowest place:

28 Ref Even as the Son of man did not come to have servants, but to be a servant, and to give his life for the salvation of men.

29 Ref And when they were going out from Jericho, a great number went after him.

30 Ref And two blind men seated by the wayside, when they had the news that Jesus was going by, gave a loud cry, saying, Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us.

31 Ref And the people gave them orders to be quiet; but they went on crying even louder, Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us.

32 Ref And Jesus, stopping, sent for them, and said, What would you have me do to you?

33 Ref They say to him, Lord, that our eyes may be open.

34 Ref And Jesus, being moved with pity, put his fingers on their eyes: and straight away they were able to see, and went after him.

American Standard-ASV1901 (ASV)

1 Ref For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that was a householder, who went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard.

2 Ref And when he had agreed with the laborers for a shilling a day, he sent them into his vineyard.

3 Ref And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing in the marketplace idle;

4 Ref and to them he said, Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.

5 Ref Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise.

6 Ref And about the eleventh `hour' he went out, and found others standing; and he saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?

7 Ref They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard.

8 Ref And when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the laborers, and pay them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.

9 Ref And when they came that `were hired' about the eleventh hour, they received every man a shilling.

10 And when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received every man a shilling.

11 Ref And when they received it, they murmured against the householder,

12 Ref saying, These last have spent `but' one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.

13 Ref But he answered and said to one of them, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a shilling?

14 Ref Take up that which is thine, and go thy way; it is my will to give unto this last, even as unto thee.

15 Ref Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? or is thine eye evil, because I am good?

16 Ref So the last shall be first, and the first last.

17 Ref And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples apart, and on the way he said unto them,

18 Ref Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests and scribes; and they shall condemn him to death,

19 Ref and shall deliver him unto the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify: and the third day he shall be raised up.

20 Ref Then came to him the mother of the sons of Zebedee with her sons, worshipping `him', and asking a certain thing of him.

21 Ref And he said unto her, What wouldest thou? She saith unto him, Command that these my two sons may sit, one on thy right hand, and one on thy left hand, in thy kingdom.

22 Ref But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink the cup that I am about to drink? They say unto him, We are able.

23 Ref He saith unto them, My cup indeed ye shall drink: but to sit on my right hand, and on `my' left hand, is not mine to give; but `it is for them' for whom it hath been prepared of my Father.

24 Ref And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation concerning the two brethren.

25 Ref But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.

26 Ref Not so shall it be among you: but whosoever would become great among you shall be your minister;

27 Ref and whosoever would be first among you shall be your servant:

28 Ref even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

29 Ref And as they went out from Jericho, a great multitude followed him.

30 Ref And behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, Lord, have mercy on us, thou son of David.

31 Ref And the multitude rebuked them, that they should hold their peace: but they cried out the more, saying, Lord, have mercy on us, thou son of David.

32 Ref And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I should do unto you?

33 Ref They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened.

34 Ref And Jesus, being moved with compassion, touched their eyes; and straightway they received their sight, and followed him.

Chapter 20 of 28

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