1 »The kingdom of heaven is like the master of a house, who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.

2 »He made an agreement with the workmen for a penny a day. Then he sent them into his vineyard.

3 »He went out the third hour and saw others in the marketplace doing nothing.«

4 »He said to them: ‘Go to the vineyard with the others. I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went to work.

5 »He went out the sixth and the ninth hour, and did the same.

6 »The eleventh hour, he saw others doing nothing. He asked: ‘Why are you here all the day doing nothing?’

7 »They said: ‘No man has given us work.’ He told them to go work with the rest in the vineyard.

8 »When evening came, the lord of the vineyard said to his manager: ‘Let the workers come and pay them from the last to the first.’

9 »Those men who went to work at the eleventh hour were each given a penny.

10 »Those who worked longer, expected to be paid more. They were also given a penny.

11 »When they got it, they protested against the master of the house.

12 »They said: ‘The last ones have done only one hour’s work. You have made them equal to us. We have undergone the hard work of the day and the burning heat.’

13 »He told them: ‘I do you no wrong. You made an agreement with me for a penny.

14 »‘Take what is yours and leave. I wish to give to the last workers the same as to you.

15 »‘Is it lawful for me to do what I wish with what is mine? Or is your eye jealous because I am generous?’

16 »So the last will be first, and the first last.«

17 When Jesus went to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside and talked to them.

18 »When we get to Jerusalem,« he said, »The Son of man will be handed over to the chief priests and scribes. They will give orders for him to be put to death.

19 »They will turn him over to the heathen to be made sport of and to be whipped. He will be put to death on the stake. The third day he will come back from the dead.«

20 The mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons. She bowed down and requested a favor of him.

21 »What is your desire?« he asked. She said to him: »Let my two sons be seated, the one at your right hand, and the other at your left, in your kingdom.«

22 Jesus told her: »You have no idea what you are requesting. Are you able to take of the cup I am about to take? »

23 They said: »We are able.« »Truly, you will take of my cup,« he said. »But to be seated at my right hand and at my left is not for me to give. It is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.«

24 When the ten heard it, they were angry with the two brothers.

25 Jesus called them to himself and said: »You know that the rulers of the nations exercise absolute dominion over them. They lord it over them and behave like tyrants.

26 »But it will not be so among you. He who will be great among you must be your servant.

27 And he who will be first among you will be your attendant servantminister.

28 »The Son of man came not to be ministered to, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom in payment for many.«

29 A great crowd followed him when they departed from Jericho.

30 Two blind men sitting by the side of the road heard Jesus pass by and cried out: »Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!«

31 The crowd told them to be quiet. But they cried even more, saying: »Have mercy on us, O Lord, you Son of David!«

32 Jesus stood still and asked them: »What do you want me to do to you?«

33 They said: »Lord give us our sight.«

34 Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Now they could see! So they followed him.