Matthew Chapter 20 Simplified – The first will be last

“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a boss who went out in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. The workers agreed on getting $100 for the day, so the boss sent them into his vineyard. 
A few hours later, the boss saw more workers hanging out in the markets. 
He said to them, ‘Go work in my vineyard and I’ll pay you a fair amount.’ 
So, the workers went. The boss went out later and did the same thing again. 
In the late afternoon, the boss went out again and saw more workers standing around. ‘Why haven’t you been working today?’ 
‘No one has hired us,’ they replied. 
The boss said. ‘Go work in my vineyard and I’ll pay you a fair amount.’ 
When it was the evening, the boss said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers in and pay them. Start with those I hired last today and go backwards.’ 
The workers that were hired last received their $100. The workers that were hired at the beginning of the day came to be paid and assumed they would be paid more, but only received $100 each. After getting their money, they went and complained to the boss, ‘Those workers only worked an hour and were paid the same as us. We worked for the whole day in the burning heat!’ 
The boss replied to one of them, ‘I didn’t do you wrong, mate. Didn’t you agree to work the day for $100? Take your pay and leave. I wanted to give the worker I hired last the same as what I gave you. Is it illegal to do what I want with my stuff? Or are you jealous because I am generous?’ 
“In the same way, the last will be first and the first will be last. Many are called, but few are chosen.” 

On their way up to Jerusalem, Jesus took his twelve disciples aside. “Listen, we’re on our way to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and law teachers, and they’ll sentence him to death. They’ll give him to the foreigners who will mock, torture and execute him. But on the third day he will come back to life again.” 
James and John’s mum came and knelt in front of Jesus, and asked for a favour. 
“What do you want?” Jesus asked. 
“Tell me my two sons can sit with you,” she replied. “One on your right and one on your left, in your kingdom.” 
“You don’t know what you’re asking. Are you able to drink from the cup I’m about the drink from? And be baptised in the same way I’m about to be baptised?” 
“We can,” James and John replied. 
“Yes, you will drink from my cup and be baptised in the same way that I will be. But you sit on my right and left isn’t a privilege I can give you. It’s for those that it’s been prepared for by my father.” 
When the ten other disciples heard all this, they were very annoyed at the two brothers. 
Jesus called all the disciples together. “You know the rulers of the foreigners boss them around, and their superiors rule over them. It won’t be same among you. Whoever wants to be powerful must be your servant. Whoever among you wants to be the first must be your slave. Even the Son of Man came to serve, not be served, and to sacrifice his life to pay off many people’s ransom.” 

A big crowd followed Jesus and his disciples as left Jericho. Two blind men who were sitting on the side of the road heard Jesus was coming past. They yelled, “Lord, have compassion for us! Son of David!” 
The crowd told them to shut up, but the two men yelled louder. “Lord, have mercy on us! Son of David!” 
Jesus stopped and called out to them, “What do you want me to do for you?” 
“Lord, open our eyes!” 
Jesus felt sorry for them. He touched their eyes and they could see at once. They followed him. 

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Continue exploring Matthew 20

If you’d like to read Matthew 20 in other translations, here are a few BibleHub links:
For a translation that aims to be word-for-word, try Matthew 20 in the English Standard Version.
For a translation that aims to be more thought-for-thought, try Matthew 20 in the New International Version.
For a translation that aims to communicate the overall meaning, try Matthew 20 in the Contemporary English Version.

If you prefer to read the Bible in a hard-copy format, here are cheaper versions from Amazon:
[These are Amazon affiliate links which support the production of this blog]
For a translation that aims to be word-for-word, ESV Economy Bible
For a translation that aims to be more thought-for-thought, NIV, Economy Bible, Paperback: Accurate. Readable. Clear.
For a translation that aims to communicate the overall meaning, Holy Bible: Contemporary English Version

If you’d like to explore Matthew in more depth, here are some commentaries I would recommend:
[These are Amazon affiliate links which support the production of this blog]
Easy to access commentaries that include life applications:
The NIV Application Commentary: Matthew
Matthew (The Story of God Bible Commentary)
For a commentary that goes into more depth:
The Gospel of Matthew (The New International Commentary on the New Testament)

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