20:1 "For the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who was the master of a household, who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.
20:2 When he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius{A denarius is a silver Roman coin worth 1/25th of a Roman aureus. This was a common wage for a day of farm labor.} a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
20:3 He went out about the third hour,{Time was measured from sunrise to sunset, so the third hour would be about 9:00 AM.} and saw others standing idle in the marketplace.
20:4 To them he said, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.' So they went their way.
20:5 Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour,{noon and 3:00 P. M.} and did likewise.
20:6 About the eleventh hour{5:00 PM} he went out, and found others standing idle. He said to them, 'Why do you stand here all day idle?'
20:7 "They said to him, 'Because no one has hired us.' "He said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and you will receive whatever is right.'
20:8 When evening had come, the lord of the vineyard said to his manager, 'Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning from the last to the first.'
20:9 "When those who were hired at about the eleventh hour came, they each received a denarius.
20:10 When the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise each received a denarius.
20:11 When they received it, they murmured against the master of the household,
20:12 saying, 'These last have spent one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat!'
20:13 "But he answered one of them, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Didn't you agree with me for a denarius?
20:14 Take that which is yours, and go your way. It is my desire to give to this last just as much as to you.
20:15 Isn't it lawful for me to do what I want to with what I own? Or is your eye evil, because I am good?'
20:16 So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few are chosen."
20:17 As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them,
20:18 "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death,
20:19 and will hand him over to the Gentiles to mock, to scourge, and to crucify; and the third day he will be raised up."
20:20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, kneeling and asking a certain thing of him.
20:21 He said to her, "What do you want?" She said to him, "Command that these, my two sons, may sit, one on your right hand, and one on your left hand, in your Kingdom."
20:22 But Jesus answered, "You don't know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" They said to him, "We are able."
20:23 He said to them, "You will indeed drink my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with, but to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it is for whom it has been prepared by my Father."
20:24 When the ten heard it, they were indignant with the two brothers.
20:25 But Jesus summoned them, and said, "You know that the rulers of the nations lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.
20:26 It shall not be so among you, but whoever desires to become great among you shall be{TR reads "let him be" instead of "shall be"} your servant.
20:27 Whoever desires to be first among you shall be your bondservant,
20:28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
20:29 As they went out from Jericho, a great multitude followed him.
20:30 Behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, "Lord, have mercy on us, you son of David!"
20:31 The multitude rebuked them, telling them that they should be quiet, but they cried out even more, "Lord, have mercy on us, you son of David!"
20:32 Jesus stood still, and called them, and asked, "What do you want me to do for you?"
20:33 They told him, "Lord, that our eyes may be opened."
20:34 Jesus, being moved with compassion, touched their eyes; and immediately their eyes received their sight, and they followed him.
Romans 11
11:1 I ask then, did God reject his people? May it never be! For I also am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
11:2 God didn't reject his people, which he foreknew. Or don't you know what the Scripture says about Elijah? How he pleads with God against Israel:
11:3 "Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have broken down your altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life."{1 Kings 19:10,14}
11:4 But how does God answer him? "I have reserved for myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to Baal."{1 Kings 19:18}
11:5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
11:6 And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.
11:7 What then? That which Israel seeks for, that he didn't obtain, but the chosen ones obtained it, and the rest were hardened.
11:8 According as it is written, "God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear, to this very day."{Deuteronomy 29:4; Isaiah 29:10}
11:9 David says, "Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, a stumbling block, and a retribution to them.
11:10 Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see. Bow down their back always."{Psalm 69:22,23}
11:11 I ask then, did they stumble that they might fall? May it never be! But by their fall salvation has come to the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy.
11:12 Now if their fall is the riches of the world, and their loss the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fullness?
11:13 For I speak to you who are Gentiles. Since then as I am an apostle to Gentiles, I glorify my ministry;
11:14 if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh, and may save some of them.
11:15 For if the rejection of them is the reconciling of the world, what would their acceptance be, but life from the dead?
11:16 If the first fruit is holy, so is the lump. If the root is holy, so are the branches.
11:17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them, and became partaker with them of the root and of the richness of the olive tree;
11:18 don't boast over the branches. But if you boast, it is not you who support the root, but the root supports you.
11:19 You will say then, "Branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in."
11:20 True; by their unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by your faith. Don't be conceited, but fear;
11:21 for if God didn't spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you.
11:22 See then the goodness and severity of God. Toward those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in his goodness; otherwise you also will be cut off.
11:23 They also, if they don't continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
11:24 For if you were cut out of that which is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree, how much more will these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
11:25 For I don't desire you to be ignorant, brothers,{The word for "brothers" here and where context allows may also be correctly translated "brothers and sisters" or "siblings."} of this mystery, so that you won't be wise in your own conceits, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in,
11:26 and so all Israel will be saved. Even as it is written, "There will come out of Zion the Deliverer, and he will turn away ungodliness from Jacob.
11:27 This is my covenant to them, when I will take away their sins."{Isaiah 59:20-21; 27:9; Jeremiah 31:33-34}
11:28 Concerning the Good News, they are enemies for your sake. But concerning the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sake.
11:29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
11:30 For as you in time past were disobedient to God, but now have obtained mercy by their disobedience,
11:31 even so these also have now been disobedient, that by the mercy shown to you they may also obtain mercy.
11:32 For God has shut up all to disobedience, that he might have mercy on all.
11:33 Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past tracing out!
11:34 "For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?"{Isaiah 40:13}
11:35 "Or who has first given to him, and it will be repaid to him again?"{Job 41:11}
11:36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things. To him be the glory for ever! Amen.
Romans
12:1 Therefore I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service.
12:2 Don't be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God.
12:3 For I say, through the grace that was given me, to every man who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think reasonably, as God has apportioned to each person a measure of faith.
12:4 For even as we have many members in one body, and all the members don't have the same function,
12:5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.
12:6 Having gifts differing according to the grace that was given to us, if prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of our faith;
12:7 or service, let us give ourselves to service; or he who teaches, to his teaching;
12:8 or he who exhorts, to his exhorting: he who gives, let him do it with liberality; he who rules, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
12:9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor that which is evil. Cling to that which is good.
12:10 In love of the brothers be tenderly affectionate one to another; in honor preferring one another;
12:11 not lagging in diligence; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
12:12 rejoicing in hope; enduring in troubles; continuing steadfastly in prayer;
12:13 contributing to the needs of the saints; given to hospitality.
12:14 Bless those who persecute you; bless, and don't curse.
12:15 Rejoice with those who rejoice. Weep with those who weep.
12:16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Don't set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Don't be wise in your own conceits.
12:17 Repay no one evil for evil. Respect what is honorable in the sight of all men.
12:18 If it is possible, as much as it is up to you, be at peace with all men.
12:19 Don't seek revenge yourselves, beloved, but give place to God's wrath. For it is written, "Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord."{Deuteronomy 32:35}
12:20 Therefore "If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing so, you will heap coals of fire on his head."{Proverbs 25:21-22}
12:21 Don't be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
