Let the Children Come to Me

13 ^mAnd they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples ⁿrebuked them. 14 But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, ^o“Let the children come to me; ^pdo not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 15 ^qTruly, I say to you, whoever does not ^rreceive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” 16 And ^she took them in his arms and blessed them, ^tlaying his hands on them.

The Rich Young Man

17 ^uAnd as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and ^vknelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to ^winherit eternal life?” 18 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.

17 And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. ^lIf you would enter life, keep the commandments.” 18 He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, ^m“You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, 19 Honor your father and mother, and, ⁿYou shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

20 And he said to him, “Teacher, ^yall these I have kept from my youth.” 21 And Jesus, ^zlooking at him, ^aloved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, ^bsell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have ^ctreasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 ^dDisheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

23 And Jesus ^elooked around and said to his disciples, ^f“How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter ^gthe kingdom of God!” 24 And the disciples ^hwere amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, ⁱ“Children, ^jhow difficult it is¹ to enter ^gthe kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter ^gthe kingdom of God.” 26 And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him,² “Then who can be saved?” 27 Jesus ^klooked at them and said, ^l“With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”

27 Then Peter said in reply, “See, ^ywe have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” 28 Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world,^{1 z}when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me ^awill also sit on twelve thrones, ^bjudging the twelve tribes of Israel.

29 Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, ⁿthere is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and ^ofor the gospel, 30 who will not receive a hundredfold ^pnow in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, ^qwith persecutions, and in ^rthe age to come eternal life. 31 But ^smany who are first will be last, and the last first.”

Laborers in the Vineyard

1 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius¹ a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ 5 So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. 6 And ^gabout the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ 7 They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ 8 And ^hwhen evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his ⁱforeman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’ 9 And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. 10 Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. 11 And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, 12 saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and ^jthe scorching heat.’ 13 But he replied to one of them, ^k‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take ^lwhat belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. 15 ^mAm I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or ⁿdo you begrudge my generosity?’² 16 So ^othe last will be first, and the first last.”