Matthew · Chapter 20

[ edit] The kyngdam of heuenes is lic to an huſbond man, þat wente out firſt erly, or by þe morwe, to hyre workemen in to his vyne ȝerd. Forſoþe þe couenaunt maad wiþ workmen, of a peny for þe day, he ſente hem in to his vyne ȝerd. And he, gon out about þe þridde hour, ſay oþer ſtondynge ydil in þe chepyng. And he ſeide to hem, Go and ȝee in to my vyne ȝerd, and þat þat ſhal be riȝtful, I ſhal ȝeue to ȝou. Soþeli þei wenten forþ. Forſoþe eftſoone he wente out aboute þe ſixte hour, and þe nyneþe, and dide on liche manere. But aboute þe elleuenþe houre he wente out, and foond oþer ſtondynge; and he ſeide to hem, What ſtonden ȝe her ydil al day? Þei ſeien to hym, For no man haþ hirid us.

He ſeiþ to hem, Go and ȝe in to my vyne ȝerd. Forſoþe whenne euenynge was maad, þe lord of þe vyne ȝerd ſeiþ to his procuratour, Clepe þe workmen, and ȝelde to hem her hijre, bygynnynge at þe laſte til to þe firſte. Þerfore whenne þei weren commen, þat camen about þe elleuenþ hour, and þei token ſynguler pens, þat is, euery man oo peny. Trewly and þe firſte cummynge demeden, þat þei weren to take more, trewly and þei token echon by hym ſilf a peny. And þei takynge grutcheden aȝeins þe huſbond man, ſeyinge, Þeſe laſte diden worche oon our, and þou haſt maad hem euen to vs, þat han born þe charge of þe day and hete?

And he anſwerynge to oon of hem, ſeide, Frend, I do þee no wronge; wheþer þou haſt nat accordid wiþ me for a peny? Take þat þat is þine, and go; forſoþe Y wole ȝeue and to þis þe laſte man, as and to þee. Wher it is nat leful to me for to do þat þat I wole? Wher þin eiȝe is wickid, for I am good? So þere ſhulen be þe laſt men þe firſte, and þe firſte men þe laſte; for many ben clepid, bot few choſun. And Jheſus, ſteyinge vp to Jeruſalem, toke his twelue diſciplis in priuytee, and ſeiþ to hem, Loo! we gon vp to Jeruſalem, and mannes ſone ſhal be taken to princis of preſtis, and ſcribis; and þei ſhulen condempne hym by deþ.

And þei ſhulen bitake hym to heþen men, for to be ſcornyd, and ſcourgid, and crucified; and þe þridde day he ſhal ryſe aȝein. Þanne þe modir of þe ſonis of Zebede came niȝ to hym wiþ hire ſonys, honourynge, and axinge ſume þing of hym. Þe whiche ſeide to hir, What wolt þou? She ſeiþ to hym, Seie þat þeſe two my ſonys ſitten, oon at þi riȝþalf, and oon at þi lefþalf, in þi kyngdam. Forſoþe Jheſus anſwerynge ſeide, Ȝe wyten nat what ȝe axen, or ſhulen axe. Mowen ȝe drynke þe cuppe þat I am to drynke? Þei ſeien to hym, We mowen. He ſeiþ to hem, Forſoþe ȝe ſhal drynke my cuppe; but to ſitte at þe riȝþalf or at lefþalf, it is nat myn to ȝeue to ȝou; but to whiche it is made redy of my fadir.

And þe ten herynge hadden indignacioun of þe two breþeren. Soþely Jheſus clepide hem to hym, and ſeiþ, Ȝe witen, for princis of heiþen men ben lordis of hem, and þei þat ben more, hawnten power in to hem. It ſhal nat be ſo among ȝou; bot who euere wole be maad more among ȝou, be he ȝoure mynyſtre; and who euere amonge ȝou wole be firſte, he ſhal be ȝoure ſeruaunt. As mannes ſone came nat for to be ſerued, but for to ſerue, and for to ȝeue his ſoule, or lif, redempcioun for many. And hem goynge out of Jerico, manye cumpanyes of peple ſueden hym. And loo! two blynd men ſittynge beſidis þe weye, herden þat Jheſus paſſide; and þei crieden, ſeyinge, Lord, þe ſone of Dauyþ, haue mercy on vs.

Forſoþe þe cumpanye blamyde hem, for to be ſtille; and þei crieden more and more, ſeiynge, Lord, þe ſone of Dauyþ, haue mercy on vs. And Jheſus ſtood, and clepide hem, and ſeiþ, What wole ȝe, þat I do to ȝou? Þei ſeien to hym, Lord, þat oure eiȝen be openyd. Forſoþe Jheſus, hauynge mercy on hem, touchide her eiȝen; and anoon þei ſayen, and ſueden hym.