Matthew 20
Wycliffe's Bible
1The kingdom of heavens is like to an husbandman, that went out first, (or early), by the morrow, to hire workmen into his vineyard. (The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer, who went out early in the morning, to hire workmen for his vineyard.) 2And when the covenant was made with the workmen, of a penny for the day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3And he went out about the third hour, (or about nine o’clock in the morning), and saw others standing idle in the market. 4And he said to them, Go ye also into mine vineyard, and that that shall be rightful, I shall give to you. And they went forth. 5Again he went out about the sixth hour, and the ninth, and did in like manner. 6But about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing (there); and said to them, What stand ye idle here all day? [What stand ye here idle all day?] (Why stand here idle all day?) 7They say to him, For no man hath hired us. He saith to them, Go ye also into my vineyard.

8And when (the) evening was come, the lord of the vineyard saith to his procurator, Call the workmen, and yield to them their hire (Call the workmen, and pay them their wages), and begin thou at the last till to the first. 9And so when they were come, that came about the eleventh hour, also they took every each (one) of them a penny [also they took even-pence, that is, every man a penny] (each one of them received a penny). 10But (then) the first came, and deemed, (or judged), that they should take more, but they (also) took each one by themselves a penny; [Truly and the first coming deemed, that they were worthy to take more, but also they took even-pence.] (But then the first came, and thought that they should receive more, but each one of them also received a penny;) 11and in the taking, they grutched against the husbandman, (and upon receiving it, they grumbled against the farmer,) 12and said, These last wrought one hour, and thou hast made them even to us, that have borne the charge of the day, and [the] heat? (and said, These last men have worked only one hour, and thou hast made them equal to us/and thou hast paid them equal to us, we who have borne the burden all day long, and the heat?) 13And he answered to one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee none wrong [Friend, I do thee no wrong]; whether thou hast not accorded with me for a penny? (did thou not agree to work for me for a penny?) 14Take thou that that is thine, and go; for I will give to this last man, as to thee. 15Whether it is not leaveful to me to do that that I will? (Is it not lawful for me to do what I desire, or what I want, with my own money?) Whether thine eye is wicked, for I am good? 16So the last shall be the first, and the first [shall be] the last; for many be called, but few be chosen.

17And Jesus went up to Jerusalem, and took his twelve disciples in private, and said to them, 18Lo! we go up to Jerusalem, and man's Son shall be betaken to (the) princes of (the) priests, and to (the) scribes (and man’s Son shall be delivered, or given over, to the high priests, and the scribes); and they shall condemn him to death. 19And they shall betake him to (the) heathen men, for to be scorned, and scourged, and crucified (And they shall deliver him unto the Gentiles, to be scorned, and scourged, and crucified); and the third day he shall rise again to life.

20Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, honouring, (or worshipping), and asking something of him. 21And he said to her, What wilt thou? She saith to him, Say that these two my sons sit [Say that these my two sons sit], one at thy right half, and one at thy left half, in thy kingdom. (And he said to her, What desirest thou?/What do you want? She said to him, Say that these my two sons sit one at thy right hand, or on thy right side, and one at thy left hand, or on thy left side, in thy Kingdom.) 22Jesus answered, and said, Ye know not what ye ask. May ye drink of the cup that I shall drink of? [May ye drink the cup that I am to drink?] They say to him, We may. (Jesus answered, and said, Ye do not know what ye ask. Can ye drink from the cup that I shall drink from? They said to him, We can.) 23He saith to them, Ye shall drink my cup; but to sit at my right half or [at my] left half, is not mine to give to you; but to whom it is made ready of my Father. (He said to them, Ye shall drink from my cup; but to sit at my right hand or at my left hand, is not mine to give to you; but for whom it is prepared, by my Father.)

24And the ten hearing, had indignation of the two brethren. (And the other ten hearing this, felt indignation toward the two brothers.) 25But Jesus called them to him, and said, Ye know, that [the] princes of heathen men be lords of them, and they that be [the] greater, (or the more), use power on them (Ye know, that the leaders of the Gentiles be their lords, and they who be the greater ones, have power over the others). 26It shall not be so among you; but whoever will be made [the] greater, (or the more), among you, be he your minister (he will be your servant); 27and whoever among you will be the first, he shall be your servant. 28As man's Son came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life (as a) redemption for many.

29And when they went out of Jericho, much people (pur)sued him. (And when they left Jericho, many people followed him.) 30And lo! two blind men sat beside the way, and heard that Jesus passed (by); and they cried, and said, Lord, the son of David, have mercy on us. 31And the people blamed them, that they should be still (And the people rebuked them, so that they would be quiet); and they cried the more, and said, Lord, the son of David, have mercy on us. 32And Jesus stood, and called them, and said, What will ye, that I do to you? (What desire ye, that I do for you?/What do ye want me to do for you?) 33They say to him, Lord, that our eyes be opened. 34And Jesus had mercy on them, and touched their eyes; and anon they saw, and (pur)sued him (and at once they saw, and followed him).

WYCLIFFE’S BIBLE

Comprising of
Wycliffe’s Old Testament

and

Wycliffe’s New Testament
(Revised Edition)


Translated by

JOHN WYCLIFFE
and JOHN PURVEY


A modern-spelling edition of their
14TH century Middle English translation,
the first complete English vernacular version,
with an Introduction by

TERENCE P. NOBLE

Used by Permission

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