Matthew 20:1-16 - The Parable Of The Workers In The Vineyard

¹ For the kingdom of the heavens is like unto a landlord man, who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. ² And having agreed with the laborers for a denarion per day, sent them into his vineyard. ³ And having gone out about the third hour, he saw others standing idle in the forum: ⁴ and he said to them, Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they departed. ⁵ Again having gone out about the sixth and ninth hours, he did likewise. ⁶ And about the eleventh hour having gone out, he found others standing; and says to them, Why stand ye here idle all the day?

⁷ They say to him, Because no one hired us. He says to them, Go ye also into the vineyard. ⁸ And it being evening, the lord of the vineyard says to his steward, Call the laborers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last even unto the first.

⁹ And those having come about the eleventh hour, received each man a denarion. ¹⁰ But the first having come supposed that they shall receive more; and themselves also received each one a denarion. ¹¹ But receiving it, they murmured against the landlord, ¹² saying, These labored one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, who bore the burden of the day and the heat.

¹³ But he responding said to one of them, Comrade, I do thee no wrong; didst thou not agree with me for a denarion? ¹⁴ Take thine own, and go. I wish to give unto this last one, even as unto thee. ¹⁵ Is it not lawful for me to do as I wish with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?

¹⁶ So the last shall be first, and first last.