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

¹ For the Kingdom of Heaven is like an employer who went out in the early morning to hire laborers for his vineyards. ² He agreed with the laborers to pay them two shillings a day, and sent them into his vineyard. ³ On going out again, about nine o'clock, he saw some others standing in the market-place, doing nothing. ⁴ 'You also may go into my vineyard,' he said, 'and I will pay you what is fair.' ⁵ So the men went. Going out again about mid-day and about three o'clock, he did as before. ⁶ When he went out about five, he found some other men standing there, and said to them 'Why have you been standing here all day long, doing nothing?'

⁷ 'Because no one has hired us,' they answered. 'You also may go into my vineyard,' he said. ⁸ In the evening the owner of the vineyard said to his steward 'Call the laborers, and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, and ending with the first.

⁹ Now when those who had been hired about five o'clock went up, they received two shillings each. ¹⁰ So, when the first went up, they thought that they would receive more, but they also received two shillings each; ¹¹ On which they began to grumble at their employer. ¹² 'These last,' they said, 'have done only one hour's work, and yet you have put them on the same footing with us, who have borne the brunt of the day's work, and the heat.'

¹³ 'My friend,' was his reply to one of them, 'I am not treating you unfairly. Did not you agree with me for two shillings? ¹⁴ Take what belongs to you, and go. I choose to give to this last man the same as to you. ¹⁵ Have not I the right to do as I choose with what is mine? Are you envious because I am liberal?'

¹⁶ So those who are last will be first, and the first last."