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

¹ For the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a house, who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. ² And when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. ³ And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing in the market, idle; ⁴ and he said to them: Go you also into my vine yard, and whatever is right I will give you. ⁵ And they went. Again he went out about the sixth, and about the ninth hour, and did in like manner. ⁶ And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and said to them, Why do you stand here all the day idle?

⁷ They said to him: No man has hired us. He said to them: Go you also into the vineyard, and whatever is right you shall receive. ⁸ When the evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward: Call the laborers, and, beginning with the last, pay them their hire even to the first.

⁹ And when those came who had been hired about the eleventh hour, they received each one a denarius. ¹⁰ But when those came who had been hired first, they thought that they would receive more; and they received each one a denarius. ¹¹ And when they received it, they murmured against the master of the house, ¹² saying: These last have worked one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who have borne the burden of the day, and the heat.

¹³ But he answered and said to one of them: Friend, I do you no in justice; did you not agree with me for a denarius? ¹⁴ Take what is yours, and go; I will give to this last even as to you. ¹⁵ Is it not allowed me to do what I will with my own? Or, is your eye envious, because I am good?

¹⁶ So the last shall be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few are chosen.