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

¹ For the kingdom of Heaven is like a man, a housemaster, who went out early in the morning to hire laborers into 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 idle in the marketplace. ⁴ And he said to them, You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you. And they went. ⁵ And he went out about the sixth and ninth hour and did likewise. ⁶ And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, Why do you stand here all day idle?

⁷ They said to him, Because no one has hired us. He said to them, You also go into the vineyard, and you shall receive whatever is right. ⁸ So when evening had come, the lord of the vineyard said to his steward, Call the laborers and pay them their wage, beginning from the last to the first.

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

¹³ But he answered one of them and said, Friend, I do you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? ¹⁴ Take yours, and go; I will give to this last one the same as to you. ¹⁵ Is it not lawful for me to do what I want with my own? Is your eye evil because I am good?

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