Thematic Bible: Laborers hired


Thematic Bible



"For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, read more.
and to them he said, 'You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.' So they went. Again he went out about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, and did the same thing. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, 'Why have you been standing here idle all day?' They said to him, 'Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.' And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, 'Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.' And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. So when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received a denarius. And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, saying, 'These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.' But he answered one of them, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as I gave to you. Is it not lawful for me to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?' So the last will be first, and the first will be last."