1 | "For the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. |
2 | After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. |
3 | And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the market place; |
4 | and to them he said, `You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.' So they went. |
5 | Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. |
6 | And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing; and he said to them, `Why do you stand here idle all day?' |
7 | They said to him, `Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, `You go into the vineyard too.' |
8 | 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.' |
9 | And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. |
10 | Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received a denarius. |
11 | And on receiving it they grumbled at the householder, |
12 | saying, `These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.' |
13 | But he replied to one of them, `Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? |
14 | Take what belongs to you, and go; I choose to give to this last as I give to you. |
15 | Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?' |
16 | So the last will be first, and the first last." |