Matthew 20

Workers in the vineyard

1“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2He agreed with the workers on a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard. 3About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace without work. 4He told them, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ 5So they went. He went out again about the sixth and ninth hours and did the same. 6About the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing there. ‘Why have you stood here all day without work?’ he asked. 7‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered. He told them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ 8When evening came, the vineyard owner told his manager, ‘Call the workers and pay their wages, beginning with the last and ending with the first.’ 9Those hired about the eleventh hour came and each received a denarius. 10When the first came, they expected more. But they too received a denarius each. 11After receiving it, they grumbled against the landowner. 12‘These last worked one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us, who bore the day’s burden and burning heat.’ 13He answered one of them, ‘Friend, I am not wronging you. Didn’t you agree with me on a denarius? 14Take what is yours and go. I want to give this last worker the same as you. 15Am I not free to do what I want with what is mine? Or is your eye evil because I am good?’ 16So the last will be first, and the first last.”