The parable of the workers in the vineyard

20 ‘For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. ² He agreed to pay them a denarius^[a] for the day and sent them into his vineyard.

³ ‘About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the market-place doing nothing. ⁴ He told them, “You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.” ⁵ So they went.

‘He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing. ⁶ About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, “Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?”

⁷ ‘“Because no one has hired us,” they answered.

‘He said to them, “You also go and work in my vineyard.”