11 And when they had received it, they [a]complained against the landowner, 12 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.’ 13 But he answered one of them and said, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. 15 (A)Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or (B)is your eye evil because I am good?’ 16 (C)So the last will be first, and the first last. (D)For[b] many are called, but few chosen.”

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 20:11 grumbled
  2. Matthew 20:16 NU omits the rest of v. 16.

11 When they received it, they began to grumble(A) against the landowner. 12 ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat(B) of the day.’

13 “But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend.(C) Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? 14 Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15 Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’(D)

16 “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”(E)

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