The Parable of the Vineyard Workers

20 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.(A) After agreeing with the workers on one denarius,[a] he sent them into his vineyard for the day. When he went out about nine in the morning,[b] he saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. He said to them, ‘You also go into my vineyard, and I’ll give you whatever is right.’ So off they went. About noon and about three,[c] he went out again and did the same thing. Then about five[d] he went and found others standing around[e] and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day doing nothing?’

“‘Because no one hired us,’ they said to him.

“‘You also go into my vineyard,’ he told them.[f] When evening came, the owner of the vineyard told his foreman, ‘Call the workers and give them their pay,(B) starting with the last and ending with the first.’

“When those who were hired about five came, they each received one denarius. 10 So when the first ones came, they assumed they would get more, but they also received a denarius each. 11 When they received it, they began to complain to the landowner: 12 ‘These last men put in one hour, and you made them equal to us who bore the burden of the day’s work and the burning heat.’(C)

13 “He replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I’m doing you no wrong. Didn’t you agree with me on a denarius?(D) 14 Take what’s yours and go. I want to give this last man the same as I gave you. 15 Don’t I have the right to do what I want with what is mine? Are you jealous[g] because I’m generous?’[h](E)

16 “So the last will be first, and the first last.”[i](F)

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Footnotes

  1. 20:2 A denarius = one day’s wage, also in vv. 9,10,13
  2. 20:3 Lit about the third hour
  3. 20:5 Lit about the sixth hour and the ninth hour
  4. 20:6 Lit about the eleventh hour, also in v. 9
  5. 20:6 Other mss add doing nothing
  6. 20:7 Other mss add ‘and you’ll get whatever is right.’
  7. 20:15 Lit Is your eye evil; an idiom for jealousy or stinginess
  8. 20:15 Lit good
  9. 20:16 Other mss add “For many are called, but few are chosen.”

20  For gar the ho kingdom basileia of ho heaven ouranos is eimi like homoios the owner of an estate oikodespotēs who hostis went exerchomai out early in the morning hama to hire misthoō men ergatēs to work in eis · ho his autos vineyard ampelōn. After having agreed symphōneō · de with meta the ho workers ergatēs for ek a denarius dēnarion per ho day hēmera, he sent apostellō them autos into eis · ho his autos vineyard ampelōn. And kai going exerchomai out about peri the third tritos hour hōra, he saw others allos standing histēmi in en the ho marketplace agora with nothing argos to do . And kai to them ekeinos he said legō, “ You hymeis go hypagō into eis the ho vineyard ampelōn as kai well , and kai whatever hos ean is eimi fair dikaios I will pay didōmi you hymeis.’ So de they ho went aperchomai off . When he went out exerchomai again palin about peri the sixth hektos hour and kai the ninth enatos hour hōra, he did poieō the same hōsautōs thing . And de about peri the ho eleventh hendekatos hour, when he had gone exerchomai out and found heuriskō others allos standing histēmi around , · kai he said legō to them autos, ‘ Why tis have you been standing histēmi here hōde idle argos all holos · ho day hēmera long?’ They said legō to him autos, ‘ Because hoti no oudeis one has hired misthoō us hēmeis.’ He said legō to them autos, ‘ You hymeis go hypagō into eis the ho vineyard ampelōn too kai.’ And de when evening opsia came ginomai, the ho owner kyrios of ho the vineyard ampelōn said legō to ho his autos foreman epitropē, ‘ Call kaleō the ho workers ergatēs and kai pay apodidōmi them autos their ho wages misthos, beginning archō with apo the ho last eschatos and going heōs back to the ho first prōtos.’ · kai Those ho hired about peri the ho eleventh hendekatos hour hōra came erchomai and each ana received lambanō a denarius dēnarion. 10 · kai When those ho who were hired first prōtos came erchomai, they thought nomizō they would receive lambanō more polys; but kai they autos also kai each ana received lambanō · ho a denarius dēnarion. 11 And de when they received lambanō it, they began to grumble gongyzō against kata the ho owner oikodespotēs of the estate , 12 saying legō, ‘ These houtos · ho last eschatos worked poieō but one heis hour hōra, and kai you have made poieō them autos equal isos to us hēmeis who ho have borne bastazō the ho burden baros of the ho day hēmera and kai the ho scorching kausōn heat .’ 13 But de he ho answered apokrinomai one heis of them autos, saying legō, ‘ Friend hetairos, I am not ou being unfair adikeō to you sy. Did you symphōneō not ouchi agree with symphōneō me egō to work for a denarius dēnarion? 14 Take airō what ho is yours sos and kai be gone hypagō. I choose thelō · de to give didōmi to this houtos · ho last eschatos man the same kai as hōs I give to you sy. 15 Am I egō not ou allowed to do poieō what hos I choose thelō with en what ho belongs to me emos? Or ē · ho are eimi you sy envious ponēros because hoti I egō am eimi generous agathos?’ 16 So houtōs the ho last eschatos will be eimi first prōtos, and kai the ho first prōtos will be last eschatos.”

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