Laborers in the Vineyard

20 “For (A)the kingdom of heaven is like [a]a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his (B)vineyard. When he had agreed with the laborers for a [b]denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the [c]third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace; and to those he said, ‘You go into the vineyard also, and whatever is right, I will give you.’ And so they went. Again he went out about the [d]sixth and the ninth hour, and did [e]the same thing. And about the [f]eleventh hour he went out and found others standing around; and he *said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day long?’ They *said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He *said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’

“Now when (C)evening came, the [g]owner of the vineyard *said to his (D)foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, starting with the last group to the first.’ When those hired about the eleventh hour came, each one received a [h]denarius. 10 And so when those hired first came, they thought that they would receive more; [i]but each of them also received a denarius. 11 When they received it, they grumbled at the landowner, 12 saying, ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day’s work and the (E)scorching heat.’ 13 But he answered and said to one of them, ‘(F)Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what is yours and go; but I want to give to this last person the same as to you. 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I want with what is my own? Or is your (G)eye [j]envious because I am [k]generous?’ 16 So (H)the last shall be first, and the first, last.”

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 20:1 Lit a man, a landowner
  2. Matthew 20:2 The denarius was a day’s wages for a laborer
  3. Matthew 20:3 I.e., 9 a.m.
  4. Matthew 20:5 I.e., noon and 3 p.m.
  5. Matthew 20:5 Lit similarly
  6. Matthew 20:6 I.e., 5 p.m.
  7. Matthew 20:8 Or lord
  8. Matthew 20:9 The denarius was a day’s wages for a laborer
  9. Matthew 20:10 Lit each one a denarius
  10. Matthew 20:15 Lit evil
  11. Matthew 20:15 Lit good

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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