Matthew 20:1-16

Revised Geneva Translation

20 “For the Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain landowner, who went out at the dawning of the day to hire laborers into his vineyard.

² “And he agreed with the laborers for a penny a day and sent them into his vineyard.

³ “And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,

⁴ “and said to them, ‘You go into my vineyard also. And whatever is right, I will give you.’ And they went their way.

⁵ “Again, he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.

⁶ “And he went about the eleventh hour, and found others standing idle, and said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’

⁷ “They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into my vineyard also. And whatever is right, that shall you receive.’

⁸ “And when evening had come, the master of the vineyard said to his steward, ‘Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning at the last, till you come to the first.’

⁹ “And those who were hired about the eleventh hour, came. And each received a penny.

¹⁰ “Now when the first came, they assumed that they would receive more. But each of them also received a penny.

¹¹ “And when they had received it, they murmured against the master of the house,

¹² “saying, ‘These last have only worked one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden and heat of the day!’

¹³ “And he answered one of them, saying, ‘Friend, I do you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a penny?

¹⁴ ‘Take that which is yours and go your way. I will give to this last as much as to you.

¹⁵ ‘Is it not lawful for me to do as I will with my own? Is your eye evil because I am good?’

¹⁶ “So the last shall be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.”