New Testament in a Year

20 For the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of an estate who went out in the morning ^[a]along with the dawn to hire workmen for his vineyard.

² After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.

³ And going out about the third hour (nine o’clock), he saw others standing idle in the marketplace;

⁴ And he said to them, You go also into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will pay you. And they went.

⁵ He went out again about the sixth hour (noon), and the ninth hour (three o’clock) he did the same.

⁶ And about the eleventh hour (five o’clock) he went out and found still others standing around, and said to them, Why do you stand here idle all day?

⁷ They answered him, Because nobody has hired us. He told them, You go out into the vineyard also ^[b]and you will get whatever is just and fair.

⁸ When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, Call the workmen and pay them their wages, beginning with the last and ending with the first.^(A)

⁹ And those who had been hired at the eleventh hour (five o’clock) came and received a denarius each.

¹⁰ Now when the first came, they supposed they would get more, but each of them also received a denarius.

¹¹ And when they received it, they grumbled at the owner of the estate,

¹² Saying, These [men] who came last worked no more than an hour, and yet you have made them rank with us who have borne the burden and the ^[c]scorching heat of the day.

¹³ But he answered one of them, Friend, I am doing you no injustice. Did you not agree with me for a denarius?

¹⁴ Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this man hired last the same as I give to you.

¹⁵ Am I not permitted to do what I choose with what is mine? [Or do you begrudge my being generous?] Is your eye evil because I am good?

¹⁶ So those who [now] are last will be first [then], and those who [now] are first will be last [then]. ^[d]For many are called, but few chosen.