Matthew 20:1-16

1“For 1the kingdom of heaven is like 2a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his 3vineyard. 2When he had agreed with the laborers for a 4denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3And he went out about the 5third hour and saw others standing idle in the market place; 4and to those he said, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ And so they went. 5Again he went out about the 6sixth and the ninth hour, and did 7the same thing. 6And about the 8eleventh hour he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day long?’ 7They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’

8“When 9evening came, the 10owner of the vineyard said to his 11foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last group to the first.’ 9When those hired about the eleventh hour came, each one received a 12denarius. 10When those hired first came, they thought that they would receive more; 13but each of them also received a denarius. 11When they received it, they grumbled at the landowner, 12saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the 14scorching heat of the day.’ 13But he answered and said to one of them, ‘15Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14Take what is yours and go, but I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. 15Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with what is my own? Or is your 16eye 17envious because I am 18generous?’ 16So 19the last shall be first, and the first last.”