Laborers in the Vineyard (MAT 20:1-16)

[20:1] “For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.

[20:2] After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.

[20:3] And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace,

[20:4] and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’

[20:5] So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same.

[20:6] And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’

[20:7] They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’

[20:8] And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’

[20:9] And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius.

[20:10] Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius.

[20:11] And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house,

[20:12] saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’

[20:13] But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius?

[20:14] Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you.

[20:15] Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’

[20:16] So the last will be first, and the first last.”

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