Mateus 20

Laborers in the Vineyard

1 "For the kingdom of heaven is like * 20:1 Lit a man, a landowner a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.2 When he had agreed with the laborers for a *20:2 The denarius was a day’s wages for a laborerdenarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard.3 And he went out about the *20:3 I.e., 9 a.m.third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace;4 and to those he said, ‘You go into the vineyard also, and whatever is right, I will give you.’ And so they went.5 Again he went out about the *20:5 I.e., noon and 3 p.m.sixth and the ninth hour, and did *20:5 Lit similarlythe same thing.6 And about the *20:6 I.e., 5 p.m.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?’7 They *said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He *said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’

8 "Now when evening came, the * 20:8 Or lord owner of the vineyard *said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, starting with the last group to the first.’9 When those hired about the eleventh hour came, each one received a *20:9 The denarius was a day’s wages for a laborerdenarius.10 And so when those hired first came, they thought that they would receive more; *20:10 Lit each one a denariusbut 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 scorching heat.’13 But he answered and said to one of them, ‘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 eye *20:15 Lit evilenvious because I am *20:15 Lit goodgenerous?’16 So the last shall be first, and the first, last."