1 ομοια γαρ εστιν η βασιλεια των ουρανων ανθρωπω οικοδεσποτη οστις εξηλθεν αμα πρωι μισθωσασθαι εργατας εις τον αμπελωνα αυτου

2 συμφωνησας δε μετα των εργατων εκ δηναριου την ημεραν απεστειλεν αυτους εις τον αμπελωνα αυτου

3 και εξελθων περι την τριτην ωραν ειδεν αλλους εστωτας εν τη αγορα αργους

4 κακεινοις ειπεν υπαγετε και υμεις εις τον αμπελωνα και ο εαν η δικαιον δωσω υμιν

5 οι δε απηλθον παλιν εξελθων περι εκτην και εννατην ωραν εποιησεν ωσαυτως

6 περι δε την ενδεκατην ωραν εξελθων ευρεν αλλους εστωτας αργους και λεγει αυτοις τι ωδε εστηκατε ολην την ημεραν αργοι

7 λεγουσιν αυτω οτι ουδεις ημας εμισθωσατο λεγει αυτοις υπαγετε και υμεις εις τον αμπελωνα και ο εαν η δικαιον ληψεσθε

8 οψιας δε γενομενης λεγει ο κυριος του αμπελωνος τω επιτροπω αυτου καλεσον τους εργατας και αποδος αυτοις τον μισθον αρξαμενος απο των εσχατων εως των πρωτων

9 και ελθοντες οι περι την ενδεκατην ωραν ελαβον ανα δηναριον

10 ελθοντες δε οι πρωτοι ενομισαν οτι πλειονα ληψονται και ελαβον και αυτοι ανα δηναριον

11 λαβοντες δε εγογγυζον κατα του οικοδεσποτου

12 λεγοντες οτι ουτοι οι εσχατοι μιαν ωραν εποιησαν και ισους ημιν αυτους εποιησας τοις βαστασασιν το βαρος της ημερας και τον καυσωνα

13 ο δε αποκριθεις ειπεν ενι αυτων εταιρε ουκ αδικω σε ουχι δηναριου συνεφωνησας μοι

14 αρον το σον και υπαγε θελω δε τουτω τω εσχατω δουναι ως και σοι

15 η ουκ εξεστιν μοι ποιησαι ο θελω εν τοις εμοις ει ο οφθαλμος σου πονηρος εστιν οτι εγω αγαθος ειμι

16 ουτως εσονται οι εσχατοι πρωτοι και οι πρωτοι εσχατοι πολλοι γαρ εισιν κλητοι ολιγοι δε εκλεκτοι

1 For the reign of the heavens is like to a man, a householder, who went forth with the morning to hire workmen for his vineyard,

2 and having agreed with the workmen for a denary a day, he sent them into his vineyard.

3 And having gone forth about the third hour, he saw others standing in the market-place idle,

4 and to these he said, Go ye -- also ye -- to the vineyard, and whatever may be righteous I will give you;

5 and they went away. Again, having gone forth about the sixth and the ninth hour, he did in like manner.

6 And about the eleventh hour, having gone forth, he found others standing idle, and saith to them, Why here have ye stood all the day idle?

7 they say to him, Because no one did hire us; he saith to them, Go ye -- ye also -- to the vineyard, and whatever may be righteous ye shall receive.

8 And evening having come, the lord of the vineyard saith to his steward, Call the workmen, and pay them the reward, having begun from the last -- unto the first.

9 And they of about the eleventh hour having come, did receive each a denary.

10 And the first having come, did suppose that they shall receive more, and they received, they also, each a denary,

11 and having received [it], they were murmuring against the householder, saying,

12 that These, the last, wrought one hour, and thou didst make them equal to us, who were bearing the burden of the day -- and the heat.

13 And he answering said to one of them, Comrade, I do no unrighteousness to thee; for a denary didst not thou agree with me?

14 take that which is thine, and go; and I will to give to this, the last, also as to thee;

15 is it not lawful to me to do what I will in mine own? is thine eye evil because I am good?

16 So the last shall be first, and the first last, for many are called, and few chosen.