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Matthew 20:10–16

10 But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. 11 And when they had received it, they 3complained against the landowner, 12 saying,These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.’ 13 But he answered one of them and said, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. 15 aIs it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or bis your eye evil because I am good?’ 16 cSo the last will be first, and the first last. dFor 4many are called, but few chosen.”

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Matthew 20:10–16 — The New International Version (NIV)

10 So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. 11 When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. 12 These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’

13 But he answered one of them,I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? 14 Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15 Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’

16 So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

Matthew 20:10–16 — English Standard Version (ESV)

10 Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. 11 And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, 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.’ 13 But he replied to one of them, Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’ 16 So the last will be first, and the first last.”

Matthew 20:10–16 — King James Version (KJV 1900)

10 But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. 11 And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, 12 Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. 13 But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? 14 Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? 16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

Matthew 20:10–16 — New Living Translation (NLT)

10 When those hired first came to get their pay, they assumed they would receive more. But they, too, were paid a day’s wage. 11 When they received their pay, they protested to the owner, 12 Those people worked only one hour, and yet you’ve paid them just as much as you paid us who worked all day in the scorching heat.’

13 He answered one of them, ‘Friend, I haven’t been unfair! Didn’t you agree to work all day for the usual wage? 14 Take your money and go. I wanted to pay this last worker the same as you. 15 Is it against the law for me to do what I want with my money? Should you be jealous because I am kind to others?’

16 So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.”

Matthew 20:10–16 — New Century Version (NCV)

10 When the workers who were hired first came to get their pay, they thought they would be paid more than the others. But each one of them also received one coin. 11 When they got their coin, they complained to the man who owned the land. 12 They said, ‘Those people were hired last and worked only one hour. But you paid them the same as you paid us who worked hard all day in the hot sun.’ 13 But the man who owned the vineyard said to one of those workers, ‘Friend, I am being fair to you. You agreed to work for one coin. 14 So take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same pay that I gave you. 15 I can do what I want with my own money. Are you jealous because I am good to those people?’

16 “So those who are last now will someday be first, and those who are first now will someday be last.”

Matthew 20:10–16 — American Standard Version (ASV)

10 And when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received every man a shilling. 11 And when they received it, they murmured against the householder, 12 saying, These last have spent but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat. 13 But he answered and said to one of them, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a shilling? 14 Take up that which is thine, and go thy way; it is my will to give unto this last, even as unto thee. 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? or is thine eye evil, because I am good? 16 So the last shall be first, and the first last.

Matthew 20:10–16 — 1890 Darby Bible (DARBY)

10 And when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more, and they received also themselves each a denarius. 11 And on receiving it they murmured against the master of the house, 12 saying, These last have worked one hour, and thou hast made them equal to us, who have borne the burden of the day and the heat. 13 But he answering said to one of them, My friend, I do not wrong thee. Didst thou not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what is thine and go. But it is my will to give to this last even as to thee: 15 is it not lawful for me to do what I will in my own affairs? Is thine eye evil because I am good? 16 Thus shall the last be first, and the first last; for many are called ones, but few chosen ones.

Matthew 20:10–16 — GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

10 When those who had been hired first came, they expected to receive more. But each of them received a day’s wages. 11 Although they took it, they began to protest to the owner. 12 They said, ‘These last workers have worked only one hour. Yet, you’ve treated us all the same, even though we worked hard all day under a blazing sun.’ 

13 “The owner said to one of them, ‘Friend, I’m not treating you unfairly. Didn’t you agree with me on a day’s wages? 14 Take your money and go! I want to give this last worker as much as I gave you. 15 Can’t I do what I want with my own money? Or do you resent my generosity towards others?’ 

16 “In this way the last will be first, and the first will be last.” 

Matthew 20:10–16 — The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

10 So when the first ones came, they assumed they would get more, but they also received a denarius each. 11 When they received it, they began to complain to the landowner: 12 These last men put in one hour, and you made them equal to us who bore the burden of the day and the burning heat!’

13 He replied to one of them,Friend, I’m doing you no wrong. Didn’t you agree with me on a denarius? 14 Take what’s yours and go. I want to give this last man the same as I gave you. 15 Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my business? Are you jealous because I’m generous?’

16 So the last will be first, and the first last.”

Matthew 20:10–16 — The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

10 Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage.11 And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, 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.’ 13 But he replied to one of them,Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage?14 Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’16 So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

Matthew 20:10–16 — The Lexham English Bible (LEB)

10 And when the first came, they thought that they would receive more, and they also received a denarius apiece. 11 And when they received it, they began to complain against the master of the house, 12 saying, ‘These last people worked one hour and you made them equal to us who have endured the burden of the day and the burning heat!’ 13 But he answered one of them and said, ‘Friend, I am not doing you wrong. Did you not come to an agreement with me for a denarius? 14 Take what is yours and go! But I want to give to this last person the same as I gave to you also. 15 Is it not permitted for me to do whatever I want with what is mine? Or is your eye evil because I am generous?’ 16 Thus the last will be first and the first last.”

Matthew 20:10–16 — New International Reader’s Version (1998) (NIrV)

10 So when those who were hired first came, they expected to receive more. But each of them also received the usual day’s pay.

11 “When they received it, they began to complain about the owner. 12 ‘These people who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said. ‘You have paid them the same as us. We have done most of the work and have been in the hot sun all day.’

13 “The owner answered one of them. ‘Friend,’ he said, ‘I’m being fair to you. Didn’t you agree to work for the usual day’s pay? 14 Take your money and go. I want to give the ones I hired last the same pay I gave you. 15 Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Do you feel cheated because I gave so freely to the others?’

16 “So those who are last will be first. And those who are first will be last.”

Matthew 20:10–16 — New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (NASB95)

10 When those hired first came, they thought that they would receive more; but each of them also received a denarius.

11 When they received it, they grumbled at the landowner,

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

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 wish to give to this last man the same as to you.

15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with what is my own? Or is your eye envious because I am generous?’

16 So the last shall be first, and the first last.”


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