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, 2and 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, 4and to these he said, Go ye—also ye—to the vineyard, and whatever may be righteous I will give you; 5and they went away. ‘Again, having gone forth about the sixth and the ninth hour, he did in like manner. 6And 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? 7they 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. 9And 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, 11and having received it, they were murmuring against the householder, saying, 12that 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? 14take that which is thine, and go; and I will to give to this, the last, also as to thee; 15is it not lawful to me to do what I will in mine own? is thine eye evil because I am good? 16So the last shall be first, and the first last, for many are called, and few chosen.’