1 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a certain landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.

2 And having agreed with the workers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.

3 And going out about the third hour, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace.

4 And said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever may be right I will give you.' So they went.

5 Again going out about the sixth and the ninth hour, he did likewise.

6 And about the eleventh hour, going out he found others standing idle, and said to them, 'Why do you stand here idle all day?'

7 "They said to him, 'Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you shall receive.'

8 "So when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.'

9 "And when those came [who were hired] about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius.

10 But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they also received each a denarius.

11 And when they had received it, they began grumbling 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 not wronging you. Did you not agree with me for a denarius?

14 Take what is yours and go. But I want to give to this last [man] the same as to you.

15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own [things]? Or is your eye evil because I am good?'

16 "Thus the last shall be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few [are ]chosen."