1 For the kingdom of the heavens is like unto a man, the husband of a house, who went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.

2 And when he had agreed with the labourers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.

3 And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace

4 and said unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you. And they went.

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

6 And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle and said unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?

7 They say unto him, Because no one has hired us. He said unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatever is right, [that] shall ye receive.

8 So when evening was come, the lord of the vineyard said unto his steward, Call the labourers and give them [their] hire, beginning from the last unto the first.

9 And when those came that [were hired] about the eleventh hour, they received every man a denarius.

10 But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more but they likewise received each one a denarius.

11 And when they had received [it], they murmured against the husband of the house,

12 saying, These last have worked [but] one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us who 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 denarius?

14 Take that which is thine and go, for I desire to give unto this last one, 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 first shall be last, and the last first; for many are called, but few [are] chosen.