Study Desk

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

For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.

"When he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard.

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

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

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

and to those he said, 'You go into the vineyard also, and whatever is right, I will give you.' And so they went.

And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.

"Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did the same thing.

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

"And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, 'Why have you been standing here idle all day long?'

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

"They said to him, 'Because no one hired us.' He said to them, 'You go into the vineyard too.'

They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.

"Now when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Call the laborers and pay them their wages, starting with the last group to the first.'

So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.

"When those hired about the eleventh hour came, each one received a denarius.

And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.

"And so when those hired first came, they thought that they would receive more; but each of them also received a denarius.

But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.

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

And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,

saying, 'These who were hired last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day's work and the scorching heat.'

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.

"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?

But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?

'Take what is yours and go; but I want to give to this last person the same as to you.

Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.

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

Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?

"So the last shall be first, and the first, last."

So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.