Thomson(i)
1 For the reign of the heavens is like a householder who went out early in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard.
2 And having agreed with some labourers for a deniar a day, he sent them to his vineyard.
3 And going out about the third hour he saw some standing in the market place, unemployed,
4 and said to them, Go ye also to the vineyard and I will give you what is reasonable. So they went.
5 Again about the sixth and ninth hour he went out and did the same.
6 And having gone out about the eleventh hour, he found others standing unemployed, and saith to them, Why have you stood here all the day unemployed?
7 They say to him, Because no one hath hired us. He saith to them, Go ye also to the vineyard and you shall receive what is reasonable.
8 And in the evening the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, Call the labourers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last and ending with the first.
9 So they who had been hired at the eleventh hour, came and received even one a deniar.
10 And when the first hired came, they expected to receive more; but they also received everyone a deniar.
11 And when they received it, they murmured against the householder,
12 saying, These last have worked but one hour, and thou hast made them equal to us, who have borne the burden, and the heat of the day.
13 But he in reply said to one of them, Companion! I do thee no wrong. Didst thou not agree with me for a deniar:
14 take what is thine and go thy way. It is my will to give this last as much as to thee.
15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I please with mine own? Is thine eye evil because I am good?
16 So the last shall be first, and the first last. For there are many called, but few chosen.