rsv Matthew:20:1-16 SEEK
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For the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard .
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After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day ,
he sent them into his vineyard .
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And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the market place ;
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and to them he said , `
You go into the vineyard too ,
and whatever is right I will give you .'
So they went .
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Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour ,
he did the same .
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And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing ;
and he said to them , `
Why do you stand here idle all day ?'
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They said to him , `
Because no one has hired us .'
He said to them , `
You go into the vineyard too .'
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And when evening came ,
the owner of the vineyard said to his steward , `
Call the laborers and pay them their wages ,
beginning with the last ,
up to the first .'
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And when those hired about the eleventh hour came ,
each of them received a denarius .
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Now when the first came ,
they thought they would receive more ;
but each of them also received a denarius .
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And on receiving it they grumbled at the householder ,
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saying , `
These last worked only one hour ,
and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat .'
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But he replied to one of them , `
Friend ,
I am doing you no wrong ;
did you not agree with me for a denarius ?
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Take what belongs to you ,
and go ;
I choose to give to this last as I give to you .
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Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me ?
Or do you begrudge my generosity ?'
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So the last will be first ,
and the first last ."