Matthew 20:1-16 ▼

1 For the kyngdome of heven ys lyke vnto an houssholder which went out erly in the morninge to hyre labourers into hys vyneyarde.

2 And he agreed wt the labourers for a peny a daye and sent them into his vyneyarde.

3 And he went out about the thyrde houre and sawe other stonding ydell in the marketplace

4 and sayd vnto them go ye also into my vyneyarde: and whatsoever is right I will geve you. And they went there waye.

5 Agayne he wet out about the sixte and nynthe houre and dyd lyke wyse.

6 And he went out aboute the eleventhe houre and founde other stondynge ydell and sayde vnto them: Why stonde ye here all the daye ydell?

7 They sayde vnto hym: because no man hath hyred vs. He sayde to them: goo ye alsoo into my vyneyarde and whatsoever is right that shall ye receave.

8 When even was come the lorde of the vyneyarde sayde vnto hys steward: call the labourers and geve them their hyre beginnyng at ye laste tyll thou come to ye fyrste.

9 And they whiche were hyred aboute the eleventhe houre came and receaved every man a peny.

10 Then came ye fyrst supposyng yt they shuld receave moare: and they likewyse receaved every man a peny.

11 And when they had receaved it they murmured agaynst the good man of the housse

12 saying: These laste have wrought but o ne houre and thou hast made them equall vnto vs which have born ye burthe and heet of the daye.

13 He answered to one of the sayinge: frende I do the no wronge: dyddest thou not agre wt me for a peny?

14 Take that which is thy duty and go thy waye. I will geve vnto this last as moche as to the.

15 Ys it not lawfull for me to do as me listeth with myne awne? Ys thyne eye evyll because I am good?

16 Soo the laste shalbe fyrste and the fyrste shalbe laste. For many are called and feawe be chosen.