1 “For the reign of the heavens is like a man, a householder who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.
2 “And when he had agreed with the workers for a silver piece a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
3 “And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the market-place,
4 and said to them, ‘You too go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I shall give you.’ And they went.
5 “Having gone out again about the sixth and the ninth hour, he did likewise.
6 “And about the eleventh hour, having gone out, he found others standing idle, and said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’