AUV(i)
1 “For the kingdom of heaven is similar to a farmer who went out early one morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.
2 When he had agreed with the workers [on wages] for the usual farm laborer’s pay for a day’s work, he [then] sent them to work in his vineyard. [Note: The coin mentioned here would amount to $60-$84 in 1994, based on $5-$7 an hour for a twelve hour day. This coin also forms the basis for calculating all other monetary references in the New Testament].
3 He went out about nine o’clock in the morning and saw other unemployed laborers standing [around] in the open shopping market.
4 He said to them, ‘You men also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So, they went to work.
5 [Then] he went out again about noon and again at three o’clock in the afternoon and made the same offer.
6 [Finally] he went out [once more] at about five o’clock in the afternoon and found [still] other men standing around. He said, ‘Why have you been standing around all day and not working?’
7 They replied, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You men also may go to work in my vineyard.’
8 And when evening came the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers [in] and pay them their wages, beginning with the last [one hired, then] to the first.’
9 So, when those hired about five o’clock in the afternoon came in, each one received the usual pay for one full day’s work. [See note on verse 2].
10 Then when those who were hired first came [to get paid], they expected to receive more money [than those hired later], but each one received the usual pay for one full day’s work also.
11 And when they received it, they complained to the farmer,
12 saying, ‘These men [you hired] last have worked only one hour and you gave them wages equal to ours when we carried the heaviest load of the day’s work and [put up with] the scorching heat [all day long].’
13 But he answered one of them, saying, ‘Friend, I have not done anything wrong to you. Did you not agree with me to accept the usual pay for one full day’s work?
14 Take what belongs to you and go on your way. I want to give this last person [hired] the same wages I gave you.