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Parable of workers in a vineyard

Parable about hired workers and their pay.
Contributed by LUMO project
Story also available on our translated websites: Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, German, Arabic, Simplified Chinese
1
Jesus told this parable, ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. <br/>He offered to pay them the usual rate for a days work – a denarius. – Slide 1
2
‘They agreed and the landowner set them to work in his vineyard. – Slide 2
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‘Later, at around nine in the morning the landowner went out and saw others standing in the market-place doing nothing. He told them, “I can offer you work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.” – Slide 3
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‘They went off to join the others already working in the vineyard. – Slide 4
5
‘At noon, the landowner went down to the market place and saw more men looking for work. – Slide 5
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‘He offered them work too and they joined the others working in the vineyard. The sun was overhead and the work made them sweat. – Slide 6
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‘Three hours later the landowner offered work to more men looking for a job. – Slide 7
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‘These too joined those who had been working for many hours. – Slide 8
9
‘About five in the afternoon the landowner went out and found more men standing around. He asked them, “Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?” <br/>‘“No-one one has hired us,” they replied. <br/>‘He said to them, “You can go and work in my vineyard. ” – Slide 9
10
When evening came an hour later, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, “Call the workers so they get their wages. – Slide 10
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The workers were lined up with the last workers to be hired at the front of the line and the workers hired early that morning at the end. – Slide 11
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‘To their surprise, the workers who were hired late in the afternoon and had only worked for an hour were given a full pay - a denarius. – Slide 12
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The same amount was given to those who had worked much longer. – Slide 13
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When those who had worked all day were given the same as those who had worked fewer hours they started grumbling. <br/>“These who were hired last worked only one hour,” they complained, “and you have paid them as much as us who have worked long hours in the heat of the day.” – Slide 14
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‘The landowner replied, “I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? – Slide 15
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‘“Take your pay and go. I decided to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?” – Slide 16
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‘“So the last will be first, and the first will be last.’” – Slide 17
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Slide 18