Matthew 20:1-6

1 "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who went out at daybreak to hire workers for his vineyard.

2 After agreeing with the workers on a wage of one denarius, [the standard daily wage,] he sent them off to his vineyard.

3 Then, on going out at about nine in the morning, he saw more men standing around in the market-square doing nothing,

4 and said to them, `You go to the vineyard too -- I'll pay you a fair wage.' So they went.

5 At noon, and again around three in the afternoon, he did the same thing.

6 About an hour before sundown, he went out, found still others standing around, and asked them, `Why have you been standing here all day, doing nothing?"