They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.

They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard.

They say to him: Because no man hath hired us. He saith to them: Go you also into my vineyard.

They say to him, Because no man has hired us. He says to them, Go also ye into the vineyard and whatsoever may be just ye shall receive.

They say to him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith to them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatever is right, that shall ye receive.

they say to him, Because no one did hire us; he saith to them, Go ye, ye also, to the vineyard, and whatever may be righteous ye shall receive.

"'Because no one has hired us,' they replied. "'You also, go into the vineyard,' he said.

They say to him, Because no man has given us work. He says to them, Go in with the rest, into the vine-garden.

'Because no one has hired us,' they answered. 'You also may go into my vineyard,' he said.

No man hath hired us - This was the reason why they were all the day idle.
And whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive - Ye may expect payment in proportion to your labor, and the time ye spend in it; but this clause is wanting in some of the best MSS., versions, and fathers.

They say unto him, because no man hath hired us,.... This may be fitly applied to the Gentiles, who hundreds of years were neglected by God; he overlooked the times of their ignorance, took no notice of them in their state of stupidity, blindness, and irreligion; but suffered them to walk in their own ways, sent no prophets to instruct them, nor messages, nor messengers to them; till at length the Jews, having rejected and crucified the Messiah, and persecuted his apostles, and contradicted, and blasphemed the Gospel, they were ordered to go to the Gentiles, and preach it to them:
he saith unto them, go ye also into the vineyard: the Gospel was made the power of God unto salvation to them; they were called by grace, became of the same body the church, were fellow heirs with the believing Jews, partakers of the same promises and privileges, in a Gospel church state, and were equally labourers in the Lord's vineyard:
and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive; with the rest of the labourers in it. This clause is left out in the Vulgate Latin, and in Munster's Hebrew Gospel; nor is it in Beza's most ancient Greek copy, though in all the rest; nor is it in the Persic version, which has added, "and they went", as they were bidden, into the vineyard, the call being effectual; but is retained in the Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions.

Because no man hath hired us. These persons were idle, because they had no opportunity to work. This point must not be lost sight of. There is no promise here for willful idleness.