Know you not that they that run in the race, all run indeed, but one receiveth the prize? So run that you may obtain.25 And every one that striveth for the mastery, refraineth himself from all things: and they indeed that they may receive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible one.26 I therefore so run, not as at an uncertainty: I so fight, not as one beating the air:27 But I chastise my body, and bring it into subjection: lest perhaps, when I have preached to others, I myself should become a castaway.†1 For I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea.2 And all in Moses were baptized, in the cloud, and in the sea:3 And did all eat the same spiritual food,4 And all drank the same spiritual drink; (and they drank of the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ.)5 But with most of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the desert.
On this account also Paul the Apostle says to the Corinthians, "Know ye not, that they who run in a racecourse, do all indeed run, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. Every one also who engages in the contest is temperate in all things: now these men do it that they may obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible. But I so run, not as uncertainty; I fight, not as one beating the air; but I make my body livid, and bring it into subjection, lest by any means, when preaching to others, I may myself be rendered a castaway." This able wrestler, therefore, exhorts us to the struggle for immortality, that we may be crowned, and may deem the crown precious, namely, that which is acquired by our struggle, but which does not encircle us of its own accord. And the harder we strive, so much is it the more valuable; while so much the more valuable it is, so much the more should we esteem it. And indeed those things are not esteemed so highly which come spontaneously, as those which are reached by much anxious care.
The kingdom of heaven is like to an householder, who went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.2 And having agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.3 And going about the third hour, he saw others standing in the market place idle.4 And he said to them: Go you also into my vineyard, and I will give you what shall be just.5 And they went their way. And again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did in like manner.6 But about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing, and he saith to them: Why stand you here all the day idle?7 They say to him: Because no man hath hired us. He saith to them: Go you also into my vineyard.8 And when evening was come, the lord of the vineyard saith to his steward: Call the labourers and pay them their hire, beginning from the last even to the first.†9 When therefore they were come, that came about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.10 But when the first also came, they thought that they should receive more: and they also received every man a penny.11 And receiving it they murmured against the master of the house,12 Saying: These last have worked but one hour, and thou hast made them equal to us, that have borne the burden of the day and the heats.13 But he answering said to one of them: Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst thou not agree with me for a penny?†14 Take what is thine, and go thy way: I will also give to this last even as to thee.15 Or, is it not lawful for me to do what I will? is thy eye evil, because I am good?†16 So shall the last be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.
Or, He did not call upon the labourers of the third hour for a complete task, but left to their own choice, how much they should work. For they might perform in the vineyard work equal to that of those who had wrought since the morning, if they chose to put forth upon their task an operative energy, such as had not yet been exerted.
Or; The Lord said to his steward, that is, to one of the Angels who was set over the payment of the labourers; or to one of those many guardians, according to what is written, that The heir as long as he is a child is under tutors and governors. (Gal. 4:2.)
Perhaps it is to Adam He says, Friend, I do thee no wrong; didst thou not agree with me for a denarius? Take that thine is, and go thy way. Salvation is thine, that is, the denarius. I will give unto this last also as unto thee. A person might not improbably suppose, that this last was the Apostle Paul, who wrought but one hour, and was made equal with all who had been before him.
But this, Why stand ye here all the day idle? is not said to such as having begun in the spirit (Gal. 3:3) have been made perfect by the flesh, as inviting them to return again, and to live in the Spirit. This we speak not to dissuade prodigal sons, who have consumed their substance of evangelic doctrine in riotous living, from returning to their father’s house; but because they are not like those who sinned in their youth, before they had learnt the things of the faith.
But the first labourers having the witness through faith have not received the promise of God, the lord of the household providing some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. (Heb. 11:40.) And because we have obtained mercy, we hope to receive the reward first, we, that is, who are Christ’s, and after us they that wrought before us; wherefore it is said, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.
About CSB. A personal translation of the New Testament, rendered directly from the public-domain Greek in a literary style — not a scholarly critical edition, and not for liturgical or doctrinal authority. It is one reader's work, offered for enjoyment; where it matters, weigh it against an established translation. (Placeholder text — final wording to come.)