Amplified Bible
Matthew 20:12
12saying, ‘These men who came last worked [only] one hour, and yet you have made them equal [in wages] to us who have carried [most of] the burden and [worked in] the scorching heat of the day.’
Matthew 20:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.
- New International Version (NIV)‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’
- English Standard Version (ESV)saying, 'These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.'
- New King James Version (NKJV)saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.’
Context of Matthew 20:12
10Now when the first [to be hired] came, they thought they would get more; but each of them also received a denarius. 11When they received it, they protested and grumbled at the owner of the estate, saying, ‘These men who came last worked [only] one hour, and yet you have made them equal [in wages] to us who have carried [most of] the burden and [worked in] the scorching heat of the day.’ 13But the owner of the estate replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no injustice. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14Take what belongs to you and go, but I choose to give to this last man [hired] the same as I give to you.
Read all of Matthew 20Matthew 20:12 word by word
λέγοντες οὗτοι οἱ ἔσχατοι μίαν ὥραν ἐποίησαν, καὶ ἴσους ἡμῖν αὐτοὺς ἐποίησας, τοῖς βαστάσασιν τὸ βάρος τῆς ἡμέρας καὶ τὸν καύσωνα.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Sayingλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- ·ὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
- Theseοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- lastἔσχατοςeschatos · last/leastG2078
- have wroughtποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
- oneεἷςheis · oneG1520
- hourὥραhōra · hourG5610
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- equalἴσοςisos · equalG2470
- unto usἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- which have borneβαστάζωbastazō · to carryG941
- the burdenβάροςbaros · burdenG922
- heatκαύσωνkausōn · heatG2742
- of the dayἡμέραhēmera · dayG2250
Cross-references for Matthew 20:12
- Luke 14:10But when you are invited, go and sit down [to eat] at the last place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; and then you will be honored in the presence of all who are at the table with you.
- Romans 3:22This righteousness of God comes through faith in Jesus Christ for all those [Jew or Gentile] who believe [and trust in Him and acknowledge Him as God’s Son]. There is no distinction,
- Ephesians 3:6[it is this:] that the Gentiles are now joint heirs [with the Jews] and members of the same body, and joint partakers [sharing] in the [same divine] promise in Christ Jesus through [their faith in] the good news [of salvation].
- Isaiah 58:2Yet they seek Me day by day and delight [superficially] to know My ways, As [if they were in reality] a nation that has done righteousness And has not abandoned (turned away from) the ordinance of their God. They ask of Me righteous judgments, They delight in the nearness of God.
- Zechariah 7:3speaking to the priests who belong to the house of the Lord of hosts and to the prophets, saying, “[Now that I am returned from exile] shall I weep in the fifth month [mourning the destruction of the temple], and fast as I have done these many years [in Babylon]?”
- Malachi 1:13You also say, ‘How tiresome this is!’ And you disdainfully sniff at it,” says the Lord of hosts, “and you bring what was taken by robbery, and the lame or the sick [animals]; this you bring as an offering! Should I receive it with pleasure from your hand?” says the Lord.
- Malachi 3:14You have said, ‘It is useless to serve God. What profit is it if we keep His ordinances, and walk around like mourners before the Lord of hosts?
- Luke 15:29But he said to his father, ‘Look! These many years I have served you, and I have never neglected or disobeyed your command. Yet you have never given me [so much as] a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends;
- Luke 18:11The Pharisee stood [ostentatiously] and began praying to himself [in a self-righteous way, saying]: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like the rest of men—swindlers, unjust (dishonest), adulterers—or even like this tax collector.
- Romans 3:27Then what becomes of [our] boasting? It is excluded [entirely ruled out, banished]. On what principle? On [the principle of good] works? No, but on the principle of faith.
- Romans 9:30What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness [who did not seek salvation and a right relationship with God, nevertheless] obtained righteousness, that is, the righteousness which is produced by faith;
- Romans 10:1Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for Israel is for their salvation.
- Romans 11:5So too then, at the present time there has come to be a remnant [a small believing minority] according to God’s gracious choice.
- 1 Corinthians 4:11To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty; we are continually poorly dressed, and we are roughly treated, and wander homeless.
- 2 Corinthians 11:23Are they [self-proclaimed] servants of Christ?—I am speaking as if I were out of my mind—I am more so [for I exceed them]; with far more labors, with far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, and often in danger of death.
Commentaries on Matthew 20:12
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12The burden and heat of the day - The burden means the heavy labor, the severe toil. We have continued at that toil in the heat of the day. The others had worked only a little while, and that in the cool of the evening, and when it was fax more pleasant and much less fatiguing.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-16This parable is like the parable of the lost son (Luke 15:11–32). In both, God shows grace to two groups, but one complains about unfair treatment.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat--the burning heat. of the day--who have wrought not only longer but during a more trying period of the day.Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 20:12
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Matthew 20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Catena Aurea
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- John Lightfoot Commentary
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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