American Standard Version
Matthew 20:16
16So the last shall be first, and the first last.
Matthew 20:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.
- New International Version (NIV)“So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)So the last will be first, and the first last."
- New King James Version (NKJV)So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.”
Context of Matthew 20:16
14Take up that which is thine, and go thy way; it is my will to give unto this last, even as unto thee. 15Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? or is thine eye evil, because I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first last. 17And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples apart, and on the way he said unto them, 18Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests and scribes; and they shall condemn him to death,
Read all of Matthew 20Matthew 20:16 word by word
οὕτως ἔσονται οἱ ἔσχατοι πρῶτοι καὶ οἱ πρῶτοι ἔσχατοιRead the interlinear
Cross-references for Matthew 20:16
- Matthew 8:11And I say unto you, that many shall come from the east and the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven:
- Matthew 19:30But many shall be last that are first; and first that are last.
- Matthew 21:31Which of the two did the will of his father? They say, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, that the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.
- Mark 10:31But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.
- Luke 7:47Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.
- Luke 13:28There shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and yourselves cast forth without.
- Luke 15:7I say unto you, that even so there shall be joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine righteous persons, who need no repentance.
- Luke 17:17And Jesus answering said, Were not the ten cleansed? but where are the nine?
- John 12:19The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Behold how ye prevail nothing; lo, the world is gone after him.
- Romans 5:20And the law came in besides, that the trespass might abound; but where sin abounded, grace did abound more exceedingly:
- Romans 9:30What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, who followed not after righteousness, attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith:
- Matthew 7:13Enter ye in by the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many are they that enter in thereby.
- Matthew 22:14For many are called, but few chosen.
- Luke 14:24For I say unto you, that none of those men that were bidden shall taste of my supper.
- Romans 8:30and whom he foreordained, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
- 1 Thessalonians 2:13And for this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that, when ye received from us the word of the message, even the word of God, ye accepted it not as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which also worketh in you that believe.
Commentaries on Matthew 20:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16So the last shall be first, and the first last - The Gentiles, who have been long without the true God, shall now enjoy all the privileges of the new covenant; and the Jews, who have enjoyed these from the beginning, shall now be dispossessed of them; for, because they here rejected the Lord, he also hath rejected them. Many are called, etc. - This clause is wanting in BL, one other, and in the Coptic and Sahidic versions. Bishop Pearce thinks it is an…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16So the last shall be first - This is the moral or scope of the parable. “To teach this it was spoken.” Many that, in the order of time, are brought last into the kingdom, shall be first in the rewards. Higher proportionate rewards shall be given to them than to others. “To all justice shall be done.” To all to whom the rewards of heaven are promised they shall be given. Nothing shall be withheld that was promised. If, among this number who are called…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16See Matthew 5:19 and Matthew 8:11–12.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. So the last shall be first, and the first last--that is, "Take heed lest by indulging the spirit of these murmurers at the penny given to the last hired, ye miss your own penny, though first in the vineyard; while the consciousness of having come in so late may inspire these last with such a humble frame, and such admiration of the grace that has hired and rewarded them at all, as will put them into the foremost place in the end." for many be called…Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 20:16
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
American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
Commentaries