Matthew 20:3

Matthew 20:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
• New International Version (NIV)“About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
• New King James Version (NKJV)And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,

Context of Matthew 20:3

1Jesus said, ‘I will tell you a story to show what the kingdom of heaven is like. There was an important man who had a field where he grew grapes. He went out early in the morning. He wanted to find some people who would work in his field. 2The master agreed with the workers that he would pay them one silver coin for a day's work. Then he sent them to work in the field. The master went out again about three hours later. He saw some other men standing in the market place. They had no work to do. 4So the master said to these men, “You also go and work in my field. I will pay you the right amount of money.” 5So the workers went to the master's field and started to work. The master went out again at noon, and he went again three hours after that. Both times he sent men to his field to work.

Matthew 20:3 word by word

καὶ ἐξελθὼν περὶ τρίτην ὥραν εἶδεν ἄλλους ἑστῶτας ἐν τῇ ἀγορᾷ ἀργούςRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• he went outἐξέρχομαιexerchomai · to go outG1831
• aboutπερίperi · aboutG4012
• theὥραhōra · hourG5610
• thirdτρίτοςtritos · thirdG5154
• and sawὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
• othersἄλλοςallos · anotherG243
• standingἵστημιhistēmi · to standG2476
• idleἀργόςargos · idleG692
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the marketplaceἀγοράagora · marketplaceG58

Cross-references for Matthew 20:3

• Mark 15:25It was about nine o'clock in the morning when the soldiers fixed Jesus to the cross.
• Acts 2:15Some of you think that my friends here are drunk. But they are not drunk, because it is only nine o'clock in the morning.
• Matthew 20:6Two hours later, at five o'clock, he went out again. He found more men who were standing there. And they had no work to do. The master asked them, “Why are you standing here all day and you are not working?”
• Matthew 11:16Jesus said, ‘I will talk to you about the people who are alive today. They are like children who are sitting in the market place. They are playing games and they shout to other children,
• Proverbs 19:15A lazy person cannot wake up from sleep. If he does no work, he will always be hungry.
• Ezekiel 16:49Listen to me! This is the wicked thing that your sister Sodom did: She and her daughters were very proud. They had plenty of food to eat and they enjoyed life. But they did not help people who were poor and weak.
• Acts 17:17So he went to the Jewish meeting place and he talked with the Jews. He also talked there with those Gentiles who now worshipped God. Every day he also went to the market place in the city and he talked with the people there.
• 1 Timothy 5:13Young widows may learn to be lazy. They may go around from house to house. Not only do they become lazy, but they talk too much about silly things. They talk wrongly about other people and what they are doing. They say things that they ought not to say.
• Hebrews 6:12Then you will not be slow to learn. Instead, you will copy the example of those people who continue to trust God. They continue to be patient when trouble happens to them. People like that receive what God has promised to his people.

Commentaries on Matthew 20:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3The third hour - Nine o'clock in the morning. Market-place - Where laborers usually stood till they were hired. I have often seen laborers standing in the market places of large towns in these countries, waiting to be employed.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3About the third hour - The Jews divided their days into twelve equal parts, or hours, beginning at sunrise and ending at sunset. This was, therefore about nine o‘clock in the morning. Standing idle in the market-place - A place where provisions are sold in towns. Of course, many resort to such places, and it would be the readiest place to meet persons and find employers. They were not, therefore, disposed to be idle, but were waiting in the proper place…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. 33. And he went out about the third hour--about nine o'clock, or after a fourth of the working day had expired: the day of twelve hours was reckoned from six to six. and saw others standing idle in the market place--unemployed.Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 20:3

• Contracts
• Employee
• Gospel
• Hours
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Kingdom of Heaven
• Labor
• Penny
• Reward
• Servant
• Vineyard
• Wages
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• Agree
• Choose
• Condemn
• Drink
• Hireling
• Idle
• Marketplace
• Prepare
• Ransom
• Wages

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