English Standard Version
Matthew 20:12
12saying, '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.'
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.’
- 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.’
- New Living Translation (NLT)‘Those people worked only one hour, and yet you’ve paid them just as much as you paid us who worked all day in the scorching heat.’
Context of Matthew 20:12
10Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. 11And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, 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.' 13But he replied to one of them, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker 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 in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, 'Friend, move up higher.' Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you.
- Romans 3:22the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:
- Ephesians 3:6This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
- Isaiah 58:2Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that did righteousness and did not forsake the judgment of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments; they delight to draw near to God.
- Zechariah 7:3saying to the priests of the house of the Lord of hosts and the prophets, "Should I weep and abstain in the fifth month, as I have done for so many years?"
- Malachi 1:13But you say, 'What a weariness this is,' and you snort at it, says the Lord of hosts. You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick, and this you bring as your offering! Shall I accept that from your hand? says the Lord.
- Malachi 3:14You have said, 'It is vain to serve God. What is the profit of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before the Lord of hosts?
- Luke 15:29but he answered his father, 'Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends.
- Luke 18:11The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
- Romans 3:27Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith.
- Romans 9:30What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith;
- Romans 10:1Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved.
- Romans 11:5So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace.
- 1 Corinthians 4:11To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless,
- 2 Corinthians 11:23Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near 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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries