Matthew 20:15

Matthew 20:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?
• New International Version (NIV)Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’
• English Standard Version (ESV)Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?'
• New King James Version (NKJV)Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?’

Context of Matthew 20:15

13“The owner said to one of them, ‘Friend, I’m not treating you unfairly. Didn’t you agree with me on a day’s wages? 14Take your money and go! I want to give this last worker as much as I gave you. Can’t I do what I want with my own money? Or do you resent my generosity towards others?’ 16“In this way the last will be first, and the first will be last.” 17When Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, he took the twelve apostles aside and said to them privately,

Matthew 20:15 word by word

ἢ οὐκ ἔξεστίν μοι ὃ θέλω ποιῆσαι ἐν τοῖς ἐμοῖς; ἢ ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου πονηρός ἐστιν ὅτι ἐγὼ ἀγαθός εἰμι;Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• ·ἤē · orG2228
• Is itἔξεστι, ἐξόνexesti · be permittedG1832
• notοὐou · noG3756
• for meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• to doποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• whatὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• I willθέλωthelō ethelō · to will/desireG2309
• withἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• mine ownἐμόςemos · mineG1699
• ·εἰei · ifG1487
• Isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• thineσύsu · youG4771
• eyeὀφθαλμόςophthalmos · eyeG3788
• evilπονηρόςponēros · evil/badG4190
• becauseὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
• goodἀγαθόςagathos · goodG18

Cross-references for Matthew 20:15

• Matthew 11:25At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for hiding these things from wise and intelligent people and revealing them to little children.
• Exodus 33:19The Lord said, “I will let all my goodness pass in front of you, and there I will call out my name ‘the Lord.’ I will be kind to anyone I want to. I will be merciful to anyone I want to.
• Deuteronomy 7:6You are a holy people, who belong to the Lord your God. He chose you to be his own special possession out of all the nations on earth.
• 1 Chronicles 28:4Yet, from my entire family the Lord God of Israel chose me to be king of Israel permanently. He had chosen the tribe of Judah to lead ⌞Israel⌟. From the families of Judah he chose my father’s family. From among my father’s sons he was pleased to make me king of all Israel.
• Jeremiah 27:5‘I used my great strength and my powerful arm to make the earth along with the people and the animals on it. I give it to anyone I please.
• John 17:2After all, you’ve given him authority over all humanity so that he can give eternal life to all those you gave to him.
• Romans 9:15For example, God said to Moses, “I will be kind to anyone I want to. I will be merciful to anyone I want to.”
• Romans 11:5So, as there were then, there are now a few left that God has chosen by his kindness.
• 1 Corinthians 4:7Who says that you are any better than other people? What do you have that wasn’t given to you? If you were given what you have, why are you bragging as if it weren’t a gift?
• Ephesians 1:11God also decided ahead of time to choose us through Christ according to his plan, which makes everything work the way he intends.
• Ephesians 2:1You were once dead because of your failures and sins.
• James 1:18God decided to give us life through the word of truth to make us his most important creatures.
• Matthew 6:23But if your eye is evil, your whole body will be full of darkness. If the light in you is darkness, how dark it will be!
• Deuteronomy 15:9When the seventh year—the year when payments on debts are canceled—is near, you might be stingy toward poor Israelites and give them nothing. Be careful not to think these worthless thoughts. The poor will complain to the Lord about you, and you will be condemned for your sin.
• Deuteronomy 28:54Even the most tender and sensitive man among you will become stingy toward his brother, the wife he loves, and the children he still has left.
• Proverbs 23:6Do not eat the food of one who is stingy, and do not crave his delicacies.

Commentaries on Matthew 20:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15Is it not lawful for me - As eternal life is the free gift of God, he has a right to give it in whatever proportions, at whatever times, and on whatever conditions he pleases. Is thine eye evil - An evil eye among the Jews meant a malicious, covetous, or envious person. Most commentators have different methods of interpreting this parable. Something was undoubtedly designed by its principal parts, besides the scope and design mentioned at the conclusion…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15Is thine we evil because I am good? - The Hebrews used the word evil, when applied to the eye, to denote one envious and malicious, Deuteronomy 15:9; Proverbs 23:6. The eye is called evil in such cases, because envy and malice show themselves directly in the eye. No passions are so fully expressed by the eye as these. “Does envy show itself in the eye? is thine eye so soon turned to express envy and malice because I have chosen to do good?”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. 1515. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?--that is, "You appeal to justice, and by that your mouth is shut; for the sum you agreed for is paid you. Your case being disposed of, with the terms I make with other laborers you have nothing to do; and to grudge the benevolence shown to others, when by your own admission you have been honorably dealt with, is both unworthy envy of your neighbor, and…Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 20:15

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

In the dictionaries

• Agree
• Choose
• Condemn
• Drink
• Evil eye
• Eye
• Idle
• Prepare
• Ransom
• Wrong

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