Matthew 20:2

Matthew 20:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
• New International Version (NIV)He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard.
• English Standard Version (ESV)After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.

Context of Matthew 20:2

1“The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out at daybreak to hire workers for his vineyard. After agreeing to pay the workers the usual day’s wages, he sent them to work in his vineyard. 3About 9 a.m. he saw others standing in the marketplace without work. 4He said to them, ‘Work in my vineyard, and I’ll give you whatever is right.’ So they went.

Matthew 20:2 word by word

συμφωνήσας δὲ μετὰ τῶν ἐργατῶν ἐκ δηναρίου τὴν ἡμέραν ἀπέστειλεν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸν ἀμπελῶνα αὐτοῦ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andδέde · thenG1161
• when he had agreedσυμφωνέωsumphōneō · to agree withG4856
• withμετάmeta · with/afterG3326
• the labourersὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the labourersἐργάτηςergatēs · workerG2040
• forἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• a pennyδηνάριονdēnarion · denariusG1220
• a dayἡμέραhēmera · dayG2250
• he sentἀποστέλλωapostellō · to sendG649
• themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• intoεἰςeis · towardG1519
• vineyardἀμπελώνampelōn · vineyardG290

Cross-references for Matthew 20:2

• Matthew 20:13“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?
• Exodus 19:5If you carefully obey me and are faithful to the terms of my promise, then out of all the nations you will be my own special possession, even though the whole world is mine.
• Deuteronomy 5:27⌞Moses,⌟ go and listen to everything that the Lord our God says. Then tell us whatever the Lord our God tells you. We’ll listen and obey.”
• Matthew 18:28But when that servant went away, he found a servant who owed him hundreds of dollars. He grabbed the servant he found and began to choke him. ‘Pay what you owe!’ he said.
• Matthew 22:19Show me a coin used to pay taxes.” They brought him a coin.
• Luke 10:35The next day the Samaritan took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. He told the innkeeper, ‘Take care of him. If you spend more than that, I’ll pay you on my return trip.’
• Revelation 6:6I heard what sounded like a voice from among the four living creatures, saying, “A quart of wheat for a day’s pay or three quarts of barley for a day’s pay. But do not damage the olive oil and the wine.”
• 1 Samuel 2:18Meanwhile, Samuel continued to serve in front of the Lord. As a boy he was ⌞already⌟ wearing a linen ephod.
• 1 Samuel 3:1The boy Samuel was serving the Lord under Eli. In those days a prophecy from the Lord was rare; visions were infrequent.
• 1 Samuel 16:11Are these all the sons you have?” “There’s still the youngest one,” Jesse answered. “He’s tending the sheep.” Samuel told Jesse, “Send someone to get him. We won’t continue until he gets here.”
• 1 Kings 3:6Solomon responded, “You’ve shown great love to my father David, who was your servant. He lived in your presence with truth, righteousness, and commitment. And you continued to show him your great love by giving him a son to sit on his throne today.
• 1 Kings 18:12This is what will happen: When I leave you, the Lord’s Spirit will take you away to some unknown place. I’ll tell Ahab, but he won’t be able to find you. Then he will kill me. “I have been faithful to the Lord since I was a child.
• 2 Chronicles 34:3In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still a boy, he began to dedicate his life to serving the God of his ancestor David. In his twelfth year as king, he began to make Judah and Jerusalem clean by destroying the illegal places of worship, poles dedicated to the goddess Asherah, carved idols, and metal idols.
• Ecclesiastes 12:1Remember your Creator when you are young, before the days of trouble come and the years catch up with you. They will make you say, “I have found no pleasure in them.”
• Luke 1:15As far as the Lord is concerned, he will be a great man. He will never drink wine or any other liquor. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born.
• 2 Timothy 3:15From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures. They have the power to give you wisdom so that you can be saved through faith in Christ Jesus.

Commentaries on Matthew 20:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2A penny - A Roman coin, as noted before, Matthew 18:28, worth about seven-pence halfpenny or seven-pence three farthings of our money, and equal to the Greek drachma. This appears to have been the ordinary price of a day's labor at that time. See Tobit 5:14. In 1351 the price of labor was regulated in this country by parliament; and it is remarkable that "corn-weeders and hay-makers, without meat, drink, or other courtesy demanded," were to have one penny…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2A penny a day - The coin here referred to was a Roman coin, equal in value, at different periods, to 15 cents or 17 cents (7 1/2 d. to 8 1/2 d.) (circa 1880‘s). The original denotes the Roman denarius ́ dēnariona silver coin, which was originally equivalent to ten ases (a brass Roman coin), from which it gets its name. The consular denarius bore on one side a head of Rome, and an X or a star, to denote the value in ases, and a chariot with either two or…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. 22. And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny--a usual day's hire. he sent them into his vineyard.Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 20:2

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

In the dictionaries

• Agree
• Alabaster
• Choose
• Condemn
• Drink
• Hireling
• Idle
• Penny
• Prepare
• Ransom

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