Matthew 20:16

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 what is yours and go. I want to give to this last man the same as I gave to you. 15Am I not permitted to do what I want with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ So the last will be first, and the first last.” 17As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve aside privately and said to them on the way, 18“Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the experts in the law. They will condemn him to death,

Matthew 20:16 word by word

οὕτως ἔσονται οἱ ἔσχατοι πρῶτοι καὶ οἱ πρῶτοι ἔσχατοιRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Soοὕτωςhoutō · thus(-ly)G3779
• the lastἔσχατοςeschatos · last/leastG2078
• shall beεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• firstπρῶτοςprōtos · firstG4413
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• forγάρgar · forG1063
• manyπολύςpolus polos · muchG4183
• calledκλητόςklētos · calledG2822
• butδέde · thenG1161
• fewὀλίγοςoligos · little/fewG3641
• chosenἐκλεκτόςeklektos · selectG1588

Cross-references for Matthew 20:16

• Matthew 8:11I tell you, many will come from the east and west to share the banquet with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven,
• Matthew 19:30But many who are first will be last, and the last first.
• Matthew 21:31Which of the two did his father’s will?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, tax collectors and prostitutes will go ahead of you into the kingdom of God!
• Mark 10:31But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
• Luke 7:47Therefore I tell you, her sins, which were many, are forgiven, thus she loved much; but the one who is forgiven little loves little.”
• Luke 13:28There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves thrown out.
• Luke 15:7I tell you, in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need to repent.
• Luke 17:17Then Jesus said, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?
• John 12:19Thus the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you can do nothing. Look, the world has run off after him!”
• Romans 5:20Now the law came in so that the transgression may increase, but where sin increased, grace multiplied all the more,
• Romans 9:30What shall we say then? – that the Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness obtained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith,
• Matthew 7:13“Enter through the narrow gate, because the gate is wide and the way is spacious that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.
• Matthew 22:14For many are called, but few are chosen.”
• Luke 14:24For I tell you, not one of those individuals who were invited will taste my banquet!’”
• Romans 8:30And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified.
• 1 Thessalonians 2:13And so we too constantly thank God that when you received God’s message that you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human message, but as it truly is, God’s message, which is at work among you who 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

• Chosen, or Elected
• Contracts
• Gospel
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Kingdom of Heaven
• Predestination
• Reward
• Vineyard
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• Agree
• Choose
• Chosen
• Condemn
• Drink
• Idle
• Prepare
• Ransom
• Wrong
• Bible, the

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