New King James Version
Matthew 20:12
12saying, ‘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.’
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.’
- English Standard Version (ESV)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.'
- 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
10But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. 11And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, 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.’ 13But he answered one of them and said, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as 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 down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher.’ Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you.
- Romans 3:22even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference;
- Ephesians 3:6that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel,
- Isaiah 58:2Yet they seek Me daily, And delight to know My ways, As a nation that did righteousness, And did not forsake the ordinance of their God. They ask of Me the ordinances of justice; They take delight in approaching God.
- Zechariah 7:3and to ask the priests who were in the house of the Lord of hosts, and the prophets, saying, “Should I weep in the fifth month and fast as I have done for so many years?”
- Malachi 1:13You also say, ‘Oh, what a weariness!’ And you sneer at it,” Says the Lord of hosts. “And you bring the stolen, the lame, and the sick; Thus you bring an offering! Should I accept this from your hand?” Says the Lord.
- Malachi 3:14You have said, ‘It is useless to serve God; What profit is it that we have kept His ordinance, And that we have walked as mourners Before the Lord of hosts?
- Luke 15:29So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends.
- Luke 18:11The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.
- Romans 3:27Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what 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 to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith;
- Romans 10:1Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved.
- Romans 11:5Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
- 1 Corinthians 4:11To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless.
- 2 Corinthians 11:23Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often.
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries