New Living Translation
Matthew 20:12
12‘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.’
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 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.’
Context of Matthew 20:12
10When those hired first came to get their pay, they assumed they would receive more. But they, too, were paid a day’s wage. 11When they received their pay, they protested to the owner, ‘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.’ 13“He answered one of them, ‘Friend, I haven’t been unfair! Didn’t you agree to work all day for the usual wage? 14Take your money and go. I wanted to pay this last worker the same as 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 14:10“Instead, take the lowest place at the foot of the table. Then when your host sees you, he will come and say, ‘Friend, we have a better place for you!’ Then you will be honored in front of all the other guests.
- Romans 3:22We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.
- Ephesians 3:6And this is God’s plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God’s children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus.
- Isaiah 58:2Yet they act so pious! They come to the Temple every day and seem delighted to learn all about me. They act like a righteous nation that would never abandon the laws of its God. They ask me to take action on their behalf, pretending they want to be near me.
- Zechariah 7:3They were to ask this question of the prophets and the priests at the Temple of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies: “Should we continue to mourn and fast each summer on the anniversary of the Temple’s destruction, as we have done for so many years?”
- Malachi 1:13You say, ‘It’s too hard to serve the Lord,’ and you turn up your noses at my commands,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “Think of it! Animals that are stolen and crippled and sick are being presented as offerings! Should I accept from you such offerings as these?” asks the Lord.
- Malachi 3:14“You have said, ‘What’s the use of serving God? What have we gained by obeying his commands or by trying to show the Lord of Heaven’s Armies that we are sorry for our sins?
- Luke 15:29but he replied, ‘All these years I’ve slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends.
- Luke 18:11The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector!
- Romans 3:27Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith.
- Romans 9:30What does all this mean? Even though the Gentiles were not trying to follow God’s standards, they were made right with God. And it was by faith that this took place.
- Romans 10:1Dear brothers and sisters, the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the people of Israel to be saved.
- Romans 11:5It is the same today, for a few of the people of Israel have remained faithful because of God’s grace—his undeserved kindness in choosing them.
- 1 Corinthians 4:11Even now we go hungry and thirsty, and we don’t have enough clothes to keep warm. We are often beaten and have no home.
- 2 Corinthians 11:23Are they servants of Christ? I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again.
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
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