Matthew 20:6

Matthew 20:6 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?
• New International Version (NIV)About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’
• English Standard Version (ESV)And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, 'Why do you stand here idle all day?'
• New King James Version (NKJV)And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day?’

Context of Matthew 20:6

4So he hired them, telling them he would pay them whatever was right at the end of the day. 5So they went to work in the vineyard. At noon and again at three o’clock he did the same thing. “At five o’clock that afternoon he was in town again and saw some more people standing around. He asked them, ‘Why haven’t you been working today?’ 7“They replied, ‘Because no one hired us.’ “The landowner told them, ‘Then go out and join the others in my vineyard.’ 8“That evening he told the foreman to call the workers in and pay them, beginning with the last workers first.

Matthew 20:6 word by word

περὶ δὲ τὴν ἑνδεκάτην ἐξελθὼν εὗρεν ἄλλους ἑστῶτας καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· τί ὧδε ἑστήκατε ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν ἀργοί;Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Andδέde · thenG1161
• aboutπερίperi · aboutG4012
• theὥραhōra · hourG5610
• eleventhἑνδέκατοςhendekatos · eleventhG1734
• he went outἐξέρχομαιexerchomai · to go outG1831
• and foundεὑρίσκωheuriskō · to find/meetG2147
• othersἄλλοςallos · anotherG243
• standingἵστημιhistēmi · to standG2476
• idleἀργόςargos · idleG692
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• saithλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• unto themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• Whyτίςtis · which?G5101
• hereὧδεhōde · hereG5602
• allὅλοςholos · allG3650
• the dayἡμέραhēmera · dayG2250

Cross-references for Matthew 20:6

• Ecclesiastes 9:10Whatever you do, do well. For when you go to the grave, there will be no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.
• Luke 23:40But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die?
• John 9:4We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work.
• Proverbs 19:15Lazy people sleep soundly, but idleness leaves them hungry.
• Ezekiel 16:49Sodom’s sins were pride, gluttony, and laziness, while the poor and needy suffered outside her door.
• Acts 17:21(It should be explained that all the Athenians as well as the foreigners in Athens seemed to spend all their time discussing the latest ideas.)
• Hebrews 6:12Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God’s promises because of their faith and endurance.

Commentaries on Matthew 20:6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6Eleventh - Five o'clock in the evening, when there was only one hour before the end of the Jewish day, which, in matters of labor, closed at six.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6The eleventh hour - About five o‘clock in the afternoon, or when there was but one working hour of the day left.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. 66. And about the eleventh hour--but one hour before the close of the working day; a most unusual hour both for offering and engaging and found others standing idle, and saith, Why stand ye here all the day idle?--Of course they had not been there, or not been disposed to offer themselves at the proper time; but as they were now willing, and the day was not over, and "yet there was room," they also are engaged, and on similar terms with all the rest.Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 20:6

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

In the dictionaries

• Agree
• Choose
• Condemn
• Drink
• Hireling
• Idle
• Prepare
• Ransom
• Wages
• 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