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 that which is thine, and go thy way: I will give to this last, even as to thee. 15Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with my own? Is thy eye evil, because I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many are called, but few chosen. 17And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples aside in the way, and said to them, 18Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death,

Matthew 20:16 word by word

οὕτως ἔσονται οἱ ἔσχατοι πρῶτοι καὶ οἱ πρῶτοι ἔσχατοιRead the interlinear

• Soοὕτωςhoutō · thus(-ly)G3779
• lastἔσχατοςeschatos · last/leastG2078
• beἔσομαιesomai · will beG2071
• firstπρῶτοςprōtos · firstG4413
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• forγάρgar · forG1063
• manyπολύςpolus polos · muchG4183
• areεἰσίeisi · they areG1526
• calledκλητόςklētos · calledG2822
• butδέde · thenG1161
• fewὀλίγοςoligos · little/fewG3641
• chosenἐκλεκτόςeklektos · selectG1588

Cross-references for Matthew 20:16

• Matthew 8:11And I say to you, That many shall come from the east and the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.
• Matthew 19:30But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.
• Matthew 21:31Which of the two did the will of his father? They say to him, The first. Jesus saith to them, Verily I say to you, That the tax collectors and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.
• Mark 10:31But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.
• Luke 7:47Therefore I say to thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.
• Luke 13:28There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.
• Luke 15:7I say to you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine righteous persons, who need no repentance.
• Luke 17:17And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?
• John 12:19The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after him.
• Romans 5:20Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
• Romans 9:30What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, who followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith.
• Matthew 7:13Enter ye in at the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there are who go in by it:
• Matthew 22:14For many are called, but few are chosen.
• Luke 14:24For I say to you, That none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.
• Romans 8:30Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
• 1 Thessalonians 2:13For this cause also we thank God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard from us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that 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