Matthew 20

Matthew · Chapter 20

Matthew 20:16

1For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.2And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.3And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,4And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.5Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.6And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?7They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.8So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.9And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.10But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.11And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,12Saying, 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.13But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?14Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.15Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?16So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.17And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them,18Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death,19And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.20Then came to him the mother of Zebedee’s children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him.21And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom.22But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able.23And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.24And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren.25But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.26But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;27And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:28Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.29And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed him.30And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David.31And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David.32And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you?33They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened.34So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
16So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”So the last shall be first, and the first last.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Greek words

EnglishGreekSay itStrong'sMeaning
ThusοὕτωςhoutōsG3779
thus(-ly)

οὕτως (ohutō, ohutōs) οὕτως, rarely (Bl., §5, 4; WH, App., 146f.) οὕτω, adv. (οὗτος), [in LXX chiefly for כֵּן ;] in this way, so, thus; 1. referring to what precedes: Mat.5:16 6:30, Mrk.10:43 14:59, Luk.1:25 2:48 15:7, Jhn.3:8, Rom.1:15, 1Co.8:12, al.; οὕτως καί, Mat.17:12, Mrk.13:29, al.; pleonastically, resuming a ptcp. (cl.; see Bl., §74, 6), Act.20:11 27:17. 2. Referring to what follows: Mat.1:18 6:9, Luk.19:31, Jhn.21:1, 1Pe.2:15; bef. quotations from OT, Mat.2:5, Act.7:6, 1Co.15:45, Heb.4:4. 3. C. adj. (marking intensity): Heb.12:21, Rev.16:18; similarly with adv., Gal.1:6 (cl.). …

will beἔσονταιesontaiG1510
you are

εἶ (ei) εἰμί, with various uses and significations, like the English verb to be. I. As substantive verb. 1. Of persons and things, to be, exist: Act.17:28, Jhn.1:1, 8:58, 17:5, al; ὁ ὢν καὶ ὁ ἦν (for past ptcp.), Rev.1:4, 8, 4:8, 11:17, 16:5 (see Swete, Ap., 5; M, Pr., 228); τὰ (μὴ) ὄντα, Rom.4:17, 1Co.1:28. 2. Of times, events, etc., to be, happen, take place: Mat.24:3, Mrk.14:2, 15:42, Luk.21:23, Jhn.4:6, 23, 5:10, al. …

lastἔσχατοιeschatoiG2078
last/least

ἔσχατος (eschatos) ἔσχατος, -η, -ον [in LXX chiefly for אַחֲרִית אַחֲרוֹן ;] last, utmost, extreme; (a) of place: of the lowest or least honoured place, Luk.14:9-10; τ. ἔσχατον, with genitive part., Act.1:8 13:47; (b) of time: Mat.20:12, 14, Mrk.12:6, 22, opposite to πρῶτος, Mat.20:8, 1Co.15:45, Rev.2:19, al.; τὰ ἔ. καὶ T. πρῶτα, Mat.12:45, Luk.11:26, 2Pe.2:20; of the Eternal, ὁ πρῶτος καὶ ὁ ἔ., Rev.1:17 2:8 22:13; in phrases relating to the Messianic age and the consummation of the Kingdom of God: ἐπ᾽ ἐσχάτου (-ων) τ. ἡμερῶν, Heb.1:2, 2Pe.3:3; τ. χρόνων, 1Pe.1:20; ἔ. ὥρα, 1Jn.2:18; ἐπ᾽ ἐ. χόνου, Ju 18; ἐν ἐ …

firstπρῶτοιprōtoiG4413G
first

πρῶτον (prōton) πρῶτον, πρῶτος, see: πρότερος A. Compar., πρότερος, -α, -ον, [in LXX for רִאשׁוֹן ,לִפָנִים, etc. ;] before, of time, place, rank, etc.; in NT always of Time, before, former: Eph.4:22. Adverbially, πρότερον, before, aforetime, formerly: Jhn.7:50, 2Co.1:15, Heb.4:6; opposite to ἔπειτα, Heb.7:27; τὸ π., Jhn.6:62 9:8, Gal.4:13, 1Ti.1:13; αἱ π. ἡμέραι, Heb.10:32; αἱ π. ἐπιθυμίαι, 1Pe.1:14.† (AS)

andκαὶkaiG2532
and

καί (kai) καί, conj., and I. Copulative. 1. Connecting single words; (a) in general: Mat.2:18, 16:1, Mrk.2:15, Luk.8:15, Heb.1:1, al. mult.; repeated before each of the terms in a series, Mat.23:23, Luk.14:21, Rom.7:12, 9:4, al. (b) connecting numerals (WM, §37, 4): Jhn.2:20, Act.13:20; (with) joining terms which are not mutually exclusive, as the part with the whole: Mat.8:33, 26:59, Mrk.16:17, Act.5:29, al. 2. Connecting clauses and sentences: Mat.3:12, Act.5:21, al. mult.; esp. …

firstπρῶτοιprōtoiG4413G
first

πρῶτον (prōton) πρῶτον, πρῶτος, see: πρότερος A. Compar., πρότερος, -α, -ον, [in LXX for רִאשׁוֹן ,לִפָנִים, etc. ;] before, of time, place, rank, etc.; in NT always of Time, before, former: Eph.4:22. Adverbially, πρότερον, before, aforetime, formerly: Jhn.7:50, 2Co.1:15, Heb.4:6; opposite to ἔπειτα, Heb.7:27; τὸ π., Jhn.6:62 9:8, Gal.4:13, 1Ti.1:13; αἱ π. ἡμέραι, Heb.10:32; αἱ π. ἐπιθυμίαι, 1Pe.1:14.† (AS)

lastἔσχατοιeschatoiG2078
last/least

ἔσχατος (eschatos) ἔσχατος, -η, -ον [in LXX chiefly for אַחֲרִית אַחֲרוֹן ;] last, utmost, extreme; (a) of place: of the lowest or least honoured place, Luk.14:9-10; τ. ἔσχατον, with genitive part., Act.1:8 13:47; (b) of time: Mat.20:12, 14, Mrk.12:6, 22, opposite to πρῶτος, Mat.20:8, 1Co.15:45, Rev.2:19, al.; τὰ ἔ. καὶ T. πρῶτα, Mat.12:45, Luk.11:26, 2Pe.2:20; of the Eternal, ὁ πρῶτος καὶ ὁ ἔ., Rev.1:17 2:8 22:13; in phrases relating to the Messianic age and the consummation of the Kingdom of God: ἐπ᾽ ἐσχάτου (-ων) τ. ἡμερῶν, Heb.1:2, 2Pe.3:3; τ. χρόνων, 1Pe.1:20; ἔ. ὥρα, 1Jn.2:18; ἐπ᾽ ἐ. χόνου, Ju 18; ἐν ἐ …

manyπολλοὶpolloiG4183
much

πολύς (polus) πολύς, πολλή, πολύ, [in LXX chiefly for רַב and cognate forms ;] 1. as adj., much, many, great, of number, space, degree, value, time, etc.: ἀριθμός, Act.11:21; ὄχλος, Mrk.5:24; θερισμός, Mat.9:37; χόρτος, Jhn.6:10; χρόνος, Mat.25:19; γογγυσμός, Jhn.7:12; πόνος, Col.4:13; δόξα, Mat.24:30; σιγή, Act.21:40; pl., προφῆται, Mat.13:17; ὄχλοι, Mat.4:25; δαιμόνια, Mrk.1:34; δυνάμεις, Mat.7:22, …

forγὰρgarG1063
for

γάρ (gar) γάρ, co-ordinating particle, contr. of γε ἄρα, verily then, hence, in truth, indeed, yea, then, why, and when giving a reason or explanation, for, the usage in NT being in general accord with that of cl.; 1. explicative and epexegetic: Mat.4:18 19:12, Mrk.1:16 5:42 16:4, Luk.11:3o, Rom.7:1, 1Co.16:5, al. 2. Conclusive, in questions, answers and exclamations: Mat.9:5 27:23, Luk.9:25 22:27, Jhn.9:30, Act.8:31 16:37 19:35, Rom.15:26, 1Co.9:10, Php.1:18 (Ellic., in l.), 1Th.2:20, al. …

areεἰσινeisinG1510
you are

εἶ (ei) εἰμί, with various uses and significations, like the English verb to be. I. As substantive verb. 1. Of persons and things, to be, exist: Act.17:28, Jhn.1:1, 8:58, 17:5, al; ὁ ὢν καὶ ὁ ἦν (for past ptcp.), Rev.1:4, 8, 4:8, 11:17, 16:5 (see Swete, Ap., 5; M, Pr., 228); τὰ (μὴ) ὄντα, Rom.4:17, 1Co.1:28. 2. Of times, events, etc., to be, happen, take place: Mat.24:3, Mrk.14:2, 15:42, Luk.21:23, Jhn.4:6, 23, 5:10, al. …

calledκλητοίklētoiG2822
called

κλητός (klētos) κλητός, -ή, -όν (καλέω), [in LXX for קָרָא, מִקְרָא, Exo.12:16, al. ;] called, invited (as to a banquet, Æsch., 1Sa 1:41, 3Ma.5:14); in NT, always of the Divine call; (a) to some office: κ. ἀπόστολος, Rom.1:1, 1Co.1:1; (b) to salvation: Rom.8:28, 1Co.1:24, Ju 1; κ. καὶ ἐκλεκτοὶ κ. πιστοί, Rev.17:14; in gosp. (not in pl., see: καλέω) disting. fr.ἐκλεκτός, Mat.20:16 (WH, txt., R, omit), Mat.22:14; κ. Ἰησοῦ Χρ., Rom.1:6; κ. ἅγιοι, saints by calling, Rom.1:7, 1Co.1:2.† (AS)

fewὀλίγοιoligoiG3641
little/few

ὀλίγος (oligos) ὀλίγος, -η, -ον (on οὐχ ὁλ., see infr.), [in LXX chiefly for מָעַט ;] of number, quantity, size, few, little, small, slight: Mat.9:37 15:34, Mrk.6:5 8:7, Luk.10:2 12:48 (sc. πληγάς, opposite to πολλάς), 1Ti.5:23, Heb.12:10, Rev.3:4 12:12; οὐκ ὀ. (in the best uncials written οὐκ ὁ.; see WH, App., 143; M, Pr., 44; Thackeray, Gr., 126 f.), Act.12:18 14:28 15:2 (with genitive part.) Act.17:4, 12 19:23-24 27:20; pl., absol., Mat.7:14 20:16 (WH, txt., RV, om.) Mat.22:14, Luk.13:23, 1Pe.3:20. Neut. sing (τὸ) ὀ.: Luk.7:47, 2Co.8:15; πρὸς ὀλίγον, 1Ti.4:8, Jas.4:14; ἐν ὀ., Act.26:28-29 (with little eff …

nowδὲdeG1161
then

δέ (de) δέ (before vowels δ᾽; on the general neglect of the elision in NT, see WH, App., 146; Tdf., Pr., 96), post-positive conjunctive particle; 1. copulative, but, in the next place, and, now (Abbott, JG, 104): Mat.1:2ff., 2Co.6:15, 16, 2Pe.1:5-7; in repetition for emphasis, Rom.3:21, 22, 9:30, 1Co.2:6, Gal.2:2, Php.2:8; in transition to something new, Mat.1:18, 2:19, Luk.13:1, Jhn.7:14, Act.6:1, Rom.8:28, 1Co.7:1 8:1, al.; in explanatory parenthesis or addition, Jhn.3:19, Rom.5:8, 1Co.1:12, Eph.2:4, 5:32, al.; ὡς δέ, Jhn.2:9; καὶ . . . δέ, but also, Mat.10:18, Luk.1:76, Jhn.6:51, Rom.11:23, al.; …

chosen.ἐκλεκτοί.¶eklektoiG1588
select

ἐκλεκτός (eklektos) ἐκ-λεκτός, -ή, -όν (ἐκλέγω), [in LXX for בָּחַר (so prob. in Isa.28:16, Pro.17:3, for MT בָּחַן), בָּרִיא, etc. ;] 1. choice, select (cl., rarely; Thuc., Plat., al.), hence, eminent: Rom.16:13 (cf. Eze.27:24). 2. As in Inscr. (MM, Exp., xii), chosen; esp. as in LXX, of Israel, elect, chosen of God (Isa.65:9, Psa.105:43, al.); so in NT; (a) of Christ: Luk.23:35 (cf. Isa.42:1); figuratively, λίθος, 1Pe.2:4-6 (LXX); (b) of holy angels: 1Ti.5:21; …

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.