Matthew 20

Matthew · Chapter 20

Matthew 20:28

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
28Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

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
even asὥσπερhōsperG5618
just as

ὥσπερ (hōsper) ὥσ-περ adv., just as, even as: Mat.6:2 20:28, Act.3:17, 1Co.8:5, 1Th.5:3 al.; in protasis, with οὕτως (καί) in apodosis: Mat.12:40, Luk.17:24, Jhn.5:21, Rom.5:19, Gal.4:29, Jas.2:26, al (AS)

SonυἱὸςhuiosG5207
son

υἱός (uhios) υἱός, -οῦ, ὁ, [in LXX very frequently and nearly always for בֵּן, Gen.4:17, al.; for בַּר, Dan LXX TH 7:13, al.; etc. ;], a son; 1. in the ordinary sense: Mat.10:37, Mrk.9:17, Luk.1:13, al. mult.; omitted with the art. of origin (WM, §30, 3; Bl., §35, 2), τὸν τοῦ Ἰεσσαί, Act.13:22 (LXX); also with genitive anarth. (cl.), Σώπατρος Πύρρου Βεροιαῖος, Act.20:4; with adj., προτότοκος, Luk.2:7; μονογένης, Luk.7:12; opposite to νόθος, Heb.12:8; in a wider sense, of posterity: ὁ υἱ. Δαυΐδ, of the Messiah (cf. Dalman, Words, 316ff.; DCG, ii, 653f.), Mat.22:42, 45 Mrk.12:35, 37 Luk.20:41, 44 al.; υἱοὶ …

of ManἀνθρώπουanthrōpouG0444
a human

ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos) ἄνθρωπος, -ου, ὁ, [in LXX chiefly for אִישׁ ,אָדָם, also for אֱנוֹשׁ, etc. ;] man: 1. generically, a human being, male or female (Lat. homo): Jhn.16:21; with art., Mat.4:4 12:35, Mrk.2:27, Jhn.2:25, Rom.7:1, al; disting. from God, Mat.19:6, Jhn.10:33, Col.3:23, al.; from animals, etc., Mat.4:19, Luk.5:10, Rev.9:4, al.; implying human frailty and imperfection, 1Co.3:4; σοφία ἀνθρώπων, 1Co.2:5; ἀνθρώπων ἐπιθυμίαι, 1Pe.4:2; κατὰ ἄνθρωπον περιπατεῖν, 1Co.3:3; κατὰ ἄ. λέγειν (λαλεῖν), Rom.3:5, 1Co.9:8; κατὰ ἄ- λέγειν, Gal.3:15 (cf. 1Co.15:32, Gal.1:11); by meton., of man's nature or condition, ὁ …

notοὐκoukG3756
no

οὐ (ou) οὐ, before a vowel with smooth breathing οὐκ, before one with rough breathing οὐχ (but improperly οὐχ ἰδού, Act.2:7, WH, mg.; cf. WH, Intr., §409; M, Pr., 44, 244), [in LXX for אֵין ,אַיִן ,לֹא ;] neg. particle, not, no, used generally with indic, and for a denial of fact (cf . μή); 1. absol. (accented), οὔ, no: Mat.13:29 Jhn.1:21 21:5; οὒ οὕ, Mat.5:37 Jas.5:12. …

cameἦλθενēlthenG2064
to come/go

ἔρχομαι (erchomai) ἔρχομαι, [in LXX very frequently for בּוֹא, also for הלךְ ni., אתה, etc., 34 words in all ;] 1. to come; (a) of persons, either as arriving or returning from elsewhere: Mat.8:9, Mrk.6:31, Luk.7:8, Jhn.4:27, Rom.9:9, al.; before ἀπό, Mrk.5:35 7:1, Jhn.3:2, al.; ἐκ, Luk.5:17, Jhn.3:31, al.; εἰς, Mrk.1:29, al.; διά before εἰς, Mrk.7:31; ἐν (Cremer, 263f., but see: ἐν), Rom.15:29, 1Co.4:21; ἐπί, with accusative, Mrk.6:53 11:13, Jhn.19:33, al.; κατά, with accusative, Luk.10:33 Act.16:7; παρά, with genitive, Luk.8:49; with accusative, Mat.15:29, Mrk.9:14, al.; with dative comm., incomm. (M, Pr., …

to be servedδιακονηθῆναιdiakonēthēnaiG1247
to serve

διακονέω (diakoneō) διακονέω, ῶ (δίακονος); 1. generally, to minister, serre, wait upon, especially at table, to do one a service, cure for one's needs: absol., Mat.20:28, Mrk.10:45, Luk.10:40 22:26, 27, Jhn.12:2, 1Pe.4:11; ὅσα διηκόνησεν, 2Ti.1:18; with dative of person(s), Mat.4:11 8:15 25:44 27:55, Mrk.1:13, 31 15:41, Luk.4:39 8:3 12:37 17:8, Jhn.12:26, Act.6:2 19:22, Rom.15:25, Phm 13, Heb.6:10. 2. to serve as deacon: 1Ti.3:10, 3:13. 3. C. accusative of thing(s), to minister, supply, supply by ministration: 1Pe.1:12 4:10; pass., 2Co.3:3 8:19, 20.† SYN.: λειτουργέω, which see (Cremer, 179). (AS)

butἀλλὰallaG0235
but

ἀλλά (alla) ἀλλά (ἀλλ᾽ usually bef. α and υ, often bef. ε and η, rarely bef. ο and ω, never bef. ι; Tdf., Pr., 93 f.; WH, App., 146), adversative particle, stronger than δέ; prop. neuter pl. of ἄλλος, used adverbially, with changed accent; hence prop. otherwise, on the other hand (cf. Rom.3:31); …

to serveδιακονῆσαιdiakonēsaiG1247
to serve

διακονέω (diakoneō) διακονέω, ῶ (δίακονος); 1. generally, to minister, serre, wait upon, especially at table, to do one a service, cure for one's needs: absol., Mat.20:28, Mrk.10:45, Luk.10:40 22:26, 27, Jhn.12:2, 1Pe.4:11; ὅσα διηκόνησεν, 2Ti.1:18; with dative of person(s), Mat.4:11 8:15 25:44 27:55, Mrk.1:13, 31 15:41, Luk.4:39 8:3 12:37 17:8, Jhn.12:26, Act.6:2 19:22, Rom.15:25, Phm 13, Heb.6:10. 2. to serve as deacon: 1Ti.3:10, 3:13. 3. C. accusative of thing(s), to minister, supply, supply by ministration: 1Pe.1:12 4:10; pass., 2Co.3:3 8:19, 20.† SYN.: λειτουργέω, which see (Cremer, 179). (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. …

to giveδοῦναιdounaiG1325
to give

δίδωμι (didōmi) δίδωμι, [in LXX chiefly for נָתַן (53 words in all) ;] to give—in various senses, accusative to context—bestow, grant, supply, deliver, commit, yield: absol., Act.20:35; with accusative of thing(s) and dative of person(s), Mat.4:9 5:31, Jhn.1:12, al. mult.; with dative of person(s), before ἐκ, Mat.25:8; id. with genitive part.. Rev.2:17; with accusative of person(s), Jhn.3:16, Rev.20:13, al.; δεξιάς, Gal.2:9; φίλημα, Luk.7:45; γνῶσιν, Luk.1:77; κρίσιν, Jhn.5:22; of seed yielding fruit, Mrk.4:7, 8; ἐργασίαν (Deiss., LAE, 117f.), Luk.12:58; with inf. fin., Mat.27:34, Mrk.5:43, Luk.8:55, Jhn.6: …

lifeψυχὴνpsuchēnG5590H
soul

ψυχή (psuchē) ψυχή, -ῆς, ἡ, [in LXX very frequently for נֶפֶשׁ, sometimes for לֵבַב ,לֵב, etc. ;] 1. breath (Lat. anima), breath of life, life (Hom., al.; in Arist., of the vital principle): Mat.6:25, Mrk.3:4 10:45, Luk.12:22, Jhn.10:11, Act.20:10, 24 2Co.1:23, Php.2:30, 1Th.2:8, al. 2. the soul, (a) as the seat of the will, desires and affections: Mat.26:38, Mrk.12:30" (LXX) 14:34, Luk.1:46, Jhn.10:24, Act.14:2, Php.1:27, al.; ἐκ ψυχῆς, from the heart, heartily: Eph.6:6, Col.3:23; …

of HimαὐτοῦautouG0846
it/s/he

αὐτός (autos) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

[as] a ransomλύτρονlutronG3083
ransom

λύτρον (lutron) λύτρον, -ον, τό (λύω), [in LXX (Pent. .15 Pr .2, Isa .1) for פִּדְיוֹם and cogn. forms, גְּאֻלָּה, כֹּפֶר, מְחִיר ;] a ransom (as for a life, Exo.21:30; for slaves, Lev.19:20; for captives, Isa.45:13): ἀντὶ πολλῶν, Mat.20:28, Mrk.10:45 (see Swete, in l, and for discussion of λ. and its cognates, Westc., He., 295 f.; Deiss., LAE, 331 f.; cf. also ἀντί-λύτρον).† (AS)

forἀντὶantiG0473
for

ἀντί (anti) ἀντί (the ι is elided only in ἀνθ᾽ ὧν), prep. with genitive (cf. MM, VGT, see word); 1. prop, in local sense, over against, opposite, hence 2. instead of, in place of, for (Hom., etc.): Mat.5:38 17:27, Luk.11:11, 1Co.11:15, Heb.12:2; with artic. inf. (cl.), Jas.4:15; of succession, Mat.2:22; χάριν ἀ. χάριτος, Jhn.1:16 (M, Pr., 100); of price in exchange, Heb.12:16; λύτρον ἀ. πολλῶν, Mat.20:28, Mrk.10:45 (M, Pr., 105); of requital, Rom.12:17, 1Th.5:16, 1Pe.3:9 (cf. Wis.11:15); ἀνθ᾽ ὧν, because, Luk.1:20 19:44, Act.12:23, 2Th.2:10 (cl., LXX for אֲשֶׁר תַּחַת); id. therefore (cl., LXX), Luk.12: …

many.πολλῶν.¶pollōnG4183
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, …

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