Matthew 20:6 BSB — MannaFest

Matthew 20:6

About the eleventh hour he went out and found still others standing around. ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’ he asked.

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing; and he saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?

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?

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Commentary

7 voices

Origen of Alexandria

Catena Aurea by Aquinas (253)

But this, Why stand ye here all the day idle? is not said to such as having begun in the spirit (Gal. 3:3) have been made perfect by the flesh, as inviting them to return again, and to live in the Spirit. This we speak not to dissuade prodigal sons, who have consumed their substance of evangelic doctrine in riotous living, from returning to their father's house; but because they are not like those who sinned in their youth, before they had learnt the things of the faith.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices

John Gill

1697–1771

Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748)

And about the eleventh hour he went out,.... About five o'clock in the afternoon. The Persic version reads it, "the twelfth hour", which was six o'clock in the afternoon, the last hour of the day. The Jews divided their day into twelve hours, Joh 11:9 and these twelve hours into four parts; Neh 9:3 each part containing three hours, to which division there is a manifest respect in this parable.

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

There is hope for old sinners; for if, in sincerity, they turn to God, they shall doubtless be accepted; true repentance is never too late. There is hope of old sinners, that they may be brought to true repentance; nothing is too hard for Almighty grace to do, it can change the Ethiopian's skin, and the leopard's spots; can set those to work, who have contracted a habit of idleness.

The Nineteenth Century3 voices

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible (1832)

Eleventh - 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.

J.C. Ryle

1816–1900

Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Matthew (1856)

There are undeniable difficulties in the parable contained in these verses. The key to the right explanation of them must be sought in the passage which concludes the last chapter. There we find the apostle Peter asking our Lord a remarkable question: “We have forsaken all and followed thee! What shall we have therefore?” There we find Jesus giving a remarkable answer. He makes a special promise to Peter and his fellow disciples: they should one day sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Voices on this verse

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Original language & word study

18 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
περὶ	peri	About	G4012 →
δὲ	de	then	G1161 →
τὴν	tēn	the	G3588 →
ἑνδεκάτην	hendekatēn	eleventh	G1734 →
ἐξελθὼν	exelthōn	having gone out	G1831 →
εὗρεν	heuren	he found	G2147 →
ἄλλους	allous	others	G243 →
ἑστῶτας	hestōtas	already standing	G2476 →
καὶ	kai	and	G2532 →
λέγει	legei	he says	G3004 →
αὐτοῖς·	autois	to them;	G846 →
τί	ti	Why	G5101 →
ὧδε	hōde	here	G5602 →
ἑστήκατε	hestēkate	you have stood	G2476 →
ὅλην	holēn	all	G3650 →
τὴν	tēn	the	G3588 →
ἡμέραν	hēmeran	day	G2250 →
ἀργοί;	argoi	idle?	G692 →

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
John 9:4
While it is daytime, we must do the works of Him who sent Me. Night is coming, when no one can work.
leads to
- Ephesians 5:16
  redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
  Reached by 2 independent paths from here.
- John 12:35
  Then Jesus told them, “For a little while longer, the Light will be among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you. The one who walks in the…
- John 4:34
  Jesus explained, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work.
- Ecclesiastes 9:10
  Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might, for in Sheol, where you are going, there is no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.
- John 11:9–10
  Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? If anyone walks in the daytime, he will not stumble, because he sees by the light of this world.
Through
Hebrews 6:12
Then you will not be sluggish, but will imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.
leads to
- Hebrews 13:7
  Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.
- Hebrews 10:36
  You need to persevere, so that after you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.
- Romans 12:11
  Do not let your zeal subside; keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.

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About Matthew

John the Baptist Baptizes Jesus — Gustave Doré (engraving, public domain)

Matthew: the study guide →Read chapter 20 →The featured study →

Continue: Matthew 20 →

01Commentary

The record, by era

Voices on this verse

02Original language & word study

03The walk

Where the connections lead

04Related verses

05Featured studies on this passage

06About Matthew

The record, by era

Where the connections lead

Commentary

Original language & word study

The walk

Related verses

Featured studies on this passage

About Matthew