Matthew 20 · Verse 3

Matthew 20:3

And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,

Matthew 20:3, King James Version

Matthew 20:3 in other translations

BSB	About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing.
WEB	He went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace.
ASV	And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing in the marketplace idle;
YLT	‘And having gone forth about the third hour, he saw others standing in the market-place idle,
DARBY	And having gone out about the third hour, he saw others standing in the market-place idle;
BBE	And he went out about the third hour, and saw others in the market-place doing nothing;
Webster	And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the market-place,

What does Matthew 20:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

3. And he went out about the third hour--about nine o'clock, or after a fourth of the working day had expired: the day of twelve hours was reckoned from six to six. and saw others standing idle in the market place--unemployed.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 3. About the third hour. The Jews divided their days into twelve equal parts, or hours, beginning at sunrise, and ending at sunset. This was, therefore, about nine o'clock in the morning.

Standing idle in the marketplace. A place where provisions are sold in towns. Of course many resort to such places; and it would be the readiest place to meet persons, and find employers. They were not, therefore, disposed to be idle, but were waiting in the proper place to find employers.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 3 The third hour - Nine o'clock in the morning. Market-place - Where laborers usually stood till they were hired. I have often seen laborers standing in the market places of large towns in these countries, waiting to be employed.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 20:1-16

The direct object of this parable seems to be, to show that though the Jews were first called into the vineyard, at length the gospel should be preached to the Gentiles, and they should be admitted to equal privileges and advantages with the Jews. The parable may also be applied more generally, and shows, 1. That God is debtor to no man. 2. That many who begin last, and promise little in religion, sometimes, by the…

Read the full comment on Matthew 20:1-16 →

Matthew 20:3 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

καὶkaiAndG2532

ἐξελθὼνexelthōnhaving gone outG1831

περὶperiaboutG4012

τρίτηνtritēnthirdG5154

ὥρανhōranhourG5610

εἶδενeidenhe sawG1492

ἄλλουςallousothersG243

ἑστῶταςhestōtasalready standingG2476

ἐνeninG1722

τῇtēatheG3588

ἀγορᾷagoramarketplaceG58

ἀργούςargousidleG692

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Matthew 20:3

1 Timothy 5:13
And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.
Proverbs 19:15
Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.
Matthew 20:6-7
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? They 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.
Mark 15:25
And it was the third hour, and they crucified him.
Acts 17:17-21
Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him. Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection. And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is? For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean. …
Ezekiel 16:49
Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.
Acts 2:15
For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
Matthew 11:16-17
But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented.
Hebrews 6:12
That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

the third.
Mr 15:25; Ac 2:15
standing.
6,7; 11:16,17; Pr 19:15; Eze 16:49; Ac 17:17-21; 1Ti 5:13; Heb 6:12

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Matthew 20:2
And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
Matthew 20:3
And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
Matthew 20:4
And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.

Read all of Matthew 20

Matthew 20:3 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y saliendo cerca de la hora de las tres, vió otros que estaban en la plaza ociosos;
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et sortant vers la troisième heure, il en vit d’autres qui étaient sur la place du marché à ne rien faire;
German Elberfelder 1871	Und als er um die dritte Stunde ausging, sah er andere auf dem Markte müßig stehen;
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Et egressus circa horam tertiam, vidit alios stantes in foro otiosos,