Matthew 20 · Verse 6

Matthew 20:6

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?
Matthew 20:6, King James Version

Matthew 20:6 in other translations

BSBAbout 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.
WEBAbout the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle. He said to them, ‘Why do you stand here all day idle?’
ASVAnd about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing; and he saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?
YLTAnd about the eleventh hour, having gone forth, he found others standing idle, and saith to them, Why here have ye stood all the day idle?
DARBYBut about the eleventh hour, having gone out, he found others standing, and says to them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?
BBEAnd about the eleventh hour he went out and saw others doing nothing; and he says to them, Why are you here all the day doing nothing?
WebsterAnd about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith to them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?

What does Matthew 20:6 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
6. And about the eleventh hour--but one hour before the close of the working day; a most unusual hour both for offering and engaging and found others standing idle, and saith, Why stand ye here all the day idle?--Of course they had not been there, or not been disposed to offer themselves at the proper time; but as they were now willing, and the day was not over, and "yet there was room," they also are engaged, and on similar terms with all the rest.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 6. The eleventh hour. About five o'clock in the afternoon; or when there was but one working hour of the day left.

(y) "all the day idle" Prov 19:15, Eze 16:49, Acts 17:21, Heb 6:12

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 6 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.

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 20:6 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.

περὶperiAboutG4012
δὲdethenG1161
τὴνtēntheG3588
ἑνδεκάτηνhendekatēneleventhG1734
ἐξελθὼνexelthōnhaving gone outG1831
εὗρενheurenhe foundG2147
ἄλλουςallousothersG243
ἑστῶταςhestōtasalready standingG2476
ἀργούςargousidleG692
καὶkaiandG2532
λέγειlegeihe saysG3004
αὐτοῖς·autoisto them;G846
τίtiWhyG5101
ὧδεhōdehereG5602
ἑστήκατεhestēkateyou have stoodG2476
ὅληνholēnallG3650
τὴνtēntheG3588
ἡμέρανhēmerandayG2250
ἀργοί;argoiidle?G692

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

Cross references for Matthew 20:6

  • John 9:4

    I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.

  • Acts 17:21

    (For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)

  • Hebrews 6:12

    That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

  • Proverbs 19:15

    Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.

  • Luke 23:40-43

    But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

  • 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.

  • Ecclesiastes 9:10

    Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the eleventh.
Ec 9:10; Lu 23:40-43; Joh 9:4
Why.
Pr 19:15; Eze 16:49; Ac 17:21; Heb 6:12

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

Context

  • Matthew 20:5

    Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.

  • Matthew 20:6

    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?

  • Matthew 20:7

    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.

Read all of Matthew 20

Matthew 20:6 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y saliendo cerca de la hora undécima, halló otros que estaban ociosos; y díceles: ¿Por qué estáis aquí todo el día ociosos?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et sortant vers la onzième heure, il en trouva d’autres qui étaient là; et il leur dit: Pourquoi vous tenez-vous ici tout le jour sans rien faire?
German
Elberfelder 1871		Als er aber um die elfte Stunde ausging, fand er andere stehen und spricht zu ihnen: Was stehet ihr hier den ganzen Tag müßig?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Circa undecimam vero exiit, et invenit alios stantes, et dicit illis: Quid hic statis tota die otiosi?