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Tuesday, September 2nd, 2025
the Week of Proper 17 / Ordinary 22
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Geneva Bible

Matthew 20:2

And he agreed with the labourers for a peny a day, and sent them into his vineyard.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Contracts;   Employee;   Gospel;   Jesus, the Christ;   Jesus Continued;   Kingdom of Heaven;   Labor;   Penny;   Reward;   Servant;   Vineyard;   Wages;   Wicked (People);   The Topic Concordance - Kingdom of God;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Money;   Parables;   Servants;   Vineyards;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Parable;   Penny;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Coins;   Grace;   Grapes;   Kingdom of god;   Parables;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Christ, Christology;   Gospel;   Grace;   King, Christ as;   Reward;   Wages;   Work;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Hutchinsonians;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Alabaster;   Hireling;   Penny;   Wages;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Drachma;   Penny;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Coins;   Commerce;   Denarius;   Economic Life;   Election;   Grace;   Market Place;   Matthew, the Gospel of;   Vine;   Wages;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Money;   Text of the New Testament;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Almsgiving ;   Celibacy (2);   Discourse;   Justice (2);   Labour (2);   Matthew, Gospel According to;   Merit;   Money (2);   Paradox;   Prize;   Samaritan, the Good ;   Sea of Galilee;   Selfishness;   Steward, Stewardship;   Unity (2);   Wheat ;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Hireling, Hired Servant;   Weights and Measures;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Hireling;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Chief parables and miracles in the bible;   Penny;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Denarius;   Hour;   Penny, Pennyworth;   Spikenard;   Wages;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Jesus of Nazareth;   Twelve Apostles, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Agree;   Day;   Justice;   Penny;   Wages;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Commerce;   Parable;  

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for August 24;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
After agreeing with the workers on one denarius,
King James Version (1611)
And when hee had agreed with the labourers for a peny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
King James Version
And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
English Standard Version
After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
New American Standard Bible
"When he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard.
New Century Version
The man agreed to pay the workers one coin for working that day. Then he sent them into the vineyard to work.
Amplified Bible
"When he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"When he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard.
Legacy Standard Bible
Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard.
Berean Standard Bible
He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard.
Contemporary English Version
After he had agreed to pay them the usual amount for a day's work, he sent them off to his vineyard.
Complete Jewish Bible
After agreeing with the workers on a wage of one denarius, [the standard daily wage,] he sent them off to his vineyard.
Darby Translation
And having agreed with the workmen for a denarius the day, he sent them into his vineyard.
Easy-to-Read Version
He agreed to pay the workers one silver coin for working that day. Then he sent them into the vineyard to work.
George Lamsa Translation
He bargained with the laborers for a penny a day, and sent them to his vineyard.
Good News Translation
He agreed to pay them the regular wage, a silver coin a day, and sent them to work in his vineyard.
Lexham English Bible
And after coming to an agreement with the workers for a denarius per day, he sent them into his vineyard.
Literal Translation
And agreeing with the workers for a denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard.
American Standard Version
And when he had agreed with the laborers for a shilling a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
Bible in Basic English
And when he had made an agreement with the workmen for a penny a day, he sent them into his vine-garden.
Hebrew Names Version
When he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
International Standard Version
After agreeing with the workers for one denarius[fn] a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
Etheridge Translation
And he bargained with the labourers for a denarius a day, and sent them into his vinery.
Murdock Translation
And he contracted with the labors for a denarius a day: and sent them into his vineyard.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And he agreed with the labourers for a peny a day, & sent them into his vineyarde.
English Revised Version
And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
World English Bible
When he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And having agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
Weymouth's New Testament
and having made an agreement with them for a shilling a day, sent them into his vineyard.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And whanne the couenaunt was maad with werk men, of a peny for the dai, he sente hem in to his vyneyerd.
Update Bible Version
And when he had agreed with the workers for $100 a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
Webster's Bible Translation
And when he had agreed with the laborers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
New English Translation
And after agreeing with the workers for the standard wage, he sent them into his vineyard.
New King James Version
Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
New Living Translation
He agreed to pay the normal daily wage and sent them out to work.
New Life Bible
He promised to give them a day's pay and then sent them to his grape-field.
New Revised Standard
After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
and, when he had agreed with the labourers for a denary the day, he sent them into his vineyard.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And having agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
Revised Standard Version
After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And he agreed wt the labourers for a peny a daye and sent them into his vyneyarde.
Young's Literal Translation
and having agreed with the workmen for a denary a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And wha he had agreed with the labourers for a peny a daye, he sent the in to his vynyarde.
Mace New Testament (1729)
having agreed with them for a penny a day, he sent them to his vineyard.
Simplified Cowboy Version
He agreed to pay them one hundred dollars for their work that day.

Contextual Overview

1 For the kingdome of heauen is like vnto a certaine, housholder, which went out at the dawning of the day to hire labourers into his vineyarde. 2 And he agreed with the labourers for a peny a day, and sent them into his vineyard. 3 And he went out about the third houre, & sawe other standing idle in the market place, 4 And sayd vnto them, Goe ye also into my vineyard, and whatsoeuer is right, I will giue you: and they went their way. 5 Againe he went out about the sixt & ninth houre, and did likewise. 6 And he went about the eleuenth houre, and found other standing idle, & sayd vnto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? 7 They sayd vnto him, Because no man hath hired vs. He sayd to them, Goe ye also into my vineyard, and whatsoeuer is right, that shall ye receiue. 8 And when euen was come, the master of the vineyard sayd vnto his steward, Call the labourers, and giue them their hire, beginning at the last, till thou come to the first. 9 And they which were hired about ye eleuenth houre, came and receiued euery man a penie. 10 Nowe when the first came, they supposed that they should receiue more, but they likewise receiued euery man a penie.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

he had: Matthew 20:13, Exodus 19:5, Exodus 19:6, Deuteronomy 5:27-30

a penny: "The Roman penny is the eighth part of an ounce, which after five shillings the ounce is sevenpence halfpenny." Matthew 18:28, Matthew 22:19, *marg. Luke 10:35, Revelation 6:6

he sent: 1 Samuel 2:18, 1 Samuel 2:26, 1 Samuel 3:1, 1 Samuel 3:21, 1 Samuel 16:11, 1 Samuel 16:12, 1 Kings 3:6-11, 1 Kings 18:12, 2 Chronicles 34:3, Ecclesiastes 12:1, Luke 1:15, 2 Timothy 3:15

Reciprocal: Matthew 20:9 - they received Luke 20:24 - a penny John 12:5 - three hundred

Cross-References

Genesis 12:15
And the Princes of Pharaoh sawe her, and commended her vnto Pharaoh: so the woman was taken into Pharaohs house:
Genesis 20:11
Then Abraha answered, Because I thought thus, Surely the feare of God is not in this place, and they will slay me for my wiues sake.
Genesis 20:12
Yet in very deede she is my sister: for she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother, and she is my wife.
Genesis 20:13
Nowe when God caused me to wander out of my fathers house, I said then to her, This is thy kindnes that thou shalt shewe vnto me in all places where we come, Say thou of me, He is my brother.
Genesis 26:1
And there was a famine in the lande besides the first famine that was in the dayes of Abraham. Wherefore Izhak went to Abimelech King of the Philistims vnto Gerar.
Genesis 26:7
And the men of the place asked him of his wife, and he sayd, She is my sister: for he feared to say, She is my wife, least, sayde he, the men of the place shoulde kill me, because of Rebekah: for she was beautifull to the eye.
Genesis 26:16
Then Abimelech sayde vnto Izhak, Get thee from vs, for thou art mightier then wee a great deale.
2 Chronicles 19:2
And Iehu the sonne of Hanani the Seer went out to meete him, and said to King Iehoshaphat, Wouldest thou helpe the wicked, and loue them that hate the Lorde? therefore for this thing the wrath of the Lord is vpon thee.
2 Chronicles 20:37
Then Eliezer ye sonne of Dodauah of Mareshah prophecied against Iehoshaphat, saying, Because thou hast ioyned thy selfe with Ahaziah, the Lorde hath broken thy workes. and the shippes were broken, that they were not able to go to Tarshish.
2 Chronicles 32:31
But because of the ambassadours of the princes of Babel, which sent vnto him to enquire of the wonder that was done in the lande, God left him to trie him, and to knowe all that was in his heart.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day,.... These labourers were of that sort that were called שכיר יום, "hired for a day"; concerning whom is the following rule q:

"he that is hired for a day, may demand it all the night; and he that is hired for a night may demand it all the day: he that is hired for hours, may demand it all the night, and all the day; he that is hired for a week, he that is hired for a month, he that is hired for a year, he that is hired for seven, if he goes out in the day, may demand all the day; and if he goes out in the night, he may demand it all the night, and all the day.''

And the wages of a day were usually דינר "a penny"; which, if understood of a Roman penny, was seven pence halfpenny of our money. One of their canons runs thus r:

"he that hires a labourer in the winter, to work with him in the summer, בכל יום, "for a penny every day", and he gives him his hire; and, lo! his hire is alike to that in the winter, a "sela" every day, this is forbidden; because it looks as if he chose that time to lessen his wages; but if he says to him, work with me from this day, to such a time, "for a penny every day", though his hire is the same, a "sela" every day, this is lawful.''

By the penny a day agreed for with the labourers, may be meant external privileges; or the free promise made, whether to ministers, or private believers, of a sufficient supply of grace daily, that as their day is, their strength shall be; together with that of eternal life and happiness at last.

He sent them into his vineyard; to labour there: for none have any business there, but such who are called and sent by the owner of it; and where sons are sent, and work, as well as servants; see

Matthew 21:28.

q Misna Bava Metzia, c. 9. sect. 11. Maimen Hilch. Shericut, c. 11. sect. 2. r Maimon. Hilch. Milvah Ulavah, c. 7. sect. 12. Vid. T. Bab. Bava Bathra, fol. 86. 2. & 87. 1. & Gloss. in ib.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

A penny a day - The coin here referred to was a Roman coin, equal in value, at different periods, to 15 cents or 17 cents (7 1/2 d. to 8 1/2 d.) (circa 1880’s). The original denotes the Roman denarius δηνάριον dēnarion, a silver coin, which was originally equivalent to ten ases (a brass Roman coin), from which it gets its name. The consular denarius bore on one side a head of Rome, and an X or a star, to denote the value in ases, and a chariot with either two or four horses. At a later period the casts of different deities were on the obverse, and these were finally superseded by the heads of the Caesars. Many specimens of this coin have been preserved.

It was probably at that time the price of a day’s labor. See Tobit 5:14. This was the common wages of a Roman soldier. In England, before the discovery of the mines of gold and silver in South America, and consequently before money was plenty, the price of labor was about in proportion. In 1351 the price of labor was regulated by law, and was a penny a day; but provisions were of course proportionally cheap, and the avails of a man’s labor in articles of food were nearly as much as they are now.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Matthew 20:2. A penny — A Roman coin, as noted before, Matthew 18:28, worth about seven-pence halfpenny or seven-pence three farthings of our money, and equal to the Greek drachma. This appears to have been the ordinary price of a day's labour at that time. See Tobit 5:14. In 1351 the price of labour was regulated in this country by parliament; and it is remarkable that "corn-weeders and hay-makers, without meat, drink, or other courtesy demanded," were to have one penny per day! In 1314 the pay of a chaplain to the Scotch bishops, who were then prisoners in England, was three halfpence per day. See Fleetwood's Chronicon Precios, p. 123, 129. This was miserable wages, though things at that time were so cheap that twenty-four eggs were sold for a penny, p. 72; a pair of shoes for four-pence, p. 71; a fat goose for two-pence halfpenny, p. 72; a hen for a penny, p. 72; eight bushels of wheat for two shillings, and a fat ox for six shillings and eight-pence! Ibid. In 1336, wheat per quarter, 2s.; a fat sheep 6d.; fat goose, 2d. and a pig, 1d.,p. 75.


 
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