Lectionary Calendar
Tuesday, August 5th, 2025
the Week of Proper 13 / Ordinary 18
Attention!
Take your personal ministry to the Next Level by helping StudyLight build churches and supporting pastors in Uganda.
Click here to join the effort!

Read the Bible

THE MESSAGE

Matthew 20:11

This verse is not available in the MSG!

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Contracts;   Employee;   Employer;   Gospel;   Hours;   Jesus, the Christ;   Jesus Continued;   Kingdom of Heaven;   Labor;   Penny;   Reward;   Servant;   Vineyard;   Wages;   Wicked (People);   Works;   Thompson Chain Reference - Business Life;   Capital and Labour;   Labour;   Labour Troubles;   The Topic Concordance - Kingdom of God;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Murmuring;   Parables;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Parable;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - 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 - Hireling;   Wages;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Election;   Goodman;   Matthew, the Gospel of;   Vine;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - 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);   Murmur, Murmuring ;   Paradox;   Prize;   Quotations (2);   Samaritan, the Good ;   Sea of Galilee;   Selfishness;   Steward, Stewardship;   Unity (2);   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Goodman;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Hireling;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Chief parables and miracles in the bible;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Jesus of Nazareth;   Twelve Apostles, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Day;   Goodman;   Justice;   Murmur;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Parable;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
When they received it, they began to complain to the landowner:
King James Version (1611)
And when they had receiued it, they murmured against the good man of the house,
King James Version
And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,
English Standard Version
And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house,
New American Standard Bible
"When they received it, they grumbled at the landowner,
New Century Version
When they got their coin, they complained to the man who owned the land.
Amplified Bible
"When they received it, they protested and grumbled at the owner of the estate,
Geneva Bible (1587)
And when they had receiued it, they murmured against the master of the house,
Legacy Standard Bible
Now when they received it, they were grumbling at the landowner,
Berean Standard Bible
On receiving their pay, they began to grumble against the landowner.
Contemporary English Version
they began complaining to the owner of the vineyard.
Complete Jewish Bible
On receiving their wages, they began grumbling to the farmer,
Darby Translation
And on receiving it they murmured against the master of the house,
Easy-to-Read Version
When they got their silver coin, they complained to the man who owned the land.
George Lamsa Translation
And when they received it, they murmured against the householder,
Good News Translation
They took their money and started grumbling against the employer.
Lexham English Bible
And when they received it, they began to complain against the master of the house,
Literal Translation
And having received it , they murmured against the housemaster,
American Standard Version
And when they received it, they murmured against the householder,
Bible in Basic English
And when they got it, they made a protest against the master of the house,
Hebrew Names Version
When they received it, they murmured against the master of the household,
International Standard Version
When they received it, they began to complain to the landowner,
Etheridge Translation
And when they had received, they murmured against the house-lord,
Murdock Translation
And when they received [fn] , they murmured against the lord of the house,
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And when they had receaued it, they murmured against the good man of the house,
English Revised Version
And when they received it, they murmured against the householder,
World English Bible
When they received it, they murmured against the master of the household,
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And having received it, they murmured against the housholder, saying,
Weymouth's New Testament
So when they had received it, they grumbled against the employer, saying,
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and in the takyng grutchiden ayens the hosebonde man, and seiden,
Update Bible Version
And when they received it, they murmured against the householder,
Webster's Bible Translation
And when they had received [it], they murmured against the master of the house.
New English Translation
When they received it, they began to complain against the landowner,
New King James Version
And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner,
New Living Translation
When they received their pay, they protested to the owner,
New Life Bible
After they received it, they talked against the owner.
New Revised Standard
And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner,
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, having received it, they began to murmur against the householder, saying -
Douay-Rheims Bible
And receiving it they murmured against the master of the house,
Revised Standard Version
And on receiving it they grumbled at the householder,
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And when they had receaved it they murmured agaynst the good man of the housse
Young's Literal Translation
and having received [it], they were murmuring against the householder, saying,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And whan they had receaued it, they murmured agaynst the housholder,
Mace New Testament (1729)
who upon the receipt of it fell a murmuring against the master, and cry'd,
Simplified Cowboy Version
When they saw that they had received the same amount for workin' all day as the last cowboys got for workin' an hour, they began to grumble and cuss about the rancher.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"When they received it, they grumbled at the landowner,

Contextual Overview

1"God's kingdom is like an estate manager who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. They agreed on a wage of a dollar a day, and went to work. 3"Later, about nine o'clock, the manager saw some other men hanging around the town square unemployed. He told them to go to work in his vineyard and he would pay them a fair wage. They went. "He did the same thing at noon, and again at three o'clock. At five o'clock he went back and found still others standing around. He said, ‘Why are you standing around all day doing nothing?' "They said, ‘Because no one hired us.' "He told them to go to work in his vineyard. "When the day's work was over, the owner of the vineyard instructed his foreman, ‘Call the workers in and pay them their wages. Start with the last hired and go on to the first.' "Those hired at five o'clock came up and were each given a dollar. When those who were hired first saw that, they assumed they would get far more. But they got the same, each of them one dollar. Taking the dollar, they groused angrily to the manager, ‘These last workers put in only one easy hour, and you just made them equal to us, who slaved all day under a scorching sun.' "He replied to the one speaking for the rest, ‘Friend, I haven't been unfair. We agreed on the wage of a dollar, didn't we? So take it and go. I decided to give to the one who came last the same as you. Can't I do what I want with my own money? Are you going to get stingy because I am generous?' "Here it is again, the Great Reversal: many of the first ending up last, and the last first." Jesus, now well on the way up to Jerusalem, took the Twelve off to the side of the road and said, "Listen to me carefully. We are on our way up to Jerusalem. When we get there, the Son of Man will be betrayed to the religious leaders and scholars. They will sentence him to death. They will then hand him over to the Romans for mockery and torture and crucifixion. On the third day he will be raised up alive." It was about that time that the mother of the Zebedee brothers came with her two sons and knelt before Jesus with a request. "What do you want?" Jesus asked. She said, "Give your word that these two sons of mine will be awarded the highest places of honor in your kingdom, one at your right hand, one at your left hand." Jesus responded, "You have no idea what you're asking." And he said to James and John, "Are you capable of drinking the cup that I'm about to drink?" They said, "Sure, why not?" Jesus said, "Come to think of it, you are going to drink my cup. But as to awarding places of honor, that's not my business. My Father is taking care of that." When the ten others heard about this, they lost their tempers, thoroughly disgusted with the two brothers. So Jesus got them together to settle things down. He said, "You've observed how godless rulers throw their weight around, how quickly a little power goes to their heads. It's not going to be that way with you. Whoever wants to be great must become a servant. Whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave. That is what the Son of Man has done: He came to serve, not be served—and then to give away his life in exchange for the many who are held hostage." As they were leaving Jericho, a huge crowd followed. Suddenly they came upon two blind men sitting alongside the road. When they heard it was Jesus passing, they cried out, "Master, have mercy on us! Mercy, Son of David!" The crowd tried to hush them up, but they got all the louder, crying, "Master, have mercy on us! Mercy, Son of David!" Jesus stopped and called over, "What do you want from me?" They said, "Master, we want our eyes opened. We want to see!" Deeply moved, Jesus touched their eyes. They had their sight back that very instant, and joined the procession. 6A Story About Workers "God's kingdom is like an estate manager who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. They agreed on a wage of a dollar a day, and went to work. "Later, about nine o'clock, the manager saw some other men hanging around the town square unemployed. He told them to go to work in his vineyard and he would pay them a fair wage. They went. "He did the same thing at noon, and again at three o'clock. At five o'clock he went back and found still others standing around. He said, ‘Why are you standing around all day doing nothing?' 7 "They said, ‘Because no one hired us.' "He told them to go to work in his vineyard. 8 "When the day's work was over, the owner of the vineyard instructed his foreman, ‘Call the workers in and pay them their wages. Start with the last hired and go on to the first.' 9"Those hired at five o'clock came up and were each given a dollar. When those who were hired first saw that, they assumed they would get far more. But they got the same, each of them one dollar. Taking the dollar, they groused angrily to the manager, ‘These last workers put in only one easy hour, and you just made them equal to us, who slaved all day under a scorching sun.' 13"He replied to the one speaking for the rest, ‘Friend, I haven't been unfair. We agreed on the wage of a dollar, didn't we? So take it and go. I decided to give to the one who came last the same as you. Can't I do what I want with my own money? Are you going to get stingy because I am generous?' 16 "Here it is again, the Great Reversal: many of the first ending up last, and the last first."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

they murmured: Luke 5:30, Luke 15:2, Luke 15:28-30, Luke 19:7, Acts 11:2, Acts 11:3, Acts 13:45, Acts 22:21, Acts 22:22, 1 Thessalonians 2:16, Jude 1:16

Reciprocal: Job 40:2 - he that reproveth Proverbs 7:19 - the goodman Isaiah 58:3 - have we fasted Ezekiel 18:25 - way Matthew 24:43 - goodman Mark 14:5 - And they Philippians 2:14 - without

Cross-References

Genesis 20:1
Abraham traveled from there south to the Negev and settled down between Kadesh and Shur. While he was camping in Gerar, Abraham said of his wife Sarah, "She's my sister." So Abimelech, king of Gerar, sent for Sarah and took her. But God came to Abimelech in a dream that night and told him, "You're as good as dead—that woman you took, she's a married woman." Now Abimelech had not yet slept with her, hadn't so much as touched her. He said, "Master, would you kill an innocent man? Didn't he tell me, ‘She's my sister'? And didn't she herself say, ‘He's my brother'? I had no idea I was doing anything wrong when I did this." God said to him in the dream, "Yes, I know your intentions were pure, that's why I kept you from sinning against me; I was the one who kept you from going to bed with her. So now give the man's wife back to him. He's a prophet and will pray for you—pray for your life. If you don't give her back, know that it's certain death both for you and everyone in your family." Abimelech was up first thing in the morning. He called all his house servants together and told them the whole story. They were shocked. Then Abimelech called in Abraham and said, "What have you done to us? What have I ever done to you that you would bring on me and my kingdom this huge offense? What you've done to me ought never to have been done." Abimelech went on to Abraham, "Whatever were you thinking of when you did this thing?" Abraham said, "I just assumed that there was no fear of God in this place and that they'd kill me to get my wife. Besides, the truth is that she is my half sister; she's my father's daughter but not my mother's. When God sent me out as a wanderer from my father's home, I told her, ‘Do me a favor; wherever we go, tell people that I'm your brother.'" Then Abimelech gave Sarah back to Abraham, and along with her sent sheep and cattle and servants, both male and female. He said, "My land is open to you; live wherever you wish." And to Sarah he said, "I've given your brother a thousand pieces of silver—that clears you of even a shadow of suspicion before the eyes of the world. You're vindicated." Then Abraham prayed to God and God healed Abimelech, his wife and his maidservants, and they started having babies again. For God had shut down every womb in Abimelech's household on account of Sarah, Abraham's wife.
Genesis 20:4
Now Abimelech had not yet slept with her, hadn't so much as touched her. He said, "Master, would you kill an innocent man? Didn't he tell me, ‘She's my sister'? And didn't she herself say, ‘He's my brother'? I had no idea I was doing anything wrong when I did this."
Genesis 22:12
"Don't lay a hand on that boy! Don't touch him! Now I know how fearlessly you fear God; you didn't hesitate to place your son, your dear son, on the altar for me."
Genesis 26:7
The men of the place questioned him about his wife. He said, "She's my sister." He was afraid to say "She's my wife." He was thinking, "These men might kill me to get Rebekah, she's so beautiful."
Genesis 42:18
On the third day, Joseph spoke to them. "Do this and you'll live. I'm a God-fearing man. If you're as honest as you say you are, one of your brothers will stay here in jail while the rest of you take the food back to your hungry families. But you have to bring your youngest brother back to me, confirming the truth of your speech—and not one of you will die." They agreed.
Job 1:1
Job was a man who lived in Uz. He was honest inside and out, a man of his word, who was totally devoted to God and hated evil with a passion. He had seven sons and three daughters. He was also very wealthy—seven thousand head of sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred teams of oxen, five hundred donkeys, and a huge staff of servants—the most influential man in all the East!
Psalms 14:4
Don't they know anything, all these impostors? Don't they know they can't get away with this— Treating people like a fast-food meal over which they're too busy to pray?
Proverbs 1:7
Start with God —the first step in learning is bowing down to God ; only fools thumb their noses at such wisdom and learning.
Proverbs 16:6
Guilt is banished through love and truth; Fear-of- God deflects evil.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And when they had received it,.... The external privileges of the Gospel dispensation, an inheritance among them that are sanctified, and a right unto it, on the foot of free grace,

they murmured against the good man of the house; who had been so kind and liberal, to those who came last into the vineyard, and had done no injury to them, but gave them a full reward. So the Jews that first believed in Christ, were at first uneasy at the Gospel being preached to the Gentiles, at the calling of them, and their partaking of the same privileges in a Gospel church state with them, without submitting to the ceremonies of the law, as they had done; just as the Pharisees, in Christ's time, murmured against him; for receiving sinners, and eating with them: though in the latter day, the envy of Ephraim shall depart, and in the ultimate glory there will be no murmuring at each other's happiness.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Murmured - Complained; found fault with.

The goodman of the house - The original here is the same word which in Matthew 20:1 is translated householder, and should have been so translated here. It is the old English way of denoting the father of a family. It expresses no moral quality.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Matthew 20:11. They murmured — The Jews made the preaching of the Gospel to the Gentiles, a pretence why they should reject that Gospel; as they fondly imagined they were, and should be, the sole objects of the Divine approbation. How they murmured because the Gentiles were made partakers of the kingdom of God; see Acts 11:1, &c., and Acts 15:1, &c.

There are many similitudes of this kind among the Jews, where the principal part even of the phraseology of our Lord's parable may be found. Several of them may be seen in Schoettgen. Our Lord, however, as in all other cases, has greatly improved the language, scope, design, and point of the similitude. He was, in all cases, an eminent master of the sentences.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile