Lectionary Calendar
Tuesday, July 29th, 2025
the Week of Proper 12 / Ordinary 17
the Week of Proper 12 / Ordinary 17
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Read the Bible
THE MESSAGE
Matthew 20:3
"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.
Jump to:Bible Study Tools • Parallel Bible Verse • Bible Contextual Overview • Bible Cross-References • Gill's Bible Notes • Clarke's Bible Notes • Barnes' Bible Notes
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
- Nave'sDictionaries:
- AmericanEncyclopedias:
- CondensedParallel Translations
Christian Standard Bible®
When he went out about nine in the morning,
When he went out about nine in the morning,
King James Version (1611)
And he went out about the third houre, and saw others standing idle in the market place,
And he went out about the third houre, and saw others standing idle in the market place,
King James Version
And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
English Standard Version
And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
New American Standard Bible
"And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace;
"And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace;
New Century Version
About nine o'clock the man went to the marketplace and saw some other people standing there, doing nothing.
About nine o'clock the man went to the marketplace and saw some other people standing there, doing nothing.
Amplified Bible
"And he went out about the third hour (9:00 a.m.) and saw others standing idle in the market place;
"And he went out about the third hour (9:00 a.m.) and saw others standing idle in the market place;
Geneva Bible (1587)
And he went out about the third houre, & sawe other standing idle in the market place,
And he went out about the third houre, & sawe other standing idle in the market place,
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the market place;
"And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the market place;
Legacy Standard Bible
And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace;
And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace;
Berean Standard Bible
About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing.
About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing.
Contemporary English Version
About nine that morning, the man saw some other people standing in the market with nothing to do.
About nine that morning, the man saw some other people standing in the market with nothing to do.
Complete Jewish Bible
Then, on going out at about nine in the morning, he saw more men standing around in the market-square doing nothing,
Then, on going out at about nine in the morning, he saw more men standing around in the market-square doing nothing,
Darby Translation
And having gone out about [the] third hour, he saw others standing in the market-place idle;
And having gone out about [the] third hour, he saw others standing in the market-place idle;
Easy-to-Read Version
"About nine o'clock the man went to the marketplace and saw some other people standing there. They were doing nothing.
"About nine o'clock the man went to the marketplace and saw some other people standing there. They were doing nothing.
George Lamsa Translation
And he went out at the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the market place.
And he went out at the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the market place.
Good News Translation
He went out again to the marketplace at nine o'clock and saw some men standing there doing nothing,
He went out again to the marketplace at nine o'clock and saw some men standing there doing nothing,
Lexham English Bible
And going out about the third hour, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace.
And going out about the third hour, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace.
Literal Translation
And going out about the third hour, he saw others standing idle in the market.
And going out about the third hour, he saw others standing idle in the market.
American Standard Version
And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing in the marketplace idle;
And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing in the marketplace idle;
Bible in Basic English
And he went out about the third hour, and saw others in the market-place doing nothing;
And he went out about the third hour, and saw others in the market-place doing nothing;
Hebrew Names Version
He went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace.
He went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace.
International Standard Version
When he went out about nine o'clock,the third hour">[fn] he saw others standing in the marketplace without work.
When he went out about nine o'clock,the third hour">[fn] he saw others standing in the marketplace without work.
Etheridge Translation
And he went forth in three hours, and saw others who were standing in the public place and unemployed.
And he went forth in three hours, and saw others who were standing in the public place and unemployed.
Murdock Translation
And he went out at the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the market-place:
And he went out at the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the market-place:
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And he went out about the thirde houre, and sawe other standyng idle in the market place,
And he went out about the thirde houre, and sawe other standyng idle in the market place,
English Revised Version
And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing in the marketplace idle;
And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing in the marketplace idle;
World English Bible
He went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace.
He went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And going out about the third hour, he saw others standing idle in the market-place.
And going out about the third hour, he saw others standing idle in the market-place.
Weymouth's New Testament
About nine o'clock he went out and saw others loitering in the market-place.
About nine o'clock he went out and saw others loitering in the market-place.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he yede out aboute the thridde our, and say othere stondynge idel in the chepyng.
And he yede out aboute the thridde our, and say othere stondynge idel in the chepyng.
Update Bible Version
And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing in the marketplace idle;
And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing in the marketplace idle;
Webster's Bible Translation
And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the market-place,
And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the market-place,
New English Translation
When it was about nine o'clock in the morning, he went out again and saw others standing around in the marketplace without work.
When it was about nine o'clock in the morning, he went out again and saw others standing around in the marketplace without work.
New King James Version
And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
New Living Translation
"At nine o'clock in the morning he was passing through the marketplace and saw some people standing around doing nothing.
"At nine o'clock in the morning he was passing through the marketplace and saw some people standing around doing nothing.
New Life Bible
Later in the morning he went to the center of the town where people gather. He saw men standing there doing nothing.
Later in the morning he went to the center of the town where people gather. He saw men standing there doing nothing.
New Revised Standard
When he went out about nine o'clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace;
When he went out about nine o'clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace;
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, going forth about the third hour, he saw others, standing in the market-place, unemployed;
And, going forth about the third hour, he saw others, standing in the market-place, unemployed;
Douay-Rheims Bible
And going out about the third hour, he saw others standing in the marketplace idle.
And going out about the third hour, he saw others standing in the marketplace idle.
Revised Standard Version
And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the market place;
And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the market place;
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And he went out about the thyrde houre and sawe other stonding ydell in the marketplace
And he went out about the thyrde houre and sawe other stonding ydell in the marketplace
Young's Literal Translation
`And having gone forth about the third hour, he saw others standing in the market-place idle,
`And having gone forth about the third hour, he saw others standing in the market-place idle,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And aboute ye thirde houre he wente out, and sawe other stondinge ydle in the market place,
And aboute ye thirde houre he wente out, and sawe other stondinge ydle in the market place,
Mace New Testament (1729)
he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the market-place, and said to them,
he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the market-place, and said to them,
Simplified Cowboy Version
"About nine in the morning he went out and saw some other cowboys hanging around the livery stables and not doin' anything.
"About nine in the morning he went out and saw some other cowboys hanging around the livery stables and not doin' anything.
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
the third: Mark 15:25, Acts 2:15
standing: Matthew 20:6, Matthew 20:7, Matthew 11:16, Matthew 11:17, Proverbs 19:15, Ezekiel 16:49, Acts 17:17-21, 1 Timothy 5:13, Hebrews 6:12
Reciprocal: 2 Peter 1:8 - barren
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.
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 20:14
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."
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."
Genesis 37:5
Joseph had a dream. When he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more. He said, "Listen to this dream I had. We were all out in the field gathering bundles of wheat. All of a sudden my bundle stood straight up and your bundles circled around it and bowed down to mine."
Joseph had a dream. When he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more. He said, "Listen to this dream I had. We were all out in the field gathering bundles of wheat. All of a sudden my bundle stood straight up and your bundles circled around it and bowed down to mine."
Genesis 37:9
He had another dream and told this one also to his brothers: "I dreamed another dream—the sun and moon and eleven stars bowed down to me!"
He had another dream and told this one also to his brothers: "I dreamed another dream—the sun and moon and eleven stars bowed down to me!"
Genesis 40:8
They said, "We dreamed dreams and there's no one to interpret them." Joseph said, "Don't interpretations come from God? Tell me the dreams."
They said, "We dreamed dreams and there's no one to interpret them." Joseph said, "Don't interpretations come from God? Tell me the dreams."
Job 33:15
"In a dream, for instance, a vision at night, when men and women are deep in sleep, fast asleep in their beds— God opens their ears and impresses them with warnings To turn them back from something bad they're planning, from some reckless choice, And keep them from an early grave, from the river of no return.
"In a dream, for instance, a vision at night, when men and women are deep in sleep, fast asleep in their beds— God opens their ears and impresses them with warnings To turn them back from something bad they're planning, from some reckless choice, And keep them from an early grave, from the river of no return.
Jonah 3:4
Jonah entered the city, went one day's walk and preached, "In forty days Nineveh will be smashed."
Jonah entered the city, went one day's walk and preached, "In forty days Nineveh will be smashed."
Matthew 1:20
While he was trying to figure a way out, he had a dream. God's angel spoke in the dream: "Joseph, son of David, don't hesitate to get married. Mary's pregnancy is Spirit-conceived. God's Holy Spirit has made her pregnant. She will bring a son to birth, and when she does, you, Joseph, will name him Jesus—‘God saves'—because he will save his people from their sins." This would bring the prophet's embryonic sermon to full term: Watch for this—a virgin will get pregnant and bear a son; They will name him Immanuel (Hebrew for "God is with us").
While he was trying to figure a way out, he had a dream. God's angel spoke in the dream: "Joseph, son of David, don't hesitate to get married. Mary's pregnancy is Spirit-conceived. God's Holy Spirit has made her pregnant. She will bring a son to birth, and when she does, you, Joseph, will name him Jesus—‘God saves'—because he will save his people from their sins." This would bring the prophet's embryonic sermon to full term: Watch for this—a virgin will get pregnant and bear a son; They will name him Immanuel (Hebrew for "God is with us").
Matthew 27:19
While court was still in session, Pilate's wife sent him a message: "Don't get mixed up in judging this noble man. I've just been through a long and troubled night because of a dream about him."
While court was still in session, Pilate's wife sent him a message: "Don't get mixed up in judging this noble man. I've just been through a long and troubled night because of a dream about him."
Gill's Notes on the Bible
And he went out about the third hour,.... About nine o'clock in the morning,
and saw others standing idle in the market place: the place where labourers used to be hired: and may design the world, because a place full of people, and of great wickedness, for the whole world lies in it; a place of trade and traffic in worldly things, and likewise of worldly and carnal pleasure, and also of idleness. Now God's elect before calling, are in this place: they are natives of it, have their conversation according to it: here Christ came in person, and here he sends his ministers, his Gospel, to find them out, and by his Spirit and grace he calls them from hence; so that afterwards they are no more of it, though they are in it: but before conversion they belong to it, and their posture then is standing idle; being sluggish, and slothful in business, unwilling to work, and afraid of a little danger and trouble, sauntering away their time in carnal pleasures, and so clothed with rags, and in a starving, famishing condition: but Christ's eye is upon them; he observes, and takes notice of them in this disagreeable position and situation, and speaks of them in the following manner.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
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 market-place - 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.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Matthew 20:3. The third hour — Nine o'clock in the morning.
Market-place — Where labourers usually stood till they were hired. I have often seen labourers standing in the market places of large towns in these countries, waiting to be employed.
