Matthew 20:5

THE MESSAGE

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
About noon and about three,

King James Version (1611)
Againe he went out about the sixth and ninth houre, and did likewise.

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

English Standard Version
So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same.

New American Standard Bible
"Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did the same thing.

New Century Version
So they went to work in the vineyard. The man went out again about twelve o'clock and three o'clock and did the same thing.

Amplified Bible
"He went out about the sixth hour (noon) and the ninth hour (3:00 p.m.), and did the same thing.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Againe he went out about the sixt & ninth houre, and did likewise.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did the same thing.

Legacy Standard Bible
Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did the same thing.

Berean Standard Bible
So they went. He went out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour and did the same thing.

Contemporary English Version
So they went. At noon and again about three in the afternoon he returned to the market. And each time he made the same agreement with others who were loafing around with nothing to do.

Complete Jewish Bible
At noon, and again around three in the afternoon, he did the same thing.

Darby Translation
Again, having gone out about the sixth and ninth hour, he did likewise.

Easy-to-Read Version
So they went to work in the vineyard. "The man went out again about twelve o'clock and again at three o'clock. Both times he hired some others to work in his vineyard.

George Lamsa Translation
And he went out again at the sixth and at the ninth hour, and did the same.

Good News Translation
So they went. Then at twelve o'clock and again at three o'clock he did the same thing.

Lexham English Bible
So they went. Going out again about the sixth and ninth hour he did the same thing.

Literal Translation
Again, going out about the sixth and ninth hour, he did the same.

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

Bible in Basic English
Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did the same.

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

International Standard Version
So off they went. He went out again about noonthe sixth hour">[fn] and about three o'clockthe ninth hour">[fn] and did the same thing.

Etheridge Translation
And he went forth again in six and nine hours, and did the same.

Murdock Translation
and they went. And again he went out at the sixth and ninth hours, and did the same.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Agayne, he went out about the sixth and nynth houre, and dyd lykewyse.

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

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

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Again going out about the sixth and ninth hour, he did likewise.

Weymouth's New Testament
"So they went. Again about twelve, and about three o'clock, he went out and did the same.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And thei wenten forth. Eftsoones he wente out aboute the sixte our, and the nynthe, and dide in lijk maner.

Update Bible Version
And they went their way. And again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise.

Webster's Bible Translation
Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.

New English Translation
So they went. When he went out again about noon and three o'clock that afternoon, he did the same thing.

New King James Version
Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise.

New Living Translation
So they went to work in the vineyard. At noon and again at three o'clock he did the same thing.

New Life Bible
Again he went out about noon and at three o'clock and did the same thing.

New Revised Standard
When he went out again about noon and about three o'clock, he did the same.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
and, they, departed. And, again, going forth about the sixth and ninth hour, he did likewise.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And they went their way. And again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did in like manner.

Revised Standard Version
Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Agayne he wet out about the sixte and nynthe houre and dyd lyke wyse.

Young's Literal Translation
and they went away. `Again, having gone forth about the sixth and the ninth hour, he did in like manner.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Agayne, he wete out aboute the sixte and nyenth houre, and dyd likewyse,

Mace New Testament (1729)
about the sixth and ninth hour he went out again, and gave the like directions.

Simplified Cowboy Version
They saddled up and went. He rode out again at noon and then about three o'clock to look for more cowboys.

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

sixth: Matthew 27:45, Mark 15:33, Mark 15:34, Luke 23:44-46, John 1:39, John 4:6, John 11:9, Acts 3:1, Acts 10:3, Acts 10:9

and did: Genesis 12:1-4, Joshua 24:2, Joshua 24:3, 2 Chronicles 33:12-19, Hebrews 11:24-26

Reciprocal: Matthew 21:28 - sons

Cross-References

Psalms 25:21
Use all your skill to put me together; I wait to see your finished product.

Psalms 26:6
I scrub my hands with purest soap, then join hands with the others in the great circle, dancing around your altar, God , Singing God-songs at the top of my lungs, telling God-stories.

Proverbs 11:3
The integrity of the honest keeps them on track; the deviousness of crooks brings them to ruin.

Proverbs 20:7
God-loyal people, living honest lives, make it much easier for their children.

2 Corinthians 1:12
Now that the worst is over, we're pleased we can report that we've come out of this with conscience and faith intact, and can face the world—and even more importantly, face you with our heads held high. But it wasn't by any fancy footwork on our part. It was God who kept us focused on him, uncompromised. Don't try to read between the lines or look for hidden meanings in this letter. We're writing plain, unembellished truth, hoping that you'll now see the whole picture as well as you've seen some of the details. We want you to be as proud of us as we are of you when we stand together before our Master Jesus.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour,.... About twelve o'clock, or at noon, and three o'clock in the afternoon. These three last mentioned seasons of the day, were the hours of prayer; see Acts 2:15 and did likewise: seeing others in the same place, and posture, he called them, and sent them into his vineyard, to labour there, giving them the same promise he did to others.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The sixth and ninth hour - That is, about twelve o’clock and three o’clock.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Matthew 20:5. The sixth hour — Twelve o'clock. Ninth hour - three o'clock in the afternoon.