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Matthew 20:6 About 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.

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He asked them, &#8216Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?&#8217<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nlt/matthew/20.htm">New Living Translation</a></span><br />&#8220;At five o&#8217;clock that afternoon he was in town again and saw some more people standing around. He asked them, &#8216;Why haven&#8217;t you been working today?&#8217;<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/esv/matthew/20.htm">English Standard Version</a></span><br />And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, &#8216;Why do you stand here idle all day?&#8217;<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/bsb/matthew/20.htm">Berean Standard Bible</a></span><br />About the eleventh hour he went out and found still others standing around. &#8216;Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?&#8217; he asked.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/blb/matthew/20.htm">Berean Literal Bible</a></span><br />And about the eleventh having gone out, he found others standing, and says to them, 'Why do you stand here all the day idle?'<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/kjv/matthew/20.htm">King James Bible</a></span><br />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?<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nkjv/matthew/20.htm">New King James Version</a></span><br />And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, &#8216;Why have you been standing here idle all day?&#8217;<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb_/matthew/20.htm">New American Standard Bible</a></span><br />And about the eleventh <i>hour</i> he went out and found others standing <i>around;</i> and he said to them, &#8216;Why have you been standing here idle all day long?&#8217;<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb/matthew/20.htm">NASB 1995</a></span><br />&#8220And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, &#8216Why have you been standing here idle all day long?&#8217<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb77/matthew/20.htm">NASB 1977 </a></span><br />&#8220;And about the eleventh <i>hour</i> he went out, and found others standing; and he said to them, &#8216;Why have you been standing here idle all day long?&#8217;<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsb/matthew/20.htm">Legacy Standard Bible </a></span><br />And about the eleventh <i>hour</i> he went out and found others standing <i>around</i>; and he said to them, &#8216;Why have you been standing here idle all day long?&#8217;<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/amp/matthew/20.htm">Amplified Bible</a></span><br />And about the eleventh hour (5:00 p.m.) he went out and found others standing <i>around,</i> and he said to them, &#8216;Why have you been standing here idle all day?&#8217;<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/csb/matthew/20.htm">Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />Then about five he went and found others standing around and said to them, &#8216;Why have you been standing here all day doing nothing? &#8217;<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hcsb/matthew/20.htm">Holman Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />Then about five he went and found others standing around, and said to them, Why have you been standing here all day doing nothing?&#8217 <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/asv/matthew/20.htm">American Standard Version</a></span><br />And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing; and he saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cev/matthew/20.htm">Contemporary English Version</a></span><br />Finally, about five in the afternoon the man went back and found some others standing there. He asked them, "Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?" <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/erv/matthew/20.htm">English Revised Version</a></span><br />And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing; and he saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gwt/matthew/20.htm">GOD'S WORD&reg; Translation</a></span><br />About 5 p.m. he went out and found some others standing around. He said to them, 'Why are you standing here all day long without work?'<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gnt/matthew/20.htm">Good News Translation</a></span><br />It was nearly five o'clock when he went to the marketplace and saw some other men still standing there. 'Why are you wasting the whole day here doing nothing?' he asked them. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/isv/matthew/20.htm">International Standard Version</a></span><br />About five o'clock he went out and found some others standing around. He asked them, 'Why are you standing here all day long without work?' <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/msb/matthew/20.htm">Majority Standard Bible</a></span><br />About the eleventh hour he went out and found still others standing idle. ?Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?? he asked.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/net/matthew/20.htm">NET Bible</a></span><br />And about five o'clock that afternoon he went out and found others standing around, and said to them, 'Why are you standing here all day without work?'<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nheb/matthew/20.htm">New Heart English Bible</a></span><br />About five that afternoon he went out, and found others standing. He said to them, 'Why do you stand here all day idle?'<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/wbt/matthew/20.htm">Webster's Bible Translation</a></span><br />And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith to them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/wey/matthew/20.htm">Weymouth New Testament</a></span><br />And going out about five o'clock he found others loitering, and he asked them, "'Why have you been standing here all day long, doing nothing?'<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/web/matthew/20.htm">World English Bible</a></span><br />About the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle. He said to them, &#8216;Why do you stand here all day idle?&#8217; <div class="vheading2"><b>Literal Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsv/matthew/20.htm">Literal Standard Version</a></span><br />And about the eleventh hour, having gone forth, he found others standing idle and says to them, Why have you stood here idle all day?<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/blb/matthew/20.htm">Berean Literal Bible</a></span><br />And about the eleventh having gone out, he found others standing, and says to them, 'Why do you stand here all the day idle?'<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/ylt/matthew/20.htm">Young's Literal Translation</a></span><br /> And 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?<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/slt/matthew/20.htm">Smith's Literal Translation</a></span><br />And about the eleventh hour, having gone out, he found others standing idle, and he says to them, Why stand ye here idle the whole day?<div class="vheading2"><b>Catholic Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/drb/matthew/20.htm">Douay-Rheims Bible</a></span><br />But about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing, and he saith to them: Why stand you here all the day idle? <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cpdv/matthew/20.htm">Catholic Public Domain Version</a></span><br />Yet truly, about the eleventh hour, he went out and found others standing, and he said to them, &#8216;Why have you stood here idle all day?&#8217;<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nabre/matthew/20.htm">New American Bible</a></span><br />Going out about five o&#8217;clock, he found others standing around, and said to them, &#8216;Why do you stand here idle all day?&#8217;<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nrsvce/matthew/20.htm">New Revised Standard Version</a></span><br />And about five o&#8217;clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, &#8216;Why are you standing here idle all day?&#8217;<div class="vheading2"><b>Translations from Aramaic</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lamsa/matthew/20.htm">Lamsa Bible</a></span><br />And towards the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and he said to them, Why do you stand all day idle?<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/aramaic-plain-english/matthew/20.htm">Aramaic Bible in Plain English</a></span><br />And towards the 11th hour he went out and he found others who were standing and were idle, and he said to them, 'Why are you standing and are idle all day?'<div class="vheading2"><b>NT Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/anderson/matthew/20.htm">Anderson New Testament</a></span><br />And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and said to them, Why do you stand here all the day idle?<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/godbey/matthew/20.htm">Godbey New Testament</a></span><br /><FR>And about the eleventh hour having gone out, he found others standing; and says to them, Why stand ye here idle all the day?<Fr><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/haweis/matthew/20.htm">Haweis New Testament</a></span><br />But about the eleventh hour, going out, he found others standing unemployed, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/mace/matthew/20.htm">Mace New Testament</a></span><br />at last, about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and said to them, why do you stand idling thus all day long?<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/wey/matthew/20.htm">Weymouth New Testament</a></span><br />And going out about five o'clock he found others loitering, and he asked them, "'Why have you been standing here all day long, doing nothing?'<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/worrell/matthew/20.htm">Worrell New Testament</a></span><br /><FR>And about the eleventh <i>hour</i>, going forth, he found others standing, and he says to them, 'Why stand ye here all the day idle?'<Fr><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/worsley/matthew/20.htm">Worsley New Testament</a></span><br /><FR>And going out about the eleventh hour, he found others standing without work, and saith to them, Why stand ye here all the day doing nothing?<Fr><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/parallel/matthew/20-6.htm">Additional Translations ...</a></span></div></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><a name="audio" id="audio"></a><div class="vheadingv"><b>Audio Bible</b></div><iframe width="100%" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hriiyJYqzvc?start=5674" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><div class="vheadingv"><b>Context</b></div><span class="hdg"><a href="/bsb/matthew/20.htm">The Parable of the Workers</a></span><br>&#8230;<span class="reftext">5</span>So they went. He went out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour and did the same thing. <span class="reftext">6</span><span class="highl"><a href="/greek/1161.htm" title="1161: de (Conj) -- A primary particle; but, and, etc."></a> <a href="/greek/4012.htm" title="4012: Peri (Prep) -- From the base of peran; properly, through, i.e. Around; figuratively with respect to; used in various applications, of place, cause or time.">About</a> <a href="/greek/3588.htm" title="3588: t&#275;n (Art-AFS) -- The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.">the</a> <a href="/greek/1734.htm" title="1734: hendekat&#275;n (Adj-AFS) -- Eleventh. Ordinal from hendeka; eleventh.">eleventh hour</a> <a href="/greek/1831.htm" title="1831: exelth&#333;n (V-APA-NMS) -- To go out, come out. From ek and erchomai; to issue.">he went out</a> <a href="/greek/2147.htm" title="2147: heuren (V-AIA-3S) -- A prolonged form of a primary heuro, which heureo is used for it in all the tenses except the present and imperfect to find.">and found</a> <a href="/greek/243.htm" title="243: allous (Adj-AMP) -- Other, another (of more than two), different. A primary word; else, i.e. Different.">still others</a> <a href="/greek/2476.htm" title="2476: hest&#333;tas (V-RPA-AMP) -- A prolonged form of a primary stao stah'-o; to stand, used in various applications.">standing around.</a> <a href="/greek/5101.htm" title="5101: Ti (IPro-ANS) -- Who, which, what, why. Probably emphatic of tis; an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what.">&#8216;Why</a> <a href="/greek/2476.htm" title="2476: hest&#275;kate (V-RIA-2P) -- A prolonged form of a primary stao stah'-o; to stand, used in various applications.">have you been standing</a> <a href="/greek/5602.htm" title="5602: h&#333;de (Adv) -- From an adverb form of hode; in this same spot, i.e. Here or hither.">here</a> <a href="/greek/3650.htm" title="3650: hol&#275;n (Adj-AFS) -- All, the whole, entire, complete. A primary word; whole or all, i.e. Complete, especially as noun or adverb.">all</a> <a href="/greek/3588.htm" title="3588: t&#275;n (Art-AFS) -- The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the."></a> <a href="/greek/2250.htm" title="2250: h&#275;meran (N-AFS) -- A day, the period from sunrise to sunset. ">day long</a> <a href="/greek/692.htm" title="692: argoi (Adj-NMP) -- Idle, lazy, thoughtless, unprofitable, injurious. (by implication) lazy, useless.">doing nothing?&#8217;</a> <a href="/greek/2532.htm" title="2532: kai (Conj) -- And, even, also, namely. "></a> <a href="/greek/3004.htm" title="3004: legei (V-PIA-3S) -- (a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command. ">he asked.</a> <a href="/greek/846.htm" title="846: autois (PPro-DM3P) -- He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons."></a> </span> <span class="reftext">7</span>&#8216;Because no one has hired us,&#8217; they answered. So he told them, &#8216;You also go into my vineyard.&#8217;&#8230;<div class="cred"><a href="//berean.bible">Berean Standard Bible</a> &middot; <a href="//berean.bible/downloads.htm">Download</a></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="crossref" id="crossref"></a><div class="vheading">Cross References</div><div id="crf"><span class="crossverse"><a href="/matthew/9-37.htm">Matthew 9:37-38</a></span><br />Then He said to His disciples, &#8220;The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. / Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest.&#8221;<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/luke/10-2.htm">Luke 10:2</a></span><br />And He told them, &#8220;The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/john/4-35.htm">John 4:35</a></span><br />Do you not say, &#8216;There are still four months until the harvest&#8217;? I tell you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are ripe for harvest.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/romans/13-11.htm">Romans 13:11</a></span><br />And do this, understanding the occasion. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/1_corinthians/15-58.htm">1 Corinthians 15:58</a></span><br />Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast and immovable. Always excel in the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/ephesians/5-16.htm">Ephesians 5:16</a></span><br />redeeming the time, because the days are evil.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/colossians/4-5.htm">Colossians 4:5</a></span><br />Act wisely toward outsiders, redeeming the time.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/james/4-14.htm">James 4:14</a></span><br />You do not even know what will happen tomorrow! What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/1_peter/4-7.htm">1 Peter 4:7</a></span><br />The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear-minded and sober, so that you can pray.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/revelation/3-2.htm">Revelation 3:2</a></span><br />Wake up and strengthen what remains, which is about to die; for I have found your deeds incomplete in the sight of My God.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/proverbs/6-6.htm">Proverbs 6:6-11</a></span><br />Walk in the manner of the ant, O slacker; observe its ways and become wise. / Without a commander, without an overseer or ruler, / it prepares its provisions in summer; it gathers its food at harvest. ...<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/proverbs/10-5.htm">Proverbs 10:5</a></span><br />He who gathers in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/proverbs/20-4.htm">Proverbs 20:4</a></span><br />The slacker does not plow in season; at harvest time he looks, but nothing is there.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/ecclesiastes/9-10.htm">Ecclesiastes 9:10</a></span><br />Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might, for in Sheol, where you are going, there is no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/isaiah/55-6.htm">Isaiah 55:6</a></span><br />Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near.</div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="tsk" id="tsk"><div class="vheading">Treasury of Scripture</div><p class="tsk2">And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and said to them, Why stand you here all the day idle?</p><p class="hdg">the eleventh.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/ecclesiastes/9-10.htm">Ecclesiastes 9:10</a></b></br> Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do <i>it</i> with thy might; for <i>there is</i> no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/luke/23-40.htm">Luke 23:40-43</a></b></br> But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? &#8230; </p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/john/9-4.htm">John 9:4</a></b></br> I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.</p><p class="hdg">Why.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/proverbs/19-15.htm">Proverbs 19:15</a></b></br> Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/ezekiel/16-49.htm">Ezekiel 16:49</a></b></br> 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.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/acts/17-21.htm">Acts 17:21</a></b></br> (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.)</p><div class="vheading">Jump to Previous</div><a href="/zechariah/1-7.htm">Eleventh</a> <a href="/matthew/16-9.htm">Five</a> <a href="/matthew/20-5.htm">Forth</a> <a href="/matthew/18-28.htm">Found</a> <a href="/matthew/20-5.htm">Hour</a> <a href="/matthew/20-3.htm">Idle</a> <a href="/matthew/20-3.htm">Loitering</a> <a href="/matthew/20-5.htm">O'clock</a> <a href="/matthew/20-4.htm">Others</a> <a href="/matthew/18-16.htm">Stand</a> <a href="/matthew/20-3.htm">Standing</a> <a href="/matthew/13-2.htm">Stood</a><div class="vheading2">Jump to Next</div><a href="/matthew/20-9.htm">Eleventh</a> <a href="/matthew/20-9.htm">Five</a> <a href="/matthew/20-29.htm">Forth</a> <a href="/matthew/21-19.htm">Found</a> <a href="/matthew/20-9.htm">Hour</a> <a href="/mark/7-7.htm">Idle</a> <a href="/matthew/20-3.htm">Loitering</a> <a href="/matthew/20-9.htm">O'clock</a> <a href="/matthew/21-8.htm">Others</a> <a href="/matthew/24-13.htm">Stand</a> <a href="/matthew/24-15.htm">Standing</a> <a href="/matthew/20-32.htm">Stood</a><div class="vheading2">Matthew 20</div><span class="reftext">1. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/matthew/20-1.htm">Jesus, by the parable of the laborers in the vineyard, shows that God is debtor unto no man;</a></span><br><span class="reftext">17. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/matthew/20-17.htm">foretells his passion;</a></span><br><span class="reftext">20. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/matthew/20-20.htm">by answering the mother of Zebedee's children, teaches his disciples to be humble;</a></span><br><span class="reftext">29. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/matthew/20-29.htm">and gives two blind men their sight.</a></span><br></div></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script><br /><br /> <!-- /1078254/BH-728x90-ATF --> <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div><br /><br /> <!-- /1078254/BH-300x250-ATF --> <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br /> <!-- /1078254/BH-728x90-BTF --> <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div><br /><br /> <!-- /1078254/BH-300x250-BTF --> <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br /> <!-- /1078254/BH-728x90-BTF2 --> <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div><br /><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:200px;height:200px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="3592799687"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> <br /><br /> </div> </td></tr></table></div></div></div><div id="combox"><div class="padcom"><a name="study" id="study"></a><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top"><a href="/study/matthew/20.htm">Study Bible</a></td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/study/matthew/" title="Book Summary and Study">Book&nbsp;&#9702;</a>&nbsp;<a href="/study/chapters/matthew/20.htm" title="Chapter summary and Study">Chapter&nbsp;</a></tr></table></div><b>About the eleventh hour</b><br>The "eleventh hour" refers to the late afternoon, around 5 PM, in the Jewish workday, which typically ended at sunset. This timing emphasizes the urgency and unexpected nature of the landowner's actions. In biblical symbolism, the eleventh hour can represent the last opportunity for repentance and salvation, highlighting God's grace extended even at the last moment. This concept is echoed in the parable's broader message of God's kingdom, where the last can be first, and vice versa.<p><b>he went out and found still others standing around</b><br>The landowner's repeated trips to find laborers illustrate God's persistent pursuit of individuals to join His kingdom. The "others standing around" may symbolize those who have not yet found their purpose or calling in life. This reflects the biblical theme of God seeking the lost and offering them a place in His work, as seen in <a href="/luke/19-10.htm">Luke 19:10</a>, where Jesus states His mission to seek and save the lost.<p><b>&#8216;Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?&#8217; he asked.</b><br>This question highlights the inactivity and potential waste of time by those not engaged in the vineyard work. Culturally, day laborers would gather in marketplaces hoping to be hired, and not being chosen could lead to shame and economic hardship. The question implies a call to action and purpose, resonating with the biblical call to be active in faith and service. It also reflects the urgency of responding to God's call, as seen in <a href="/ephesians/5-16.htm">Ephesians 5:16</a>, which urges believers to make the most of every opportunity.<div class="vheading2">Persons / Places / Events</div>1. <b><a href="/topical/l/landowner.htm">Landowner</a></b><br>Represents God, who is sovereign and just, seeking laborers for His vineyard.<br><br>2. <b><a href="/topical/l/laborers.htm">Laborers</a></b><br>Symbolize believers or those called to work in God's kingdom. The ones found at the eleventh hour represent those who come to faith later in life.<br><br>3. <b><a href="/topical/v/vineyard.htm">Vineyard</a></b><br>Represents the Kingdom of Heaven, where God's work is to be done.<br><br>4. <b><a href="/topical/e/eleventh_hour.htm">Eleventh Hour</a></b><br>A metaphor for the late stage in life or history, indicating urgency and the inclusivity of God's call.<br><br>5. <b><a href="/topical/m/marketplace.htm">Marketplace</a></b><br>The world where people are found and called to serve in God's kingdom.<div class="vheading2">Teaching Points</div><b><a href="/topical/g/god's_sovereignty_and_grace.htm">God's Sovereignty and Grace</a></b><br>God calls people at different times in their lives, demonstrating His sovereignty and grace. We should be open to His call, regardless of our stage in life.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/u/urgency_of_the_gospel.htm">Urgency of the Gospel</a></b><br>The "eleventh hour" signifies the urgency of responding to God's call. We should not delay in accepting His invitation to work in His kingdom.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/e/equality_in_the_kingdom.htm">Equality in the Kingdom</a></b><br>The parable teaches that all who respond to God's call are equally valued, regardless of when they come. This challenges us to view others with the same grace and acceptance.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/p/purpose_and_calling.htm">Purpose and Calling</a></b><br>Each believer has a purpose and calling in God's kingdom. We should seek to understand and fulfill our role, trusting in God's timing and provision.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/a/avoiding_idleness.htm">Avoiding Idleness</a></b><br>The question posed by the landowner challenges us to examine areas of spiritual idleness in our lives and encourages us to be active participants in God's work.<div class="vheading2">Lists and Questions</div><a href="/top10/lessons_from_matthew_20.htm">Top 10 Lessons from Matthew 20</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/what_is_'mustard_seed_faith'.htm">What did Jesus mean by 'mustard seed faith'?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/key_events_in_jesus'_trials.htm">What were the key events in Jesus' trials?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/did_herod_want_john_the_baptist_dead.htm">Did Herod want to kill John the Baptist? Yes (Matthew 14:5) No. It was Herodias, the wife of Herod who wanted to kill him. But Herod knew that he was a righteous man and kept him safe (Mark 6:20)</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/who_was_salome_in_the_bible.htm">Who was Salome in the Bible?</a><a name="commentary" id="commentary"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/ellicott/matthew/20.htm">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</a></div>(6) <span class= "bld">About the eleventh hour.</span>--The working day, which did not commonly extend beyond twelve hours (<a href="/john/11-9.htm" title="Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbles not, because he sees the light of this world.">John 11:9</a>), was all but over, and yet there was still work to be done in the vineyard, all the more urgent because of the lateness of the hour. The labourers who had been first hired were not enough. Is there not an implied suggestion that they were not labouring as zealously as they might have done? They were working on their contract for the day's wages. Those who were called last of all had the joy of feeling that their day was not lost; and that joy and their faith in the justice of their employer gave a fresh energy to their toil.<p><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/pulpit/matthew/20.htm">Pulpit Commentary</a></div><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 6.</span> - <span class="cmt_word">The eleventh hour;</span> the hour before sunset, say about 5 p.m., leaving only one hour for work, when it would be most unusual to engage labourers. <span class="cmt_word">Idle</span>. The word is omitted in some manuscripts. There is some reproach in the master's question. Where were they earlier in the day, when he was hiring labourers for his vineyard? Why were they not in the marketplace, like their comrades, looking out for employment? Such questions, like many, others in the parable, are left unanswered. We see from the universal use of the term, "the eleventh hour," to express the close of the day of grace, how widely has prevailed the interpretation of the parable which applies it to the various stages of the life of the individual. (See on this below.) <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/commentaries/matthew/20-6.htm">Parallel Commentaries ...</a></span><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><a name="lexicon" id="lexicon"></a><div class="vheading">Greek</div><span class="word">About</span><br /><span class="grk">&#928;&#949;&#961;&#8054;</span> <span class="translit">(Peri)</span><br /><span class="parse">Preposition<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_4012.htm">Strong's 4012: </a> </span><span class="str2">From the base of peran; properly, through, i.e. Around; figuratively with respect to; used in various applications, of place, cause or time.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">the</span><br /><span class="grk">&#964;&#8052;&#957;</span> <span class="translit">(t&#275;n)</span><br /><span class="parse">Article - Accusative Feminine Singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_3588.htm">Strong's 3588: </a> </span><span class="str2">The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">eleventh [hour]</span><br /><span class="grk">&#7953;&#957;&#948;&#949;&#954;&#940;&#964;&#951;&#957;</span> <span class="translit">(hendekat&#275;n)</span><br /><span class="parse">Adjective - Accusative Feminine Singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_1734.htm">Strong's 1734: </a> </span><span class="str2">Eleventh. Ordinal from hendeka; eleventh.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">he went out</span><br /><span class="grk">&#7952;&#958;&#949;&#955;&#952;&#8060;&#957;</span> <span class="translit">(exelth&#333;n)</span><br /><span class="parse">Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_1831.htm">Strong's 1831: </a> </span><span class="str2">To go out, come out. From ek and erchomai; to issue.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">[and] found</span><br /><span class="grk">&#949;&#8023;&#961;&#949;&#957;</span> <span class="translit">(heuren)</span><br /><span class="parse">Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_2147.htm">Strong's 2147: </a> </span><span class="str2">A prolonged form of a primary heuro, which heureo is used for it in all the tenses except the present and imperfect to find.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">still others</span><br /><span class="grk">&#7940;&#955;&#955;&#959;&#965;&#962;</span> <span class="translit">(allous)</span><br /><span class="parse">Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_243.htm">Strong's 243: </a> </span><span class="str2">Other, another (of more than two), different. A primary word; 'else, ' i.e. Different.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">standing [around].</span><br /><span class="grk">&#7953;&#963;&#964;&#8182;&#964;&#945;&#962;</span> <span class="translit">(hest&#333;tas)</span><br /><span class="parse">Verb - Perfect Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_2476.htm">Strong's 2476: </a> </span><span class="str2">A prolonged form of a primary stao stah'-o; to stand, used in various applications.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">&#8216;Why</span><br /><span class="grk">&#932;&#943;</span> <span class="translit">(Ti)</span><br /><span class="parse">Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_5101.htm">Strong's 5101: </a> </span><span class="str2">Who, which, what, why. Probably emphatic of tis; an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">have you been standing</span><br /><span class="grk">&#7953;&#963;&#964;&#942;&#954;&#945;&#964;&#949;</span> <span class="translit">(hest&#275;kate)</span><br /><span class="parse">Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_2476.htm">Strong's 2476: </a> </span><span class="str2">A prolonged form of a primary stao stah'-o; to stand, used in various applications.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">here</span><br /><span class="grk">&#8039;&#948;&#949;</span> <span class="translit">(h&#333;de)</span><br /><span class="parse">Adverb<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_5602.htm">Strong's 5602: </a> </span><span class="str2">From an adverb form of hode; in this same spot, i.e. Here or hither.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">all</span><br /><span class="grk">&#8005;&#955;&#951;&#957;</span> <span class="translit">(hol&#275;n)</span><br /><span class="parse">Adjective - Accusative Feminine Singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_3650.htm">Strong's 3650: </a> </span><span class="str2">All, the whole, entire, complete. A primary word; 'whole' or 'all', i.e. Complete, especially as noun or adverb.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">day [long]</span><br /><span class="grk">&#7969;&#956;&#941;&#961;&#945;&#957;</span> <span class="translit">(h&#275;meran)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_2250.htm">Strong's 2250: </a> </span><span class="str2">A day, the period from sunrise to sunset. </span><br /><br /><span class="word">doing nothing?&#8217;</span><br /><span class="grk">&#7936;&#961;&#947;&#959;&#943;</span> <span class="translit">(argoi)</span><br /><span class="parse">Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_692.htm">Strong's 692: </a> </span><span class="str2">Idle, lazy, thoughtless, unprofitable, injurious. (by implication) lazy, useless.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">he asked.</span><br /><span class="grk">&#955;&#941;&#947;&#949;&#953;</span> <span class="translit">(legei)</span><br /><span class="parse">Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_3004.htm">Strong's 3004: </a> </span><span class="str2">(a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command. </span><br /><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div class="vheading">Links</div><a href="/niv/matthew/20-6.htm">Matthew 20:6 NIV</a><br /><a href="/nlt/matthew/20-6.htm">Matthew 20:6 NLT</a><br /><a href="/esv/matthew/20-6.htm">Matthew 20:6 ESV</a><br /><a href="/nasb/matthew/20-6.htm">Matthew 20:6 NASB</a><br /><a href="/kjv/matthew/20-6.htm">Matthew 20:6 KJV</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="//bibleapps.com/matthew/20-6.htm">Matthew 20:6 BibleApps.com</a><br /><a href="//bibliaparalela.com/matthew/20-6.htm">Matthew 20:6 Biblia Paralela</a><br /><a href="//holybible.com.cn/matthew/20-6.htm">Matthew 20:6 Chinese Bible</a><br /><a href="//saintebible.com/matthew/20-6.htm">Matthew 20:6 French Bible</a><br /><a href="/catholic/matthew/20-6.htm">Matthew 20:6 Catholic Bible</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/matthew/20-6.htm">NT Gospels: Matthew 20:6 About the eleventh hour he went out (Matt. Mat Mt) </a></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="/matthew/20-5.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Matthew 20:5"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Matthew 20:5" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="/matthew/20-7.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Matthew 20:7"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Matthew 20:7" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhnew2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>

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