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Read the Bible

Revised Standard Version

Matthew 20:13

But he replied to one of them, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius?

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

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

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Friend;   Parable;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Grace;   Grapes;   Kingdom of god;   Parables;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Christ, Christology;   Friend, Friendship;   Gospel;   Grace;   King, Christ as;   Reward;   Wages;   Work;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Hutchinsonians;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Hireling;   Penny;   Wages;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Penny;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Election;   Matthew, the Gospel of;   Vine;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Text of the New Testament;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Almsgiving ;   Celibacy (2);   Crucifixion;   Discourse;   Justice (2);   Labour (2);   Matthew, Gospel According to;   Merit;   Money (2);   Paradox;   Prize;   Samaritan, the Good ;   Sea of Galilee;   Selfishness;   Steward, Stewardship;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Hireling;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Chief parables and miracles in the bible;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Denarius;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Jesus of Nazareth;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Justice;   Penny;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Parable;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“He replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I’m doing you no wrong. Didn’t you agree with me on a denarius?
King James Version (1611)
But he answered one of them and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penie?
King James Version
But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?
English Standard Version
But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius?
New American Standard Bible
"But he answered and said to one of them, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius?
New Century Version
But the man who owned the vineyard said to one of those workers, ‘Friend, I am being fair to you. You agreed to work for one coin.
Amplified Bible
"But the owner of the estate replied to one of them, 'Friend, I am doing you no injustice. Did you not agree with me for a denarius?
Geneva Bible (1587)
And hee answered one of them, saying, Friend, I doe thee no wrong: didst thou not agree with me for a penie?
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"But he answered and said to one of them, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius?
Legacy Standard Bible
But he answered and said to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius?
Berean Standard Bible
But he answered one of them, 'Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Did you not agree with me on one denarius?
Contemporary English Version
The owner answered one of them, "Friend, I didn't cheat you. I paid you exactly what we agreed on.
Complete Jewish Bible
But he answered one of them, ‘Look, friend, I'm not being unfair with you. Didn't you agree to work today for a denarius?
Darby Translation
But he answering said to one of them, [My] friend, I do not wrong thee. Didst thou not agree with me for a denarius?
Easy-to-Read Version
"But the man who owned the field said to one of them, ‘Friend, I am being fair with you. You agreed to work for one silver coin. Right?
George Lamsa Translation
He answered and said to one of them, My friend, I am not doing you an injustice; did you not bargain with me for a penny?
Good News Translation
‘Listen, friend,' the owner answered one of them, ‘I have not cheated you. After all, you agreed to do a day's work for one silver coin.
Lexham English Bible
But he answered one of them and said, ‘Friend, I am not doing you wrong. Did you not come to an agreement with me for a denarius?
Literal Translation
But answering, he said to one of them, Friend, I do not wrong you. Did you not agree to a denarius with me?
American Standard Version
But he answered and said to one of them, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a shilling?
Bible in Basic English
But he in answer said to one of them, Friend, I do you no wrong: did you not make an agreement with me for a penny?
Hebrew Names Version
"But he answered one of them, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Didn't you agree with me for a denarius?
International Standard Version
But he said to one of them, 'Friend, I'm not treating you unfairly. You did agree with me for a denarius, didn't you?
Etheridge Translation
But he answered and said to one of them, My friend, I am not unjust towards thee: didst thou not bargain with me for a denarius ?
Murdock Translation
But he answered, and said to one of them: My friend, I do thee no injustice: was it not for a denarius that thou didst contract with me?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
But he aunswered to one of the, & said: Frende, I do thee no wrong: dyddest thou not agree with me for a peny?
English Revised Version
But he answered and said to one of them, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?
World English Bible
But he answered one of them, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Didn't you agree with me for a denarius?
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And he answering said to one of them, Friend, I do thee no wrong.
Weymouth's New Testament
"`My friend,' he answered to one of them, `I am doing you no injustice. Did you not agree with me for a shilling?
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he answeride to oon of hem, and seide, Freend, Y do thee noon wrong; whether thou hast not acordid with me for a peny?
Update Bible Version
But he answered and said to one of them, Friend, I do you no wrong: didn't you agree with me for $100?
Webster's Bible Translation
But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst thou not agree with me for a penny?
New English Translation
And the landowner replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am not treating you unfairly. Didn't you agree with me to work for the standard wage?
New King James Version
But he answered one of them and said, "Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius?
New Living Translation
"He answered one of them, ‘Friend, I haven't been unfair! Didn't you agree to work all day for the usual wage?
New Life Bible
But he said to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me when I promised to pay you a day's pay?
New Revised Standard
But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage?
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, he, answering, unto one of them, said, - Friend! I wrong thee not: Was it not, for a denary, thou didst agree with me?
Douay-Rheims Bible
But he answering said to one of them: friend, I do thee no wrong: didst thou not agree with me for a penny?
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
He answered to one of the sayinge: frende I do the no wronge: dyddest thou not agre wt me for a peny?
Young's Literal Translation
`And he answering said to one of them, Comrade, I do no unrighteousness to thee; for a denary didst not thou agree with me?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
He answered and sayde vnto one of them: frende, I do ye no wronge: diddest not thou agree with me for a peny?
Mace New Testament (1729)
but he answered one of them, friend, I do thee no wrong: did not you agree for a penny a day?
THE MESSAGE
"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?'
Simplified Cowboy Version
"But the rancher said to one of them, 'Cowboy, I ain't cheatin' you out of anything. You agreed to work for me today for one hundred dollars and that's what I paid you.

Contextual Overview

1 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the market place; 4 and to them he said, 'You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.' So they went. 5 Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing; and he said to them, 'Why do you stand here idle all day?' 7 They said to him, 'Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, 'You go into the vineyard too.' 8 And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, 'Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.' 9 And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. 10 Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received a denarius.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Friend: Matthew 22:12, Matthew 26:50

I do: Genesis 18:25, Job 34:8-12, Job 34:17, Job 34:18, Job 35:2, Job 40:8, Romans 9:14, Romans 9:15, Romans 9:20

Reciprocal: Matthew 20:2 - he had Luke 15:31 - General

Cross-References

Genesis 12:1
Now the LORD said to Abram, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you.
Genesis 12:9
And Abram journeyed on, still going toward the Negeb.
Genesis 20:3
But God came to Abim'elech in a dream by night, and said to him, "Behold, you are a dead man, because of the woman whom you have taken; for she is a man's wife."
Genesis 20:5
Did he not himself say to me, 'She is my sister'? And she herself said, 'He is my brother.' In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands I have done this."
Genesis 20:11
Abraham said, "I did it because I thought, There is no fear of God at all in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.
1 Samuel 23:21
And Saul said, "May you be blessed by the LORD; for you have had compassion on me.
Psalms 64:5
They hold fast to their evil purpose; they talk of laying snares secretly, thinking, "Who can see us?
Acts 5:9
But Peter said to her, "How is it that you have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Hark, the feet of those that have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out."
Hebrews 11:8
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place which he was to receive as an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was to go.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But he answered one of them,.... Who was the forwardest and loudest in his complaints, and represented the rest;

and said, friend, I do thee no wrong; by giving all alike, the same privileges and blessings to the last, as to the first, since nothing was withheld from him. And indeed the Lord does no wrong to any, by the distinction which he makes among his creatures: he is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works: he does no injury to the evil angels, by choosing the good angels, and confirming them in the estate in which they were created; when the others are reserved in chains of darkness, to the judgment of the great day; or by choosing fallen men, in Christ, and making provisions of grace for them, and not devils: and so there is no unrighteousness in him, nor does he do any wrong to any, when, like the potter, out of the same clay, he makes one vessel to honour, and another to dishonour; any more than when, in a providential way, he gives riches and wealth to some, and withholds them from others; or sends his Gospel, the means of grace to one, and not to another: and still less can he be thought to do wrong to the sons of men, by giving to them alike the same grace and privileges here, and the same happiness and glory hereafter; since neither have any right to what they have, or shall enjoy, and no one has the less for what is given to the other.

Didst thou not agree with me for a penny? That is, to labour in the vineyard all the day for a penny; yea, this agreement was made personally with him, not with a servant, or messenger of his; though if it had, it ought, according to the Jewish canons, to have been abode by, which run thus b:

"A man says to his messenger, or servant, go and hire workmen for me for three pence; he goes and hires them for four pence: if the messenger says to them, your wages be upon me, he gives them four pence, and takes three pence of the master of the house; he looses one out of his own purse: if he says to them, your hire be upon the master of the house, the master of the house gives them according to the custom of the province: if there are one in the province that hired for three pence, and others that are hired for four pence, he gives them but three pence, "and the murmuring" is against the messenger; in what things? When the work is not known, but when the work is known, and it is worth four pence, the master of the house gives them four pence; but if his messenger does not say to them four pence, they do not labour and do what deserves four pence. The householder says to him, hire me for four pence, and the messenger goes and hires for three pence, though the work deserves four pence, they have but three pence; because that קבלו על עצמן, "they took it upon themselves", (i.e. they agreed for so much,) and their murmuring is against the messenger.''

Thus the argument in the parable proceeds upon the agreement, which ought to be abode by.

b Maimon. Hilch, Shecirut, c. 9. sect. 3.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Friend, I do thee no wrong - I have fully complied with the contract. We had an agreement: I have paid all that I promised. If I choose to give a penny to another man if he labors little or not at all if I should choose to give all my property away to others, it would not affect this contract with you: it is fully met; and with my own with that on which you have no further claim I may do as I please. So, if Christians are just, and pay their lawful debts, and injure no one, the world has no right to complain if they give the rest of their property to the poor, or devote it to send the gospel to the pagan, or to release the prisoner or the captive. It is their own. They have a right to do with it as they please. They are answerable, not to people, but to God, and infidels, and worldly people, and cold professors in the church have no right to interfere.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Matthew 20:13. Friend, I do thee no wrong — The salvation of the Gentiles can in itself become no impediment to the Jews; there is the same Jesus both for the Jew and for the Greek. Eternal life is offered to both through the blood of the cross; and there is room enough in heaven for all.


 
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