Matthew 20:8

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.

7 ‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered. So he told them, ‘You also go into my vineyard.’

When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, starting with the last ones hired and moving on to the first.’

9 The workers who were hired about the eleventh hour came and each received a denarius.

10 So when the original workers came, they assumed they would receive more. But each of them also received a denarius.

Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, starting with the last ones hired and moving on to the first.’
KJV
So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.
WEB
“When evening had come, the lord of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning from the last to the first.’
ASV
And when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the laborers, and pay them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.
DARBY
But when the evening was come, the lord of the vineyard says to his steward, Call the workmen and pay [them] their wages, beginning from the last even to the first.
BLB
And evening having come, the master of the vineyard says to his foreman, ‘Call the workmen and pay them the wages, having begun from the last, up to the first.’
ÅB
Men da det var blitt kveld sa vingårdens eier til forvalteren: ‘Kall på arbeiderne og gi dem lønnen deres. Begynn med de siste og avslutt med de første!’
OTB
Da kvelden kom, sa eieren av vingården til forvalteren sin: 'Kall på arbeiderne og betal dem lønnen, begynn med de siste og slutt med de første.'
B1930
Men da det var blitt aften, sa vingårdens herre til sin forvalter: Kall arbeiderne frem og gi dem deres lønn; begynn med de siste og end med de første!

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Deuteronomy 24:15

    You are to pay his wages each day before sunset, because he is poor and depends on them. Otherwise he may cry out to the LORD against you, and you will be guilty of sin.

    Read in context
  • 1 Peter 4:10

    As good stewards of the manifold grace of God, each of you should use whatever gift he has received to serve one another.

    Read in context
  • Romans 2:6–10

    God “will repay each one according to his deeds.”

    Read in context
  • 2 Corinthians 5:10

    For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive his due for the things done in the body, whether good or bad.

    Read in context
  • Titus 1:7

    As God’s steward, an overseer must be above reproach—not self-absorbed, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not greedy for money.

    Read in context
  • Luke 8:3

    Joanna the wife of Herod’s household manager Chuza, Susanna, and many others. These women were ministering to them out of their own means.

    Read in context
  • Genesis 15:2

    But Abram replied, “O Lord GOD, what can You give me, since I remain childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?”

    Read in context
  • Genesis 43:19

    So they approached Joseph’s steward and spoke to him at the entrance to the house.

    Read in context