But he answered one of them, ‘Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Did you not agree with me on one denarius?
Parallel translations
- WEB “But he answered one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Didn’t you agree with me for a denarius?
- KJV But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?
- NKJV But he answered one of them and said, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius?
- NASB 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?
- NLT “He answered one of them, ‘Friend, I haven’t been unfair! Didn’t you agree to work all day for the usual wage?
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The landowner answers one worker, calling him 'friend,' and points out that he has done him no wrong. The master has fully kept his agreement.
Overview
The master gently but firmly reminds the complainer that he received exactly what was promised—a denarius. No injustice has been done; the grievance is really about generosity shown to others. This defends the truth that God's grace to some takes nothing away from what others justly receive.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Matt 22:12‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ But the man was speechless.
- Matt 26:50“Friend,” Jesus replied, “do what you came for.” Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus, and arrested Him.
- Rom 9:14–15What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Certainly not!
- Job 40:8Would you really annul My justice? Would you condemn Me to justify yourself?
- Job 35:2“Do you think this is just? You say, ‘I am more righteous than God.’
- Job 34:17–18Could one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn the just and mighty One,
- Job 34:8–12He keeps company with evildoers and walks with wicked men.
- Gen 18:25Far be it from You to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Will not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?”
- Rom 9:20But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to Him who formed it, “Why did You make me like this?”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 20:13 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.