Matthew 20:4 Meaning and Explanation
“And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →He sends these workers into the vineyard too, promising to give them whatever is right, and they go.
What Does Matthew 20:4 Mean?
To this second group the master gives no fixed figure. Instead of naming a wage, he pledges, whatsoever is right I will give you, and asks them to trust his fairness. They have no bargaining position, yet they go their way into the vineyard, resting on his character rather than on a stated sum.
Here the parable shifts from contract to trust. The first workers labored on agreed terms; these labor on the master's promise to do what is right. That is often how God calls. We are not always shown the full measure of the reward; we are asked to believe that the One who calls us is just and good, and to step into the work on the strength of who He is. Faith takes Him at His word that He will do right.
Matthew 20:4 in the Original Language
dikaios (δίκαιος), 'right' -- that which is just and fair, conforming to what is owed.
Frequently Asked Questions About Matthew 20:4
What does Matthew 20:4 mean?
He sends these workers into the vineyard too, promising to give them whatever is right, and they go.