Matthew 20:5 Meaning and Explanation
“Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →At noon and at mid-afternoon the landowner goes out yet again and hires still more workers on the same terms.
What Does Matthew 20:5 Mean?
The sixth hour is noon, the ninth hour about three in the afternoon. Twice more the master interrupts his day to seek laborers, and twice more he sends them out with the same pledge to deal rightly with them. The repetition underscores how persistently he keeps coming back to the marketplace.
The rhythm of the story is the rhythm of grace: again, and again, and again. There is no moment in the working day when the master decides the harvest is closed to newcomers. However late the hour of a person's life, however much of the day already seems spent, the call still goes out. God's seeking is not a single event but a steady, repeated reaching toward all who are still standing without purpose.
Frequently Asked Questions About Matthew 20:5
What does Matthew 20:5 mean?
At noon and at mid-afternoon the landowner goes out yet again and hires still more workers on the same terms.