Matthew 20:6 Meaning and Explanation
“And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Near the end of the workday the landowner finds others still idle and asks why they have stood there unemployed all day.
What Does Matthew 20:6 Mean?
The eleventh hour is about five in the afternoon, with only one hour of daylight left. That the master goes out even now is striking; the working day is nearly over. He finds people who have stood waiting the entire day, and his question is not a rebuke but an inquiry into their plight.
The phrase the eleventh hour has entered our speech to mean the last possible moment, and that is its force here. No one is too late for this master. Those who feel they have wasted the day, who have nothing to show and assume the chance has passed, hear the question that opens a door rather than closing one. God meets people at the eleventh hour of their lives and still calls them into meaningful work and reward.
Matthew 20:6 in the Original Language
argos (ἀργός), 'idle' -- unemployed or unoccupied, standing without work to do.
Frequently Asked Questions About Matthew 20:6
What does Matthew 20:6 mean?
Near the end of the workday the landowner finds others still idle and asks why they have stood there unemployed all day.