Matthew 20:3 - An Understandable Version (2005 edition) He went out about nine o’clock in the morning and saw other unemployed laborers standing [around] in the open shopping market. More versionsKing James Version (Oxford) 1769 And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, Amplified Bible - Classic Edition And going out about the third hour (nine o'clock), he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; American Standard Version (1901) And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing in the marketplace idle; Common English Bible “Then he went out around nine in the morning and saw others standing around the marketplace doing nothing. Catholic Public Domain Version And going out about the third hour, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace. Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version And going about the third hour, he saw others standing in the market place idle. |
When he had agreed with the workers [on wages] for the usual farm laborer’s pay for a day’s work, he [then] sent them to work in his vineyard. [Note: The coin mentioned here would amount to about $9.00, based on the average farm laborer’s hourly wage in 2005. [National Agricultural Statistics Service, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Feb. 2005]. This coin also forms the basis for calculating all other monetary references in the New Testament].
He said to them, ‘You men also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So, they went to work.
It was nine o’clock in the morning and they crucified Him. [Note: John 19:14 indicates that the crucifixion took place about noon. This can be harmonized if we take Mark’s account to mean when the entire process began].
But when the girl’s slave-owners saw that their prospects for income [from her activities] were [now] gone, they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them to the open shopping market, in front of the authorities.
For these men [i.e., the twelve apostles] are not drunk as you suppose, since it is only nine o'clock in the morning. [Note: The use of Jewish time calculations are employed in this verse].
And on top of that, they learn to be idle, going around from house to house; and not only idle, but also gossips and busybodies, talking about things they should not be.
We do not want you people to be [spiritually] slack, but to imitate those who will inherit [God’s] promises because of their faith and patience.