The Meaning of Matthew 20:13 Explained

Matthew 20:13

KJV: But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?

YLT: 'And he answering said to one of them, Comrade, I do no unrighteousness to thee; for a denary didst not thou agree with me?

Darby: But he answering said to one of them, My friend, I do not wrong thee. Didst thou not agree with me for a denarius?

ASV: But he answered and said to one of them, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a shilling?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But  he answered  one  of them,  and said,  Friend,  I do  thee  no  wrong:  didst  not  thou agree  with me  for a penny? 

What does Matthew 20:13 Mean?

Context Summary

Matthew 20:1-16 - The Bargaining Spirit Rebuked
This parable originated in Peter's question. He had seen the rich young man go away sorrowful, because he could not meet the test which had been put to him; and he contrasted with that great refusal the swift willingness with which he and his fellow Apostles had left all to follow the Lord Jesus.
"Take care," said Jesus, "or your bargaining for the rewards of the Kingdom, will put you down among the lowest; while they who don't bargain will come out at the top." The last made no agreement; they came in at the eleventh hour, and were only too glad to take the vineyard path, leaving the vine owner to give what he thought right. The first "agreed," taking care to strike a bargain of so much money for so much work. But they would have done better if they had left the payment to the grace of their employer. "For this cause it is of faith, that it may be according to grace, to the end that the promise may be sure to all the seed," Romans 4:16, r.v. [source]

Chapter Summary: Matthew 20

1  Jesus, by the parable of the laborers in the vineyard, shows that God is debtor unto no man;
17  foretells his passion;
20  by answering the mother of Zebedee's children, teaches his disciples to be humble;
29  and gives two blind men their sight

Greek Commentary for Matthew 20:13

To one of them [ενι αυτων]
Evidently the spokesman of the group. “Friend” Comrade. So a kindly reply to this man in place of an address to the whole gang. Genesis 31:40; Job 27:21; Hosea 13:15. The word survives in modern Greek. [source]
One []
Representing the whole body. [source]
Friend [ἑταῖρε]
Lit., companion, comrade. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Matthew 20:13

John 6:7 Two hundred pennyworth of bread [διακοσιων δηναριων αρτοι]
“Loaves of two hundred denarii.” The Roman coin originally for ten asses (afterwards sixteen), about 16-2/3 cents. The denarius was the usual pay for a day‘s labour (Matthew 20:2, Matthew 20:9, Matthew 20:13). This item in Mark 6:37, but not in Matthew or Luke. That every one may take a little Final clause with ινα — hina and second aorist active subjunctive of λαμβανω — lambanō This detail in John alone. [source]

What do the individual words in Matthew 20:13 mean?

- And answering to one of them he said Friend not I do wrong you Not for a denarius did you agree with me
δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς ἑνὶ αὐτῶν εἶπεν Ἑταῖρε οὐκ ἀδικῶ σε οὐχὶ δηναρίου συνεφώνησάς μοι

  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἀποκριθεὶς  answering 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Passive, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἀποκρίνομαι  
Sense: to give an answer to a question proposed, to answer.
ἑνὶ  to  one 
Parse: Adjective, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: εἷς  
Sense: one.
αὐτῶν  of  them 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
εἶπεν  he  said 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λέγω  
Sense: to speak, say.
Ἑταῖρε  Friend 
Parse: Noun, Vocative Masculine Singular
Root: ἑταῖρος  
Sense: a comrade, mate, partner.
ἀδικῶ  I  do  wrong 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: ἀδικέω  
Sense: absolutely.
δηναρίου  for  a  denarius 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Neuter Singular
Root: δηνάριον  
Sense: A Roman silver coin in NT time.
συνεφώνησάς  did  you  agree  with 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 2nd Person Singular
Root: συμφωνέω  
Sense: to agree together.
μοι  me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.