The Meaning of Matthew 20:7 Explained

Matthew 20:7

KJV: They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.

YLT: they say to him, Because no one did hire us; he saith to them, Go ye -- ye also -- to the vineyard, and whatever may be righteous ye shall receive.

Darby: They say to him, Because no man has hired us. He says to them, Go also ye into the vineyard and whatsoever may be just ye shall receive.

ASV: They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

They say  unto him,  Because  no man  hath hired  us.  He saith  unto them,  Go  ye  also  into  the vineyard;  and  whatsoever  is  right,  [that] shall ye receive. 

What does Matthew 20:7 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

What do the individual words in Matthew 20:7 mean?

They say to him Because no one us has hired He says to them Go also You into the vineyard and whatever . . . may be right you shall receive
Λέγουσιν αὐτῷ Ὅτι οὐδεὶς ἡμᾶς ἐμισθώσατο Λέγει αὐτοῖς Ὑπάγετε καὶ ὑμεῖς εἰς τὸν ἀμπελῶνα ⧼καὶ ἐὰν δίκαιον λήψεσθε⧽

Λέγουσιν  They  say 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
αὐτῷ  to  him 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
Ὅτι  Because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
οὐδεὶς  no  one 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: οὐδείς 
Sense: no one, nothing.
ἡμᾶς  us 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Accusative 1st Person Plural
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
ἐμισθώσατο  has  hired 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Singular
Root: μισθόω  
Sense: to let out for hire.
Λέγει  He  says 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
αὐτοῖς  to  them 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
Ὑπάγετε  Go 
Parse: Verb, Present Imperative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: ὑπάγω  
Sense: to lead under, bring under.
καὶ  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: καί  
Sense: and, also, even, indeed, but.
εἰς  into 
Parse: Preposition
Root: εἰς  
Sense: into, unto, to, towards, for, among.
ἀμπελῶνα  vineyard 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: ἀμπελών  
Sense: a vineyard.
  whatever 
Parse: Personal / Relative Pronoun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: ὅς 
Sense: who, which, what, that.
ἐὰν  .  .  . 
Parse:
Root: ἐάν 
Sense: if, in case.
  may  be 
Parse: Verb, Present Subjunctive Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: εἰμί  
Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present.
δίκαιον  right 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: δίκαιος  
Sense: righteous, observing divine laws.
λήψεσθε⧽  you  shall  receive 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Middle, 2nd Person Plural
Root: λαμβάνω  
Sense: to take.