Matthew 20:3

And he went out about the third houre, and saw others standing idle in the market place,
- King James Version (1611) - View 1611 Bible Scan

"And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the market place;
- New American Standard Version (1995)

And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing in the marketplace idle;
- American Standard Version (1901)

And he went out about the third hour, and saw others in the market-place doing nothing;
- Basic English Bible

And having gone out about [the] third hour, he saw others standing in the market-place idle;
- Darby Bible

And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the market-place,
- Webster's Bible

About nine o'clock he went out and saw others loitering in the market-place.
- Weymouth Bible

He went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace.
- World English Bible

And he yede out aboute the thridde our, and say othere stondynge idel in the chepyng.
- Wycliffe Bible

`And having gone forth about the third hour, he saw others standing in the market-place idle,
- Youngs Literal Bible

Wesley's Notes for Matthew 20:3

20:1 That some of those who were first called may yet be last, our Lord confirms by the following parable: of which the primary scope is, to show, That many of the Jews would be rejected, and many of the Gentiles accepted; the secondary, That of the Gentiles, many who were first converted would be last and lowest in the kingdom of glory; and many of those who were last converted would be first, and highest therein. The kingdom of heaven is like - That is, the manner of God's proceeding in his kingdom resembles that of a householder. In the morning - At six, called by the Romans and Jews, the first hour. From thence reckoning on to the evening, they called nine, the third hour; twelve, the sixth; three in the afternoon, the ninth; and five, the eleventh. To hire labourers into his vineyard - All who profess to be Christians are in this sense labourers, and are supposed during their life to be working in God's vineyard.

20:2 The Roman penny was about seven pence halfpenny. [About thirteen and three quarter cents, American.] This was then the usual price of a day's labour.