MAT 20:16 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not necessarily natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for Bible-translators and others doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still early looks into the drafted texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal Speaker(s)=Yeshua,Narrator (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) “So that’s how the last will be first, and the first will be last.”[ref]

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT In the same way, the last will be first, and the first last.”[fn]

Here, some ancient manuscripts include the words For many are called, but few are chosen.

UST Similarly, people who are unimportant right now will become important. People who are important right now will become unimportant.”

BSB So the last will be first, and the first [will be] last.”[fn]

20:16 BYZ and TR include For many are called, but few are chosen.

MSB So the last will be first, and the first [will be] last. For many are called, but few are chosen.[fn]”

20:16 CT does not include For many are called, but few are chosen.

BLB Thus the last will be first, and the first, last."

AICNT So the last will be first, and the first last. [[For many are called, but few are chosen]]”[fn]

20:16, for many are called, but few are chosen: Included in C(04) D(05) W(032) Latin(a b e ff² h) BYZ TR.

OEB So those who are last will be first, and the first last.’

WEBBE & WMBB So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few are chosen.”

NET So the last will be first, and the first last.”

LSV So the last will be first, and the first last, for many are called, and few chosen.”

FBV In this way the last shall be first and the first shall be last.”

TCNT So the last will be first, and the first will be last. [fn]For many are called, but few are chosen.”

20:16 For many are called, but few are chosen. 97.5% ¦ — CT 1.4%

T4T Then Jesus said to us, “Similarly, God will reward well some people who seem to be less important now, and he will not reward some people who seem to be more important now.”

LEB Thus the last will be first and the first last.”

BBE So the last will be first, and the first last.

Moff So shall the last be first and the first last."

Wymth "So the last shall be first, and the first last."

ASV So the last shall be first, and the first last.

DRA So shall the last be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.

YLT So the last shall be first, and the first last, for many are called, and few chosen.'

Drby Thus shall the last be first, and the first last; for many are called ones, but few chosen ones.

RV So the last shall be first, and the first last.

SLT So shall the last be first, and the first last; for many are called, but few chosen.

Wbstr So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many are called, but few chosen.

KJB-1769 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

KJB-1611 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many bee called, but fewe chosen.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above)

Bshps So the last, shalbe the first, & the first shalbe last: For many be called, but fewe be chosen.
(So the last, shall be the first, and the first shall be last: For many be called, but few be chosen.)

Gnva So the last shalbe first, and the first last: for many are called, but fewe chosen.
(So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many are called, but few chosen.)

Cvdl So the last shalbe the first, & the first the last. For many are called, but few are chosen.
(So the last shall be the first, and the first the last. For many are called, but few are chosen.)

TNT Soo the laste shalbe fyrste and the fyrste shalbe laste. For many are called and feawe be chosen.
(Soo the last shall be first and the first shall be laste. For many are called and few be chosen.)

Wycl So the laste schulen be the firste, and the firste the laste; `for many ben clepid, but fewe ben chosun.
(So the last should be the first, and the first the laste; for many been called, but few been chosen.)

Luth Also werden die Letzten die Ersten, und die Ersten die Letzten sein. Denn viele sind berufen, aber wenige sind auserwählet.
(So become the last_(one) the first_(ones), and the first_(ones) the last_(one) be. Because many are appointed, but few are chosen.)

ClVg Sic erunt novissimi primi, et primi novissimi. Multi enim sunt vocati, pauci vero electi.[fn]
(So they_will_be last first, and first last. Many because are called, a_few indeed/however chosen.)

20.16 Sic erunt novissimi primi. AUG. Id est, Judæi de capite vertentur in caudam: et gentes de cauda in caput. Unde Moyses in Deuteronomii libro: Advena qui tecum moratur, ascendet super te: ille erit in caput, et tu eris in caudam. Sed tamen nec omnes primi nec omnes novissimi ad numerum electorum pertinent.

20.16 So they_will_be last first. AUG. That it_is, Jews from/about head vertentur in/into/on tail: and people/nations from/about tail in/into/on the_head. From_where/who Moses in/into/on Deuteronomy book: Advena who/which with_you moratur, will_go_up over you(sg): he/that_one will_be in/into/on the_head, and you(sg) you_will_be in/into/on tail. But nevertheless but_not everyone first but_not everyone last to the_number of_the_elect pertinent.

UGNT οὕτως ἔσονται οἱ ἔσχατοι πρῶτοι, καὶ οἱ πρῶτοι ἔσχατοι.
(houtōs esontai hoi esⱪatoi prōtoi, kai hoi prōtoi esⱪatoi.)

SBL-GNT οὕτως ἔσονται οἱ ἔσχατοι πρῶτοι καὶ οἱ πρῶτοι ⸀ἔσχατοι.
(houtōs esontai hoi esⱪatoi prōtoi kai hoi prōtoi ⸀esⱪatoi.)

RP-GNT Οὕτως ἔσονται οἱ ἔσχατοι πρῶτοι, καὶ οἱ πρῶτοι ἔσχατοι· πολλοὶ γάρ εἰσιν κλητοί, ὀλίγοι δὲ ἐκλεκτοί.
(Houtōs esontai hoi esⱪatoi prōtoi, kai hoi prōtoi esⱪatoi; polloi gar eisin klaʸtoi, oligoi de eklektoi.)

TC-GNT οὕτως ἔσονται οἱ ἔσχατοι πρῶτοι, καὶ οἱ πρῶτοι ἔσχατοι· [fn]πολλοὶ γάρ εἰσι κλητοί, ὀλίγοι δὲ ἐκλεκτοί.
(houtōs esontai hoi esⱪatoi prōtoi, kai hoi prōtoi esⱪatoi; polloi gar eisi klaʸtoi, oligoi de eklektoi.)

20:16 πολλοι γαρ εισι κλητοι ολιγοι δε εκλεκτοι 97.5% ¦ — ᴄᴛ 1.4%

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 20:1–16: Jesus told a parable about vineyard workers

In this section, Jesus told a parable about some vineyard workers and the man who owned the vineyard. Even though the workers worked for a different number of hours, the owner gave them all the same pay. This parable continues the discussion about rewards for being a disciple (19:27–29). It also helps to explain the meaning of the saying “many who are first will be last, and the last will be first” (19:30). The main point of the parable is about God’s grace. In the kingdom, God gives his servants much more than they deserve. In the kingdom, the values are different than the values here on earth.

Here are some other possible headings for this section:

The story about men who worked in a field of grapes

A story that shows God’s generosity/grace

Rewards for serving God

This parable occurs only in the book of Matthew.

20:16a

So the last will be first,

So those people who are last will be first,
Then Jesus said, “In this way those people who are small/humble now will be big/great in the future.

The words in 20:16 are not part of Jesus’ parable. In some languages, it may be necessary to make this clear. Some ways to do this are to add some words of introduction. For example:

And Jesus concluded (GNT)

Jesus then said (CEV)

So: The Greek word that the BSB translates as So indicates that 20:16 is the conclusion that Jesus made from the parable.

Here are some other ways to translate it:

Therefore

In this way (GW)

the last will be first: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as the last is more literally “the last ones.” It refers to people who are last. They are last in the sense of importance now. As the owner paid the last workers first, God will take those in the world who are lowest in status and make them great in his kingdom.

These words are similar to 19:30b. You should translate it in a similar way here. For example:

people who are last will be first

people who are low/humble now will become high/great

those who have the last place now will have the first place in the future (NCV)

The Greek does not necessarily imply that all who are last will be first. You should avoid words like “all” or “everyone” or even “many” here. In 19:30, the Greek has the word translated “many,” but here it does not. However, if translating without a word like “many” implies “all,” then you may want to use the word “many” from 19:30.

20:16b

and the first will be last.”

and those people who are first will be last.”
Those people who are big/great now will be small/humble in the future.”

and the first will be last: Some later Greek manuscripts include the clause “for many are called but few chosen.” The editors of the UBS Greek New Testament judged this clause most likely added by copyists who were thinking about the close of the parable in 22:14. Thus the editors decided with their highest confidence that this clause was not original and did not include it in the UBS Greek text. The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as the first is more literally “the first ones.” It refers to people who are first. They are first in the sense of most importance now. But in the future, they will be last in importance.

These words are similar to 19:30a. You should translate it in a similar way here. For example:

and people who are first will be last

and people who are high/great now will become low/humble

and those who have the first place now will have the last place in the future (NCV)

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

οὕτως

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Οὕτως ἔσονται οἱ ἔσχατοι πρῶτοι καί οἱ πρῶτοι ἔσχατοι)

Here, the phrase In the same way introduces how Jesus applies the story he just told. You could include this information if that would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [Just as in that story] or [Here is what that story means:]

ἔσονται οἱ ἔσχατοι πρῶτοι, καὶ οἱ πρῶτοι ἔσχατοι

will_be the last first (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Οὕτως ἔσονται οἱ ἔσχατοι πρῶτοι καί οἱ πρῶτοι ἔσχατοι)

See how you translated the similar sentence in [19:30](../19/30.md). This sentence switches the order and does not include the word “many,” so make sure you include those differences.

Note 2 topic: translate-textvariants

(Occurrence 2) ἔσχατοι

last

Some ancient manuscripts do not include any words after last. The ULT follows that reading. Other ancient manuscripts include the words “For many are called, but few are chosen” after the word last. If a translation of the Bible exists in your region, you may wish to use the reading that it uses. If a translation of the Bible does not exist in your region, you may wish to use the reading of the ULT.

Parallel MAT 20:16

Section 20:1–16: Jesus told a parable about vineyard workers

20:16a

20:16b