Matthew 20:3 bbe — And he went out about the third hour, and saw others in the market-place doing nothing;

Bible in Basic English

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

— Matthew 20:3, Bible in Basic English

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Matthew 20:3 in Other Translations

3 versions All translations

KJV
“And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,”
King James Version · Read this chapter in KJV
ASV
“And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing in the marketplace idle; ”
American Standard Version · Read this chapter in ASV
WEB
“He went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace.”
World English Bible · Read this chapter in WEB

Matthew 20 — Context

For the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a house, who went out early in the morning to get workers into his vine-garden.

And when he had made an agreement with the workmen for a penny a day, he sent them into his vine-garden.

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

And he said to them, Go into the vine-garden with the others, and whatever is right I will give you. And they went to work.

Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did the same.

And about the eleventh hour he went out and saw others doing nothing; and he says to them, Why are you here all the day doing nothing?

Matthew 20:3 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions

What does Matthew 20:3 say?

Matthew 20:3 in the Bible in Basic English reads: “And he went out about the third hour, and saw others in the market-place doing nothing;”

Where is Matthew 20:3 in the Bible?

Matthew 20:3 is found in the New Testament, in the book of Matthew, chapter 20, verse 3.

Who wrote Matthew?

Matthew is traditionally attributed to Matthew (Levi), tax-collector turned apostle. It was written c. AD 50–70.

What is the book of Matthew about?

Matthew presents Jesus as the long-awaited Jewish Messiah — son of David, son of Abraham, fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets. Structured around five great teaching blocks including the Sermon on the Mount, it ends with the risen King commissioning his disciples to make disciples of all nations.

What are the major themes of Matthew?

Matthew explores themes including Kingdom of Heaven, Messiah, Fulfillment, Discipleship, Great Commission. These themes shape the meaning and context of Matthew 20:3.

What translation should I read Matthew 20:3 in?

Matthew 20:3 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.

How can I memorize Matthew 20:3?

Matthew 20:3 reads (BBE): “And he went out about the third hour, and saw others in the market-place doing nothing;” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.

Matthew 20:3 bbe — And he went out about the third hour, and saw others in the market-place doing nothing;

Read in Another Translation

Matthew 20:3 in Other Translations

Matthew 20 — Context

Matthew 20:3 — Frequently Asked Questions

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