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Matthew 20:6
ESV And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’
NIV About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’
NASB And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing around; and he *said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day long?’
CSB Then about five he went and found others standing around and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day doing nothing?’
NLT At five o’clock that afternoon he was in town again and saw some more people standing around. He asked them, ‘Why haven’t you been working today?’
KJV And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?
NKJV And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day?’

What does Matthew 20:6 mean?

The master of the house in Jesus' story has spent the entire day hiring temporary labor, day workers, to help with the work of his vineyard. This parable is about the kingdom of heaven, and the vineyard represents the work of the kingdom in this life for those who follow Jesus. It's also about the reward they will receive when their work is done.

The master hired the first group early in the morning, agreeing to pay a denarius in exchange for a full day's work. He has returned to the marketplace to find more willing workers every three hours, at 9 a.m., noon, and 3 p.m. He has agreed to pay each of them "whatever is right" (Matthew 20:4).

Now it is the eleventh hour and there is still work to be done in the vineyard. The eleventh hour is 5 p.m., and the workday commonly ends at around 6 p.m. In apparent desperation, the master returns to the marketplace once more and seems surprised to find more available workers. He asks why they have spent all day just standing around. They will reply that nobody has hired them (Matthew 20:7).
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