Penny

A penny sounds small, yet in the Gospels it is a day’s wage. In Matthew 20 a landowner hires workers at dawn, mid-morning, noon and late afternoon, and at evening pays each one a penny. Those who began first grumble, and he answers, “Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?” Other verses use the same coin to measure large sums: ointment worth “more than three hundred pence,” and the disciples’ question about buying two hundred pennyworth of bread. Jesus tells the vineyard story to show how generous the master of the house is, and readers still wrestle with its fairness.

16 verses

Matthew

Matthew 20:2

And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.

Matthew 20:3

And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,

Matthew 20:4

And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.

Matthew 20:5

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

Matthew 20:6

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?

Matthew 20:7

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.

Matthew 20:8

So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.

Matthew 20:9

And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.

Matthew 20:10

But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.

Matthew 20:11

And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,

Matthew 20:12

Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.

Matthew 20:13

But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?

Matthew 20:14

Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.

Mark

Mark 6:37

He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat?

Mark 14:5

For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her.

Luke

Luke 7:41

There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.

From Easton's Bible Dictionary

Matthew George Easton, 1897

(Gr. denarion), a silver coin of the value of about 7 1/2d. or 8d. of our present money. It is thus rendered in the New Testament, and is more frequently mentioned than any other coin (Matt. 18:28; 20:2, 9, 13; Mark 6:37; 14:5, etc.). It was the daily pay of a Roman soldier in the time of Christ. In the reign of Edward III. an English penny was a labourer’s day’s wages. This was the “tribute money” with reference to which our Lord said, “Whose image and superscription is this?” When they answered, “Caesar’s,” he replied, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s” (Matt. 22:19; Mark 12:15).

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Based on Nave's Topical Bible by Orville J. Nave (1896). Dictionary entries from Easton's Bible Dictionary. Public domain. KJV scripture text, public domain.