20:2a

He agreed to pay them: The laborers were employed for only one day at a time. So each time that a landowner wanted workers, he would discuss with them and agree upon a wage for that particular day.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

He made an agreement with the workers (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
After agreeing with the laborers for (English Standard Version)
-or-
The man agreed to pay the workers (New Century Version)

a denarius for the day: A denarius was a Roman coin made of silver. It was the usual wage for a full day of work on a farm.

The plural form of this word occurs in 18:28. Translate it here in the same way you did there.

Here are some ways to translate this word:

• Transliterate the Greek word denarius and add a descriptive phrase. For example:

a denarius money/coin

• Use a descriptive phrase. For example:

a silver coin (Good News Translation)

• Use a descriptive phrase. For example:

the usual amount for a day’s work (Contemporary English Version)

To help your readers understand what is going on here, you may wish to add a footnote such as this:

A denarius was a Roman silver coin. It was the usual wage for a full day’s work.

20:2b

sent them into his vineyard: This clause implies that the master first described the work that he wanted the laborers to do. Then he sent them to do it.

Here is another way to translate this clause:

he sent them to work in his vineyard (God’s Word)

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