The Way of the Cross

³⁴ Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.^{(A) 35} For whoever wants to save their life^[a] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.^{(B) 36} What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? ³⁷ Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? ³⁸ If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man^(C) will be ashamed of them^(D) when he comes^(E) in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

Jesus Predicts His Death a Third Time^(A)

³² They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve^(B) aside and told them what was going to happen to him. ³³ “We are going up to Jerusalem,”^(C) he said, “and the Son of Man^(D) will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law.^(E) They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, ³⁴ who will mock him and spit on him, flog him^(F) and kill him.^(G) Three days later^(H) he will rise.”^(I)

The Request of James and John^(J)

³⁵ Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”

³⁶ “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.

³⁷ They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”^(K)

³⁸ “You don’t know what you are asking,”^(L) Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup^(M) I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”^(N)

³⁹ “We can,” they answered.

Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with,^{(O) 40} but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”

⁴¹ When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. ⁴² Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. ⁴³ Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,^{(P) 44} and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. ⁴⁵ For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve,^(Q) and to give his life as a ransom for many.”^(R)

²⁴ Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.^{(A) 25} For whoever wants to save their life^[a] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.^{(B) 26} What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?

Jesus Predicts His Death a Third Time^(A)

¹⁷ Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them, ¹⁸ “We are going up to Jerusalem,^(B) and the Son of Man^(C) will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law.^(D) They will condemn him to death ¹⁹ and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged^(E) and crucified.^(F) On the third day^(G) he will be raised to life!”^(H)

A Mother’s Request^(I)

²⁰ Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons^(J) came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down,^(K) asked a favor of him.

²¹ “What is it you want?” he asked.

She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”^(L)

²² “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup^(M) I am going to drink?”

“We can,” they answered.

²³ Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup,^(N) but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.”

²⁴ When the ten heard about this, they were indignant^(O) with the two brothers. ²⁵ Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. ²⁶ Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,^{(P) 27} and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— ²⁸ just as the Son of Man^(Q) did not come to be served, but to serve,^(R) and to give his life as a ransom^(S) for many.”

²³ Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.^{(A) 24} For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.^{(B) 25} What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?