⁹ I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us.

⁷ Since an overseer^(A) manages God’s household,^(B) he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain.^{(C) 8} Rather, he must be hospitable,^(D) one who loves what is good,^(E) who is self-controlled,^(F) upright, holy and disciplined. ⁹ He must hold firmly^(G) to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine^(H) and refute those who oppose it.

Rebuking Those Who Fail to Do Good

¹⁰ For there are many rebellious people, full of meaningless talk^(I) and deception, especially those of the circumcision group.^{(J) 11} They must be silenced, because they are disrupting whole households^(K) by teaching things they ought not to teach—and that for the sake of dishonest gain. ¹² One of Crete’s own prophets^(L) has said it: “Cretans^(M) are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.”^{[a] 13} This saying is true. Therefore rebuke^(N) them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith^{(O) 14} and will pay no attention to Jewish myths^(P) or to the merely human commands^(Q) of those who reject the truth.^{(R) 15} To the pure, all things are pure,^(S) but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure.^(T) In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted.^{(U) 16} They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him.^(V) They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.^(W)

²⁴ A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest.^{(A) 25} Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. ²⁶ But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest,^(B) and the one who rules like the one who serves.^{(C) 27} For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.^(D)

⁴⁸ Then he said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.^(A) For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest.”^(B)

The Request of James and John^(A)

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.”^(B)

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

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,^{(F) 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,^{(G) 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,^(H) and to give his life as a ransom for many.”^(I)

³⁴ But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.^(A)

⁴ They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.^(A)

⁵ “Everything they do is done for people to see:^(B) They make their phylacteries^[a](C) wide and the tassels on their garments^(D) long; ⁶ they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues;^{(E) 7} they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others.^(F)

⁸ “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers.

⁴⁰ “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me,^(A) and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.^{(B) 41} Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. ⁴² And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”^(C)

⁸ We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth.