Mark 10:35-45
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Request of James and John
35 James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” 36 And he said to them, “What is it you want me to do for you?” 37 And they said to him, “Appoint us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.”(A) 38 But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?”(B) 39 They replied, “We are able.” Then Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized you will be baptized,(C) 40 but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to appoint, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”
41 When the ten heard this, they began to be angry with James and John. 42 So Jesus called them and said to them, “You know that among the gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. 43 But it is not so among you; instead, whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant,(D) 44 and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. 45 For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many.”(E)
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Mark 10:35-45
Contemporary English Version
The Request of James and John
(Matthew 20.20-28)
35 James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, will you do us a favor?”
36 Jesus asked them what they wanted, 37 and they answered, “When you come into your glory, please let one of us sit at your right side and the other at your left.”[a]
38 (A) Jesus told them, “You don't really know what you're asking! Are you able to drink from the cup[b] that I must soon drink from or be baptized as I must be baptized?”[c]
39 “Yes, we are!” James and John answered.
Then Jesus replied, “You certainly will drink from the cup from which I must drink. And you will be baptized just as I must! 40 But it isn't for me to say who will sit at my right side and at my left. This is for God to decide.”
41 When the ten other disciples heard this, they were angry with James and John. 42 (B) But Jesus called the disciples together and said:
You know that those foreigners who call themselves kings like to order their people around. And their great leaders have full power over the people they rule. 43 (C) But don't act like them. If you want to be great, you must be the servant of all the others. 44 And if you want to be first, you must be everyone's slave. 45 (D) The Son of Man did not come to be a slave master, but a slave who will give his life to rescue[d] many people.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 10.37 right side … left: The most powerful people in a kingdom sat at the right and left side of the king.
- 10.38 drink from the cup: In the Scriptures a “cup” is sometimes used as a symbol of suffering. To “drink from the cup” would be to suffer.
- 10.38 as I must be baptized: Baptism is used with the same meaning that “cup” has in this verse.
- 10.45 rescue: The Greek word often, though not always, means the payment of a price to free a slave or a prisoner.
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