The Request of James and John

35 (A)And James and John, (B)the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us (C)whatever we ask of you.” 36 And he said to them, (D)“What do you want me to do for you?” 37 And they said to him, “Grant us (E)to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, (F)in your glory.” 38 Jesus said to them, (G)“You do not know what you are asking. Are you able (H)to drink the cup that I drink, or (I)to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” 39 And they said to him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, (J)“The cup that I drink (K)you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, (L)you will be baptized, 40 but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, (M)but it is for those for whom it has been (N)prepared.” 41 And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John. 42 (O)And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles (P)lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 But (Q)it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant,[a] 44 and whoever would be first among you must be (R)slave[b] of all. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but (S)to serve, and (T)to give his life as a ransom for (U)many.”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Mark 10:43 Greek diakonos
  2. Mark 10:44 Or bondservant, or servant (for the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface)

A request from James and John

35 James and John, Zebedee’s sons, came to Jesus and said, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”

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

37 They said, “Allow one of us to sit on your right and the other on your left when you enter your glory.”

38 Jesus replied, “You don’t know what you’re asking! Can you drink the cup I drink or receive the baptism I receive?”

39 “We can,” they answered.

Jesus said, “You will drink the cup I drink and receive the baptism I receive, 40 but to sit at my right or left hand isn’t mine to give. It belongs to those for whom it has been prepared.”

41 Now when the other ten disciples heard about this, they became angry with James and John. 42 Jesus called them over and said, “You know that the ones who are considered the rulers by the Gentiles show off their authority over them and their high-ranking officials order them around. 43 But that’s not the way it will be with you. Whoever wants to be great among you will be your servant. 44 Whoever wants to be first among you will be the slave of all, 45 for the Human One[a] didn’t come to be served but rather to serve and to give his life to liberate many people.”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Mark 10:45 Or Son of Man