A Mother’s Request^(A)

²⁰ Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons^(B) came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down,^(C) 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.”^(D)

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

“We can,” they answered.

²³ Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup,^(F) 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^(G) 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,^{(H) 27} and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— ²⁸ just as the Son of Man^(I) did not come to be served, but to serve,^(J) and to give his life as a ransom^(K) for many.”

¹⁶ For God so loved^(A) the world that he gave^(B) his one and only Son,^(C) that whoever believes^(D) in him shall not perish but have eternal life.^(E)

²⁸ And we know that in all things God works for the good^(A) of those who love him, who^[a] have been called^(B) according to his purpose.^{(C) 29} For those God foreknew^(D) he also predestined^(E) to be conformed to the image of his Son,^(F) that he might be the firstborn^(G) among many brothers and sisters. ³⁰ And those he predestined,^(H) he also called;^(I) those he called, he also justified;^(J) those he justified, he also glorified.^(K)

More Than Conquerors

³¹ What, then, shall we say in response to these things?^(L) If God is for us,^(M) who can be against us?^{(N) 32} He who did not spare his own Son,^(O) but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?