¹⁶ “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves.^(A) Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.^{(B) 17} Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils^(C) and be flogged in the synagogues.^{(D) 18} On my account you will be brought before governors and kings^(E) as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles.

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,^{(A) 27} and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— ²⁸ just as the Son of Man^(B) did not come to be served, but to serve,^(C) and to give his life as a ransom^(D) for many.”

⁵⁰ Jesus replied, “Do what you came for, friend.”^[a](A)

Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him. ⁵¹ With that, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword,^(B) drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.^(C)

⁵² “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.^(D)

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)

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) 28} You are those who have stood by me in my trials. ²⁹ And I confer on you a kingdom,^(E) just as my Father conferred one on me, ³⁰ so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom^(F) and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.^(G)

³⁶ Jesus said, “My kingdom^(A) is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders.^(B) But now my kingdom is from another place.”^(C)

²⁰ But our citizenship^(A) is in heaven.^(B) And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,^(C)

²⁰ We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors,^(A) as though God were making his appeal through us.^(B) We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.^(C)

¹⁷ Since you call on a Father^(A) who judges each person’s work^(B) impartially,^(C) live out your time as foreigners^(D) here in reverent fear.^(E)