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Matthew 20:20-28
New International Version
Matthew 20:20-28
New International Version
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.”
Matthew 20:20-28
New King James Version
Matthew 20:20-28
New King James Version
Greatness Is Serving(A)
20 (B)Then the mother of (C)Zebedee’s sons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him.
21 And He said to her, “What do you wish?”
She said to Him, “Grant that these two sons of mine (D)may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom.”
22 But Jesus answered and said, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink (E)the cup that I am about to drink, [a]and be baptized with (F)the baptism that I am baptized with?”
They said to Him, “We are able.”
23 So He said to them, (G)“You will indeed drink My cup, [b]and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father.”
24 (H)And when the ten heard it, they were greatly displeased with the two brothers. 25 But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. 26 Yet (I)it shall not be so among you; but (J)whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. 27 (K)And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave— 28 (L)just as the (M)Son of Man did not come to be served, (N)but to serve, and (O)to give His life a ransom (P)for many.”
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- Matthew 20:22 NU omits and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with
- Matthew 20:23 NU omits and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with
Matthew 20:20-28
New Living Translation
Matthew 20:20-28
New Living Translation
Jesus Teaches about Serving Others
20 Then the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus with her sons. She knelt respectfully to ask a favor. 21 “What is your request?” he asked.
She replied, “In your Kingdom, please let my two sons sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left.”
22 But Jesus answered by saying to them, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink?”
“Oh yes,” they replied, “we are able!”
23 Jesus told them, “You will indeed drink from my bitter cup. But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. My Father has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen.”
24 When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. 25 But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 26 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. 28 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
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Matthew 20:20-28
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Matthew 20:20-28
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Request of the Mother of James and John
20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, and kneeling before him, she asked a favor of him.(A) 21 And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Declare that these two sons of mine will sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.”(B) 22 But Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?”[a] They said to him, “We are able.”(C) 23 He said to them, “You will indeed drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left, this is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”(D)
24 When the ten heard it, they were angry with the two brothers.(E) 25 But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them.(F) 26 It will not be so among you, but whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant,(G) 27 and whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave, 28 just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many.”(H)
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- 20.22 Other ancient authorities add or to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE)
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.