Matthew 20:20-28
English Standard Version
A Mother's Request
20 (A)Then (B)the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and (C)kneeling before him she asked him for something. 21 And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Say that these two sons of mine (D)are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, (E)in your kingdom.” 22 Jesus answered, (F)“You do not know what you are asking. Are you able (G)to drink the cup that I am to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” 23 He said to them, (H)“You will drink (I)my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, (J)but it is for those for whom it has been (K)prepared by my Father.” 24 And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers. 25 But Jesus called them to him and said, (L)“You know that the rulers of the Gentiles (M)lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 26 (N)It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant,[a] 27 and whoever would be first among you must be your slave,[b] 28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but (O)to serve, and (P)to give his life as a ransom for (Q)many.”
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- Matthew 20:26 Greek diakonos
- Matthew 20:27 Or bondservant, or servant (for the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface)
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?
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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.