Suffering and Service

²⁰ Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons approached Him with her sons.^(A) She knelt down to ask Him for something.^{(B) 21} “What do you want?” He asked her.

“Promise,”^[a] she said to Him, “that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right and the other on Your left, in Your kingdom.”^(C)

²² But Jesus answered, “You don’t know what you’re asking. Are you able to drink the cup^[b] that I am about to drink?”^[c](D)

“We are able,” they said to Him.

²³ He told them, “You will indeed drink My cup.^[d] But to sit at My right and left is not Mine to give; instead, it belongs to those for whom it has been prepared by My Father.”^{(E) 24} When the 10 disciples heard this, they became indignant with the two brothers. ²⁵ But Jesus called them over and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles dominate them, and the men of high position exercise power over them. ²⁶ It must not be like that among you. On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,^{(F) 27} and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave; ²⁸ just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve,^(G) and to give His life—a ransom for many.”^(H)