Old/New Testament
The request of James and John
32 They were on the road, going up to Jerusalem. Jesus was walking ahead of them; they were amazed, and the people following were afraid.
Again he took the Twelve aside and began to tell them what was going to happen to him. 33 “Look,” he said, “we’re going up to Jerusalem. The son of man will be handed over to the chief priests and the legal experts, and they will condemn him to death, and hand him over to the pagans. 34 They will taunt him and spit at him and flog him and kill him—and after three days he will rise again.”
35 James and John, Zebedee’s sons, came up to him.
“Teacher,” they said, “we want you to grant us whatever we ask.”
36 “What do you want me to do for you?” asked Jesus.
37 “Grant us,” they said, “that when you’re there in all your glory, one of us will sit at your right, and the other at your left.”
38 “You don’t know what you’re asking for!” Jesus replied. “Can you drink the cup I’m going to drink? Can you receive the baptism I’m going to receive?”
39 “Yes,” they said, “we can.”
“Well,” said Jesus, “you will drink the cup I drink; you will receive the baptism I receive. 40 But sitting at my right hand or my left—that’s not up to me. It’s been assigned already.”
41 When the other ten disciples heard, they were angry with James and John. 42 Jesus called them to him.
“You know how it is in the pagan nations,” he said. “Think how their so-called rulers act. They lord it over their subjects. The high and mighty ones boss the rest around. 43 But that’s not how it’s going to be with you. Anyone who wants to be great among you must become your servant. 44 Anyone who wants to be first must be everyone’s slave. 45 Don’t you see? The son of man didn’t come to be waited on. He came to be the servant, to give his life ‘as a ransom for many.’ ”
Jesus heals a blind beggar
46 They came to Jericho. As Jesus, his disciples and a substantial crowd were leaving the town, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the road. 47 When he heard it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out: “Son of David! Jesus! Take pity on me!”
48 Lots of people told him crossly to be quiet. But he shouted out all the louder, “Son of David—take pity on me!”
49 Jesus came to a stop. “Call him,” he said.
So they called the blind man.
“Cheer up,” they said, “and get up. He’s calling you.”
50 He flung his cloak aside, jumped up, and came to Jesus.
Jesus saw him coming. 51 “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.
“Teacher,” the blind man said, “let me see again.”
52 “Off you go,” said Jesus. “Your faith has saved you.” And immediately he saw again, and he followed him on the way.
Scripture quotations from The New Testament for Everyone are copyright © Nicholas Thomas Wright 2011, 2018, 2019.