Mark 10:35-45
Expanded Bible
Two Followers Ask Jesus a Favor(A)
35 Then James and John, sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and said, “Teacher, we want ·to ask you to do something for us [you to do whatever we ask].”
36 Jesus asked, “What do you want me to do for you?”
37 They answered, “Let one of us sit at your right side and one of us sit at your left side in your glory [C the messianic kingdom].”
38 Jesus said, “You don’t understand what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I must drink? And can you be baptized with the same kind of baptism that I must go through?” [C Both “cup” and “baptism” symbolize suffering, and perhaps God’s judgment experienced by Jesus on the cross; Jer. 25:15–29.]
39 They answered, “Yes, we can.”
Jesus said to them, “You will drink the same cup that I will drink, and you will be baptized with the same baptism that I must go through. 40 But ·I cannot choose [it is not for me to grant/say] who will sit at my right or my left; those places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”
41 When ·the other ten followers [L the ten] heard this, they began to be ·angry [indignant] with James and John.
42 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of ·other nations [the Gentiles] love to ·show their power [lord it] over the people, and their ·important leaders [high officials; L great ones] love to ·use [exert] their authority [L over them]. 43 But it ·should not be [must not be; is not to be] that way among you. [Instead, L But] Whoever wants to become great among you must ·serve the rest of you like a servant [L be your servant]. 44 Whoever wants to become the first among you must ·serve all of you like a slave [L be your slave]. 45 In the same way, the Son of Man did not come to be served. He came to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many people [Is. 53:12; John 11:49–50].”
Read full chapter
Matthew 20:20-28
Expanded Bible
A Mother Asks Jesus a Favor(A)
20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee [C James and John] came to Jesus with her sons. She ·bowed [knelt] before him and asked ·him to do something for her [a favor of him].
21 Jesus asked, “What do you want?”
She said, “·Promise [Grant; Declare; L Say] that one of my sons will sit at your right ·side [hand] and the other will sit at your left side in your kingdom [C the positions of highest authority beside the king].”
22 But Jesus said, “You don’t understand what you are asking. ·Can you [Are you able to] drink the cup [C symbolizing suffering, and perhaps God’s judgment experienced by Jesus on the cross; Jer. 25:15–29] that I am about to drink?”
The sons answered, “Yes, we ·can [are able].”
23 Jesus said to them, “You will drink from my cup. But ·I cannot choose [it is not for me to grant/say] who will sit at my right or my left; those places belong to those for whom my Father has prepared them.”
24 When the other ten ·followers [disciples] heard this, they were ·angry [indignant] with the two brothers.
25 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the ·Gentiles [nations] love to ·show their power [lord it] over the people. And their ·important leaders [high officials; L great ones] love to ·use [exert] their authority [L over them]. 26 But it ·should not be [must not be; is not to be] that way among you. [Instead, L But] Whoever wants to become great among you must ·serve the rest of you like a servant [L be your servant]. 27 Whoever wants to become first among you must ·serve all of you like a slave [L be slave of all]. 28 In the same way, the Son of Man did not come to be served. He came to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many people [Is. 53:12; John 11:49–50].”
Read full chapterThe Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
