The Request of James and John

35 (A)And James and John, (B)the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us (C)whatever we ask of you.” 36 And he said to them, (D)“What do you want me to do for you?” 37 And they said to him, “Grant us (E)to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, (F)in your glory.” 38 Jesus said to them, (G)“You do not know what you are asking. Are you able (H)to drink the cup that I drink, or (I)to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” 39 And they said to him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, (J)“The cup that I drink (K)you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, (L)you will be baptized, 40 but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, (M)but it is for those for whom it has been (N)prepared.” 41 And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John. 42 (O)And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles (P)lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 But (Q)it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant,[a] 44 and whoever would be first among you must be (R)slave[b] of all. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but (S)to serve, and (T)to give his life as a ransom for (U)many.”

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 10:43 Greek diakonos
  2. Mark 10:44 Or bondservant, or servant (for the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface)

The Request of James and John(A)

35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”

36 “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.

37 They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”(B)

38 “You don’t know what you are asking,”(C) Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup(D) I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”(E)

39 “We can,” they answered.

Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with,(F) 40 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.”

41 When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. 42 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,(G) 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve,(H) and to give his life as a ransom for many.”(I)

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