Focused Passage

Matthew 20:20-28

The First-Last Kingdom, the Ransom-Giving Son of Man, and Mercy for the Blind

Matthew moves from the parable of equal wages and kingdom generosity, to the first-last reversal, to Jesus’ third passion prediction, to status-seeking by James and John, to Jesus’ teaching on servant greatness, to the climactic ransom saying, and finally to the healing of two blind men who cry to the Son of David for mercy and follow him.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

20Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and knelt down to make a request of Him.

21“What do you want?” He inquired. She answered, “Declare that in Your kingdom one of these two sons of mine may sit at Your right hand, and the other at Your left.”

22“You do not know what you are asking,” Jesus replied. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” “We can,” the brothers answered.

23“You will indeed drink My cup,” Jesus said. “But to sit at My right or left is not Mine to grant. These seats belong to those for whom My Father has prepared them.”

24When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers.

25But Jesus called them aside and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their superiors exercise authority over them.

26It shall not be this way among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,

27and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave—

28just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 20

Original words

ThenΤότεG5119AdverbtheG3588Article - Nominative Feminine SingularmotherμήτηρG3384Noun - Nominative Feminine Singularof Zebedee’sΖεβεδαίουG2199Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular-τῶνG3588Article - Genitive Masculine PluralsonsυἱῶνG5207Noun - Genitive Masculine PluralcameπροσῆλθενG4334Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singularto [Jesus]αὐτῷG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person SingularwithμετὰG3326PrepositionherαὐτῆςG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Feminine 3rd Person Singular-τῶνG3588Article - Genitive Masculine PluralsonsυἱῶνG5207Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural[and] knelt downπροσκυνοῦσαG4352Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Feminine Singular-καὶG2532Conjunctionto make a requestαἰτοῦσάG154Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Feminine Singular. . .τιG5100Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singularofἀπ’G575PrepositionHimαὐτοῦG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Verse 21

Original words

WhatΤίG5101Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singulardo you wantθέλειςG2309Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular-δὲG1161Conjunction-G3588Article - Nominative Masculine SingularHe inquiredεἶπενG2036Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular-αὐτῇG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Feminine 3rd Person SingularShe answeredΛέγειG3004Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular. . .αὐτῷG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person SingularDeclareΕἰπὲG2036Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person SingularthatἵναG2443ConjunctioninἐνG1722PrepositionYourσουG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular-τῇG3588Article - Dative Feminine SingularkingdomβασιλείᾳG932Noun - Dative Feminine SingularoneεἷςG1520Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singularof theseοὗτοιG3778Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine PluraltwoδύοG1417Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural-οἱG3588Article - Nominative Masculine PluralsonsυἱοίG5207Noun - Nominative Masculine Pluralof mineμουG1473Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singularmay sitκαθίσωσινG2523Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person PluralatἐκG1537PrepositionYourσουG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singularright handδεξιῶνG1188Adjective - Genitive Neuter PluralandκαὶG2532Conjunction[the other]εἷςG1520Adjective - Nominative Masculine SingularatἐξG1537PrepositionYourσουG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person SingularleftεὐωνύμωνG2176Adjective - Genitive Neuter Plural
Verse 22

Original words

vvvΟὐκG3756AdverbYou do not knowοἴδατεG1492Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 2nd Person PluralwhatτίG5101Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singularyou are askingαἰτεῖσθεG154Verb - Present Indicative Middle - 2nd Person Plural-δὲG1161Conjunction-G3588Article - Nominative Masculine SingularJesusἸησοῦςG2424Noun - Nominative Masculine SingularrepliedἈποκριθεὶςG611Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular-εἶπενG2036Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularCan youδύνασθεG1410Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person PluraldrinkπιεῖνG4095Verb - Aorist Infinitive ActivetheτὸG3588Article - Accusative Neuter SingularcupποτήριονG4221Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular-G3739Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter SingularIἐγὼG1473Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Singularam goingμέλλωG3195Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singularto drinkπίνεινG4095Verb - Present Infinitive ActiveWe canΔυνάμεθαG1410Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person Plural[the brothers] answeredΛέγουσινG3004Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural. . .αὐτῷG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular

BSB notes

  • BYZ includes or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized. TR is similar.
Verse 23

Original words

vvvμὲνG3303ConjunctionYou will indeed drinkπίεσθεG4095Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 2nd Person PluralMyμουG1473Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular-ΤὸG3588Article - Accusative Neuter SingularcupποτήριόνG4221Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular[Jesus] saidΛέγειG3004Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular-αὐτοῖςG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person PluralButδὲG1161Conjunction-τὸG3588Article - Accusative Neuter Singularto sitκαθίσαιG2523Verb - Aorist Infinitive ActiveatἐκG1537PrepositionMyμουG1473Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person SingularrightδεξιῶνG1188Adjective - Genitive Neuter Plural[or]καὶG2532Conjunction-ἐξG1537PrepositionleftεὐωνύμωνG2176Adjective - Genitive Neuter Plural-τοῦτοG3778Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter SingularisἔστινG1510Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularnotοὐκG3756AdverbMineἐμὸνG1699Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative Neuter 1st Person Singularto grantδοῦναιG1325Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active[These seats belong]ἀλλ’G235Conjunctionto those for whomοἷςG3739Personal / Relative Pronoun - Dative Masculine Plural-ὑπὸG5259PrepositionMyμουG1473Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular-τοῦG3588Article - Genitive Masculine SingularFatherΠατρόςG3962Noun - Genitive Masculine Singularhas prepared themἡτοίμασταιG2090Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular

BSB notes

  • BYZ and TR include and be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized.
Verse 24

Original words

WhenΚαὶG2532ConjunctiontheοἱG3588Article - Nominative Masculine PluraltenδέκαG1176Adjective - Nominative Masculine Pluralheard about [this]ἀκούσαντεςG191Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Pluralthey were indignantἠγανάκτησανG23Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person PluralwithπερὶG4012PrepositiontheτῶνG3588Article - Genitive Masculine PluraltwoδύοG1417Adjective - Genitive Masculine PluralbrothersἀδελφῶνG80Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Verse 25

Original words

ButδὲG1161Conjunction-G3588Article - Nominative Masculine SingularJesusἸησοῦςG2424Noun - Nominative Masculine Singularcalled them asideπροσκαλεσάμενοςG4341Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine Singular. . .αὐτοὺςG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Plural[and] saidεἶπενG2036Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularYou knowΟἴδατεG1492Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 2nd Person PluralthatὅτιG3754ConjunctiontheοἱG3588Article - Nominative Masculine PluralrulersἄρχοντεςG758Noun - Nominative Masculine Pluralof theτῶνG3588Article - Genitive Neuter PluralGentilesἐθνῶνG1484Noun - Genitive Neuter Plurallord it overκατακυριεύουσινG2634Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person PluralthemαὐτῶνG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Neuter 3rd Person PluralandκαὶG2532Conjunction[their]οἱG3588Article - Nominative Masculine PluralsuperiorsμεγάλοιG3173Adjective - Nominative Masculine Pluralexercise authority overκατεξουσιάζουσινG2715Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person PluralthemαὐτῶνG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Neuter 3rd Person Plural
Verse 26

Original words

vvvοὐχG3756AdverbIt shall not beἔσται*G1510Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singularthis wayοὕτωςG3779AdverbamongἐνG1722PrepositionyouὑμῖνG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person PluralInsteadἀλλ’G235ConjunctionwhoeverὃςG3739Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular. . .ἐὰνG1437ConjunctionwantsθέλῃG2309Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singularto becomeγενέσθαιG1096Verb - Aorist Infinitive MiddlegreatμέγαςG3173Adjective - Nominative Masculine SingularamongἐνG1722PrepositionyouὑμῖνG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Pluralmust beἔσταιG1510Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 3rd Person SingularyourὑμῶνG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person PluralservantδιάκονοςG1249Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Verse 27

Original words

andκαὶG2532ConjunctionwhoeverὃςG3739Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular. . .ἂνG302ParticlewantsθέλῃG2309Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singularto beεἶναιG1510Verb - Present Infinitive ActivefirstπρῶτοςG4413Adjective - Nominative Masculine SingularamongἐνG1722PrepositionyouὑμῖνG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Pluralmust beἔσταιG1510Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 3rd Person SingularyourὑμῶνG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person PluralslaveδοῦλοςG1401Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Verse 28

Original words

just asὥσπερG5618AdverbtheG3588Article - Nominative Masculine SingularSonΥἱὸςG5207Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular-τοῦG3588Article - Genitive Masculine Singularof ManἀνθρώπουG444Noun - Genitive Masculine SingularvvvοὐκG3756Adverbdid not comeἦλθενG2064Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singularto be servedδιακονηθῆναιG1247Verb - Aorist Infinitive PassivebutἀλλὰG235Conjunctionto serveδιακονῆσαιG1247Verb - Aorist Infinitive ActiveandκαὶG2532Conjunctionto giveδοῦναιG1325Verb - Aorist Infinitive ActiveHisαὐτοῦG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular-τὴνG3588Article - Accusative Feminine SingularlifeψυχὴνG5590Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular[as] a ransomλύτρονG3083Noun - Accusative Neuter SingularforἀντὶG473PrepositionmanyπολλῶνG4183Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.