Mark 10:35-44

Contemporary English Version

The Request of James and John

(Matthew 20.20-28)

³⁵ James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, will you do us a favor?”

³⁶ Jesus asked them what they wanted, ³⁷ and they answered, “When you come into your glory, please let one of us sit at your right side and the other at your left.”^[a]

^38 (A) Jesus told them, “You don't really know what you're asking! Are you able to drink from the cup^[b] that I must soon drink from or be baptized as I must be baptized?”^[c]

³⁹ “Yes, we are!” James and John answered.

Then Jesus replied, “You certainly will drink from the cup from which I must drink. And you will be baptized just as I must! ⁴⁰ But it isn't for me to say who will sit at my right side and at my left. This is for God to decide.”

⁴¹ When the ten other disciples heard this, they were angry with James and John. ^42 (B) But Jesus called the disciples together and said:

You know that those foreigners who call themselves kings like to order their people around. And their great leaders have full power over the people they rule. ^43 (C) But don't act like them. If you want to be great, you must be the servant of all the others. ⁴⁴ And if you want to be first, you must be everyone's slave.