Matthew 20:23-28

20:23 He told them, “You will drink my cup, ¹  but to sit at my right and at my left is not mine to give. Rather, it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”

20:24 Now ²  when the other ten ³  heard this, ⁴  they were angry with the two brothers. 20:25 But Jesus called them and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in high positions use their authority over them. 20:26 It must not be this way among you! Instead whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, 20:27 and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave ⁵  – 20:28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom ⁶  for many.”

[20:23]  ¹ tc See the tc note on “about to drink” in v. 22.

[20:24]  ² tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.

[20:24]  ³ tn Grk “the ten.”

[20:24]  ⁴ tn The word “this” is not in the Greek text, but is supplied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

[20:27]  ³ tn See the note on the word “slave” in 8:9.

[20:28]  ⁴ sn The Greek word for ransom (λύτρον, lutron) is found here and in Mark 10:45 and refers to the payment of a price in order to purchase the freedom of a slave. The idea of Jesus as the “ransom” is that he paid the price with his own life by standing in our place as a substitute, enduring the judgment that we deserved for sin.