Christian Standard Bible
Matthew 20:21
21“What do you want?” he asked her. “Promise,” she said to him, “that these two sons of mine may sit, one on your right and the other on your left, in your kingdom.”
Matthew 20:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom.
- New International Version (NIV)“What is it you want?” he asked. She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And he said to her, "What do you want?" She said to him, "Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom."
- New King James Version (NKJV)And He said to her, “What do you wish?” She said to Him, “Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom.”
Context of Matthew 20:21
19They will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked, flogged, and crucified, and on the third day he will be raised.” 20Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons approached him with her sons. She knelt down to ask him for something. “What do you want?” he asked her. “Promise,” she said to him, “that these two sons of mine may sit, one on your right and the other on your left, in your kingdom.” 22Jesus answered, “You don’t know what you’re asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?” “We are able,” they said to him. 23He told them, “You will indeed drink my cup, but to sit at my right and left is not mine to give; instead, it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”
Read all of Matthew 20Matthew 20:21 word by word
Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτῇ· τί θέλεις; λέγει αὐτῷ· εἰπὲ ἵνα καθίσωσιν οὗτοι οἱ δύο υἱοί μου εἷς ἐκ δεξιῶν σου καὶ εἷς ἐξ εὐωνύμων σου ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ σου.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Andδέde · thenG1161
- he saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- unto herαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- Whatτίςtis · which?G5101
- wilt thouθέλωthelō ethelō · to will/desireG2309
- She saithλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
- theseοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- myἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- twoδύοduo · twoG1417
- sonsυἱόςuihos · sonG5207
- may sitκαθίζωkathizō · to seatG2523
- the oneεἷςheis · oneG1520
- onἐκek ex · out fromG1537
- thyσύsu · youG4771
- right handδεξιόςdexios · rightG1188
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- the leftεὐώνυμοςeuōnumos · left/southG2176
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- kingdomβασιλείαbasileia · kingdomG932
Cross-references for Matthew 20:21
- Matthew 20:32Jesus stopped, called them, and said, “What do you want me to do for you?”
- 1 Kings 3:5At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream at night. God said, “Ask. What should I give you?”
- Esther 5:3“What is it, Queen Esther?” the king asked her. “Whatever you want, even to half the kingdom, will be given to you.”
- Mark 6:22When Herodias’s own daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. The king said to the girl, “Ask me whatever you want, and I’ll give it to you.”
- Mark 10:36“What do you want me to do for you?” he asked them.
- Luke 18:41“What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord,” he said, “I want to see.”
- John 15:7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you.
- Matthew 18:1At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “So who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
- Matthew 19:28Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, in the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
- Jeremiah 45:5But as for you, do you pursue great things for yourself? Stop pursuing! For I am about to bring disaster on all humanity” — this is the Lord’s declaration — “but I will grant you your life like the spoils of war wherever you go.”’”
- Mark 10:37They answered him, “Allow us to sit at your right and at your left in your glory.”
- Luke 22:24Then a dispute also arose among them about who should be considered the greatest.
- Romans 12:10Love one another deeply as brothers and sisters. Take the lead in honoring one another.
- Philemon 1:2to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church that meets in your home.
- 1 Kings 2:19So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him about Adonijah. The king stood up to greet her, bowed to her, sat down on his throne, and had a throne placed for the king’s mother. So she sat down at his right hand.
- Psalms 45:9Kings’ daughters are among your honored women; the queen, adorned with gold from Ophir, stands at your right hand.
Commentaries on Matthew 20:21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21Grant that these my two sons - James and John. See Mark 15:40. In the preceding chapter, Matthew 19:28, our Lord had promised his disciples, that they should sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes. Salome, probably hearing of this, and understanding it literally, came to request the chief dignities in this new government for her sons; and it appears it was at their instigation that she made this request, for Mark, Mark 10:35, informs us that…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20-28Verses 20-28 See also Mark 10:35-45. Matthew 20:20 Then came to him give mother of Zebedee‘s children - This was probably Salome, Mark 15:40; Mark 16:1. With her sons - The names of these sons were James and John, Mark 10:35 Mark says they came and made the request. That is, they made it, as appears from Matthew, through the medium of their mother; they requested her to ask it for them. It is not improbable that she was an ambitious woman, and was…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 20-28Verses 20-28 The sons of Zebedee abused what Christ said to comfort the disciples. Some cannot have comforts but they turn them to a wrong purpose. Pride is a sin that most easily besets us; it is sinful ambition to outdo others in pomp and grandeur. To put down the vanity and ambition of their request, Christ leads them to the thoughts of their sufferings. It is a bitter cup that is to be drunk of; a cup of trembling, but not the cup of the wicked. It is…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21Jesus had already promised positions of authority in God’s kingdom to the disciples (Matthew 19:28). The request of the two brothers came from selfish desire to be important, without concern for the suffering the Messiah would soon face (see Matthew 23:6; Luke 14:7–11).Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 20:21
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Matthew 20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Catena Aurea
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- John Lightfoot Commentary
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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