Matthew 20:22-34

22Jesus said to them, ‘You do not understand what you are asking for. I will have much pain and trouble. Are you ready to have the same pain?’ James and John replied, ‘Yes, we can do that.’

23Jesus said to them, ‘Yes, that is true. You will have pain and trouble like mine. But I cannot promise that you will sit at my right side or at my left side. My Father God has chosen the people who will sit there. He has prepared the places for those people.’

24When the other ten disciples heard about this, they were angry with the two brothers.

25Then Jesus told all the 12 disciples to come to him. He said to them, ‘You know the things that rulers of other countries do. They show that they have great power over their people. The leaders of those countries use great authority over their people.

26But you should not be like that. The person who wants to be great among you must become your servant.

27The person who wants to be the most important person among you must work hard for everyone else.

28Even the Son of Man himself came to earth to be a servant to other people. He did not come here to have servants who must work for him. No, he came to die so that many people can be free.’

29Later, Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho. A large crowd of people followed him.

30Two men were sitting at the side of the road. They were blind. But they heard that Jesus was walking past them. So they shouted, ‘Master! Son of David! Please be kind to us and help us.’

31The people who were in the crowd were angry with them. They told them that they should be quiet. But the men shouted even louder, ‘Master! Son of David! Please help us!’

32Jesus stopped there. He asked the two men, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’

33‘Sir,’ the men replied, ‘we want to see again.’

34Jesus felt sorry for the two men. He touched their eyes and immediately the men could see again. So they followed Jesus along the road.