English Standard Version
Matthew 20:22
22Jesus answered, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?" They said to him, "We are able."
Matthew 20:22 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able.
- New International Version (NIV)“You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” “We can,” they answered.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But Jesus answered and said, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” They said to Him, “We are able.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)But Jesus answered by saying to them, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink?” “Oh yes,” they replied, “we are able!”
Context of Matthew 20:22
20Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. 21And 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." Jesus answered, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?" They said to him, "We are able." 23He said to them, "You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father." 24And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers.
Read all of Matthew 20Matthew 20:22 word by word
Ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν· οὐκ οἴδατε τί αἰτεῖσθε. δύνασθε πιεῖν τὸ ποτήριον ὃ ἐγὼ μέλλω πίνειν λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· δυνάμεθα.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Butδέde · thenG1161
- Jesusὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
- answeredἀποκρίνωapokrinomai · to answerG611
- and saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- Ye knowεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
- notοὐou · noG3756
- whatτίςtis · which?G5101
- ye askαἰτέωaiteō · to askG154
- Are ye ableδύναμαιdunamai · be ableG1410
- to drinkπίνωpinō piō poō · to drinkG4095
- of the cupποτήριονpotērion · cupG4221
- thatὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- Iἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- shallμέλλωmellō · to ensueG3195
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- to be baptizedβαπτίζωbaptizō · to baptizeG907
- with the baptismβάπτισμαbaptisma · baptismG908
- They sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- unto himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
Cross-references for Matthew 20:22
- Mark 10:38Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?"
- Romans 8:26Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.
- James 4:3You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.
- Matthew 26:39And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will."
- Psalms 75:3When the earth totters, and all its inhabitants, it is I who keep steady its pillars. Selah
- Jeremiah 25:15Thus the Lord, the God of Israel, said to me: "Take from my hand this cup of the wine of wrath, and make all the nations to whom I send you drink it.
- Mark 14:36And he said, "Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will."
- Luke 22:42saying, "Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done."
- John 18:11So Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?"
- Mark 10:39And they said to him, "We are able." And Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized,
- Luke 12:50I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished!
- Matthew 26:35Peter said to him, "Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!" And all the disciples said the same.
- Proverbs 16:18Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
Commentaries on Matthew 20:22
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 22Ye know not what ye ask - How strange is the infatuation, in some parents, which leads them to desire worldly or ecclesiastical honors for their children! He must be much in love with the cross who wishes to have his child a minister of the Gospel; for, if he be such as God approves of in the work, his life will be a life of toil and suffering; he will be obliged to sip, at least, if not to drink largely, of the cup of Christ. We know not what we ask…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. 22The cup refers to the duty duty, calling, and destiny of Jesus (see Matthew 26:39; John 18:11; also Psalm 75:8; Isaiah 51:17, 22; Revelation 16:19).Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 20:22
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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