Matthew 20:28

Matthew 20:28 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
• English Standard Version (ESV)even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
• New King James Version (NKJV)just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
• New Living Translation (NLT)For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Context of Matthew 20:28

26Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” 29As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. 30Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

Matthew 20:28 word by word

ὥσπερ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου οὐκ ἦλθεν διακονηθῆναι ἀλλὰ διακονῆσαι καὶ δοῦναι τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ λύτρον ἀντὶ πολλῶν.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Even asὥσπερhōsper · just asG5618
• the Sonὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the Sonυἱόςuihos · sonG5207
• of manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
• cameἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• notοὐou · noG3756
• to be ministered untoδιακονέωdiakoneō · to serveG1247
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• to giveδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• lifeψυχήpsuchē · soul: lifeG5590
• a ransomλύτρονlutron · ransomG3083
• forἀντίanti · forG473
• manyπολύςpolus polos · muchG4183

Cross-references for Matthew 20:28

• Luke 22:27For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.
• John 13:4so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.
• Philippians 2:4not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
• Hebrews 5:8Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered
• Job 33:24and he is gracious to that person and says to God, ‘Spare them from going down to the pit; I have found a ransom for them—
• Psalms 49:7No one can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for them—
• Isaiah 53:5But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.
• Daniel 9:24“Seventy ‘sevens’ are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy Place.
• John 10:15just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.
• John 11:50You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”
• Romans 3:24and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
• Galatians 3:13Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.”
• Ephesians 1:7In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace
• Ephesians 5:2and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
• 1 Timothy 2:6who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time.
• Hebrews 9:28so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

Commentaries on Matthew 20:28

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 28A ransom for many - , or a ransom instead of many, - one ransom, or atonement, instead of the many prescribed in the Jewish law. Mr. Wakefield contends for the above translation, and with considerable show of reason and probability. The word is used by the Septuagint for the Hebrew פדיו , pidion, the ransom paid for a man's life: see Exodus 21:30; Numbers 3:49-51; and is used Numbers 35:31, where a satisfaction (Hebrew כפר copher, an atonement) for the…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. 28The phrase the Son of Man … come: This expression suggests that Jesus already existed before his birth on earth. It points back to Daniel’s vision of the Son of Man coming from heaven to receive authority and glory (see Daniel 7:13–14). as a ransom for many: Jesus said he would freely give his life as a payment to rescue many people. His death brought freedom from the power and penalty of sin (see Matthew 26:26–29; Isaiah 53:10–12; Romans 3:24). In this…Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 20:28

• Atonement
• Commandments
• Example
• Fellowship
• Jesus, the Christ
• Life
• Man
• Minister, Christian
• Ransom
• Redemption

In the dictionaries

• Son of man
• Agree
• Choose
• Condemn
• Drink
• Idle
• Perseverance of the saints
• Prepare
• Ransom
• Redemption

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