New Living Translation
Matthew 20:23
23Jesus told them, “You will indeed drink from my bitter cup. But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. My Father has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen.”
Matthew 20:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.
- New International Version (NIV)Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)He 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."
- New King James Version (NKJV)So He said to them, “You will indeed drink My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father.”
Context of Matthew 20:23
21“What is your request?” he asked. She replied, “In your Kingdom, please let my two sons sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left.” 22But 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!” Jesus told them, “You will indeed drink from my bitter cup. But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. My Father has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen.” 24When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. 25But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them.
Read all of Matthew 20Matthew 20:23 word by word
λέγει αὐτοῖς· τὸ μὲν ποτήριόν μου πίεσθε τὸ δὲ καθίσαι ἐκ δεξιῶν μου καὶ ἐξ εὐωνύμων οὐκ ἔστιν ἐμὸν τοῦτο δοῦναι, ἀλλ᾽ οἷς ἡτοίμασται ὑπὸ τοῦ πατρός μου.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- he saithλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- unto themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- Ye shall drinkπίνωpinō piō poō · to drinkG4095
- indeedμένmen · on the other handG3303
- ofποτήριονpotērion · cupG4221
- myἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- be baptizedβαπτίζωbaptizō · to baptizeG907
- with the baptismβάπτισμαbaptisma · baptismG908
- thatὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- butδέde · thenG1161
- to sitκαθίζωkathizō · to seatG2523
- onἐκek ex · out fromG1537
- right handδεξιόςdexios · rightG1188
- leftεὐώνυμοςeuōnumos · left/southG2176
- isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- notοὐou · noG3756
- mineἐμόςemos · mineG1699
- to giveδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
- butἀλλάalla · butG235
- it is preparedἑτοιμάζωhetoimazō · to make readyG2090
- ofὑπόhupo · by/under: byG5259
- Fatherπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
Cross-references for Matthew 20:23
- Acts 12:2He had the apostle James (John’s brother) killed with a sword.
- Romans 8:17And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.
- 2 Corinthians 1:7We are confident that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in the comfort God gives us.
- Colossians 1:24I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I am participating in the sufferings of Christ that continue for his body, the church.
- 2 Timothy 2:11This is a trustworthy saying: If we die with him, we will also live with him.
- Revelation 1:9I, John, am your brother and your partner in suffering and in God’s Kingdom and in the patient endurance to which Jesus calls us. I was exiled to the island of Patmos for preaching the word of God and for my testimony about Jesus.
- Matthew 25:34“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world.
- Mark 10:40But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. God has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen.”
- 1 Corinthians 2:9That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”
- Hebrews 11:16But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
Commentaries on Matthew 20:23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23Is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for wham it is prepared of my Father - The common translation, in which the words, it shall be given to them; are interpolated by our translators, utterly changes and destroys the meaning of the passage. It represents Christ (in opposition to the whole Scriptures) as having nothing to do in the dispensing of rewards and punishments; whereas, our Lord only intimates that, however partial he may be to these…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. 23You will indeed: James eventually died for his faith (Acts 12:2). John suffered severe persecution (Acts 4:3; 5:40; Revelation 1:9).Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 20:23
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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