Mark 10:45

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.””

Mark 10:45 · direct translation from the Greek
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He says why he came: not to be served but to serve and give his life as a ransomWho Jesus IsWhoever wants to be great must serve; the Son of Man came to serveHumility and Service

With the Greek beneath

45

Mark 10:45, word by word

the Sonυἱὸςhuios

Son

Jesus, the Son of God.

Where else “huios” appears
of Manἀνθρώπουanthrōpou

Son of Man

"The Son of Man": what Jesus calls himself.

Where else “anthrōpou” appears
comeἦλθενēlthen

come

To move to where someone is or to a place, and be present there.

Where else “ēlthen” appears
to be servedδιακονηθῆναιdiakonēthēnai

serve

To take care of others, help with their needs.

Where else “diakonēthēnai” appears
to giveδοῦναιdounai

give

To hand something to another freely, as a gift.

Where else “dounai” appears
his lifeψυχὴνpsychēn

life

Literally "soul": one's being alive, which can be saved, lost or given.

Where else “psychēn” appears
as a ransomλύτρονlytron

ransom

Ransom: the price paid to set a slave or a prisoner free.

Where else “lytron” appears
forἀντὶanti

instead of

As a swap for: "eye for eye".

Where else “anti” appears
manyπολλῶνpollōn

many

A great number of people or things.

Where else “pollōn” appears

Parallel passages

Other books that tell the same thing or quote these words.

The request of Zebedee's sons

Matthew 20:20-28Luke 22:24-27

Luke 22 tells a similar dispute at the supper, not the same request.

See them side by side

Mark 10:35-45

35And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come up to him, saying to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask you.” 36But he said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?” 37And they said to him, “Grant us that we may sit, one at your right and one at your left, in your glory.” 38But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I drink, or be immersed with the immersion with which I am immersed?” 39And they said to him, “We can.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the immersion with which I am immersed you will be immersed; 40but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to grant; rather, it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” 41And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John. 42And summoning them, Jesus says to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the nations lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43But it is not so among you; rather, whoever wants to become great among you will be your servant, 44and whoever wants to be first among you will be the slave of all. 45For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Matthew 20:20-28

20Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, bowing down and asking something of him. 21And he said to her, “What do you want?” She says to him, “Say that these two sons of mine may sit, one at your right and one at your left, in your kingdom.” 22But Jesus answered and said, “You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?” They say to him, “We can.” 23He says to them, “My cup you will drink, but to sit at my right and at my left is not mine to give, 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. 25But Jesus summoned them and said, “You know that the rulers of the nations lord it over them, and the great ones exercise authority over them. 26It will not be so among you; but whoever wants to become great among you will be your servant, 27and whoever wants to be first among you will be your slave; 28just as the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Luke 22:24-27

24And there arose also a dispute among them as to which of them seemed to be the greatest. 25And he said to them, “The kings of the nations lord it over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called benefactors. 26But you are not so; rather let the greatest among you become like the youngest, and the one who leads like the one who serves. 27For who is greater, the one who reclines at table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves.

The context

44and whoever wants to be first among you will be the slave of all.

45 · This verse (above)

46And they come to Jericho. And as he was leaving from Jericho with his disciples and a large crowd, the son of Timaeus, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting beside the road.

Read all of Mark 10

To study Mark 10 in a group

  1. 1. What it says

    What did Jesus tell the rich man who ran up to him, and what did the man do (vv. 21–22)?

  2. 2. What it means

    Why did Jesus say whoever wants to be great must serve, and give his own life as the example (vv. 43–45)?

  3. 3. How I live it

    The blind man cried out for mercy and Jesus heard him (vv. 47–52). What need of yours can you voice without shame?

How to use it