Matthew 20:25

“But 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.”

Matthew 20:25 · direct translation from the Greek
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25

Matthew 20:25, word by word

JesusἸησοῦςIēsous

Jesus

Jesus, the Greek form of the Hebrew Yehoshua (Joshua), which means "YHWH saves". It is the name the angel told Joseph to give him (Matthew 1:21).

Where else “Iēsous” appears
summonedπροσκαλεσάμενοςproskalesamenos

summon

Call to oneself, summon.

Where else “proskalesamenos” appears
and saidεἶπενeipen

say

To express something in words to others.

Where else “eipen” appears
“You knowΟἴδατεOidate

know

To hold a fact as certain, to be aware of it.

Where else “Oidate” appears
the rulersἄρχοντεςarchontes

ruler

Someone in command: a ruler, a judge or the one presiding over a synagogue.

Where else “archontes” appears
of the nationsἐθνῶνethnōn

Gentile

The peoples who are not Israel.

Where else “ethnōn” appears
lord it overκατακυριεύουσινkatakyrieuousin

lord it over

Rule over, dominate others; overpower.

Where else “katakyrieuousin” appears
the great onesμεγάλοιmegaloi

greater

Of greater importance or rank than the rest.

Where else “megaloi” appears
exercise authority overκατεξουσιάζουσινkatexousiazousin

exercise authority

Exercise authority over, rule harshly.

Where else “katexousiazousin” appears

Parallel passages

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

The request of Zebedee's sons

Mark 10:35-45Luke 22:24-27

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

See them side by side

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.”

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.”

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

24And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers.

25 · This verse (above)

26It will not be so among you; but whoever wants to become great among you will be your servant,

Read all of Matthew 20

To study Matthew 20 in a group

  1. 1. What it says

    How much did the vineyard owner pay the workers, both those hired in the morning and those in the evening (vv. 9–10)?

  2. 2. What it means

    What does the owner's reply teach: “Is your eye evil because I am good?” (v. 15)?

  3. 3. How I live it

    Jesus says whoever wants to be great must serve (vv. 26–28). Whom can you serve today expecting nothing back?

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