Add parallel Print Page Options

Third Prediction of Jesus’ Death and Resurrection

17 As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve[a] aside privately and said to them on the way, 18 “Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the experts in the law.[b] They will condemn him to death, 19 and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged severely[c] and crucified.[d] Yet[e] on the third day, he will be raised.”

A Request for James and John

20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, and kneeling down she asked him for a favor.[f] 21 He said to her, “What do you want?” She replied,[g] “Permit[h] these two sons of mine to sit, one at your[i] right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” 22 Jesus[j] answered, “You don’t know what you are asking![k] Are you able to drink the cup I am about to drink?”[l] They said to him, “We are able.”[m] 23 He told them, “You will drink my cup,[n] but to sit at my right and at my left is not mine to give. Rather, it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”

24 Now[o] when the other ten[p] heard this,[q] they were angry with the two brothers. 25 But Jesus called them and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in high positions use their authority over them. 26 It must not be this way among you! Instead whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave[r] 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom[s] for many.”

Two Blind Men Healed

29 As they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed them. 30 Two[t] blind men were sitting by the road. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they shouted,[u] “Have mercy[v] on us, Lord, Son of David!”[w] 31 The[x] crowd scolded[y] them to get them to be quiet. But they shouted even more loudly, “Lord, have mercy on us,[z] Son of David!” 32 Jesus stopped, called them, and said, “What do you want me to do for you?” 33 They said to him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.” 34 Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 20:17 tc ‡ Several key witnesses along with the majority of mss (e.g., B C N W Δ 085 33 565 579 700 1241 M lat syh samss) have μαθητάς (mathētas, “disciples”) after τοὺς δώδεκα (tous dōdeka, “the twelve”); still other authorities have μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ (mathētas autou, “his disciples”; Γ 13 892c 1424 it syp samss) after δώδεκα. The personal pronoun is a clarifying addition, but all these mss also throw their weight toward the μαθητάς reading. Other significant witnesses lack the word (e.g. א D L Θ ƒ1, 13 892* sys,c bo Or). Up until this point in the Gospel, Matthew speaks of “the twelve” always with qualification (“twelve disciples,” “twelve apostles,” “these twelve”; cf. Matt 10:1, 2, 5; 11:1), but afterward just as “the twelve” (Matt 26:14, 20, 47). Thus, in spite of the strong external evidence, both longer variants look to be scribal clarifications, and hence are considered secondary. NA28 puts μαθητὰς in brackets to show doubts about its authenticity.
  2. Matthew 20:18 tn Or “and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
  3. Matthew 20:19 tn Traditionally, “scourged” (the term means to beat severely with a whip, L&N 19.9). BDAG 620 s.v. μαστιγόω 1.a states, “The ‘verberatio’ is denoted in the passion predictions and explicitly as action by non-Israelites Mt 20:19; Mk 10:34; Lk 18:33”; the verberatio was the beating given to those condemned to death in the Roman judicial system. Here the term μαστιγόω (mastigoō) has been translated “flog…severely” to distinguish it from the term φραγελλόω (phragelloō) used in Matt 27:26; Mark 15:15.
  4. Matthew 20:19 sn Crucifixion was the cruelest form of punishment practiced by the Romans. Roman citizens could not normally undergo it. It was reserved for the worst crimes, like treason and evasion of due process in a capital case. The Roman historian Cicero called it “a cruel and disgusting penalty” (Against Verres 2.5.63-66 §§163-70); Josephus (J. W. 7.6.4 [7.203]) called it the worst of deaths.
  5. Matthew 20:19 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “yet” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
  6. Matthew 20:20 tn Grk “asked something from him.”
  7. Matthew 20:21 tn Grk “said to him.”
  8. Matthew 20:21 tn Grk “Say that.”
  9. Matthew 20:21 tc A majority of witnesses read σου (sou, “your”) here, perhaps as a clarifying addition. At the same time, it is possible that the pronoun dropped out through haplography or was excised because of perceived redundancy (there are two other such pronouns in the verse) by א B. All things considered, σου is most likely authentic.
  10. Matthew 20:22 tn Grk “And answering, Jesus said.” This is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
  11. Matthew 20:22 tn The verbs in Greek are plural here, indicating that Jesus is not answering the mother but has turned his attention directly to the two disciples.
  12. Matthew 20:22 tc Most mss (C N W Γ Δ 33 565 579 700 1241 1424 M al, as well as some versional and patristic authorities) add “or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” But this is surely due to a recollection of the fuller version of this dominical saying found in Mark 10:38. The same mss also have the Lord’s response, “and you will be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized” in v. 23, again due to the parallel in Mark 10:39. The shorter reading, in both v. 22 and v. 23, is to be preferred both because it better explains the rise of the other reading and is found in superior witnesses (א B D L Z Θ 085 ƒ1, 13 lat sa, as well as other versional and patristic authorities).
  13. Matthew 20:22 sn No more naïve words have ever been spoken as those found here coming from James and John, “We are able.” They said it with such confidence and ease, yet they had little clue as to what they were affirming. In the next sentence Jesus confirms that they will indeed suffer for his name.
  14. Matthew 20:23 tc See the tc note on “about to drink” in v. 22.
  15. Matthew 20:24 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
  16. Matthew 20:24 tn Grk “the ten.”
  17. Matthew 20:24 tn The word “this” is not in the Greek text, but is supplied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
  18. Matthew 20:27 tn See the note on the word “slave” in 8:9.
  19. Matthew 20:28 sn The Greek word for ransom (λύτρον, lutron) is found here and in Mark 10:45 and refers to the payment of a price in order to purchase the freedom of a slave. The idea of Jesus as the “ransom” is that he paid the price with his own life by standing in our place as a substitute, enduring the judgment that we deserved for sin.
  20. Matthew 20:30 tn Grk “And behold.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
  21. Matthew 20:30 tn Grk “shouted, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant here in contemporary English and has not been translated.
  22. Matthew 20:30 sn Have mercy on us is a request for healing. It is not owed to the men. They simply ask for God’s kind grace.
  23. Matthew 20:30 sn There was a tradition in Judaism that the Son of David (Solomon) had great powers of healing (Josephus, Ant. 8.2.5 [8.42-49]).
  24. Matthew 20:31 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
  25. Matthew 20:31 tn Or “rebuked.” The crowd’s view was that surely Jesus would not be bothered with someone as unimportant as a blind beggar.
  26. Matthew 20:31 tc ‡ The majority of mss (C N W Γ Δ ƒ1 33 565 1241 1424 M and several versional witnesses) read κύριε (kurie, “Lord”) after ἐλέησον ἡμᾶς (eleēson hēmas, “have mercy on us”). But since this is the order of words in v. 30 (though that wording is also disputed), and since the κύριε-first reading enjoys widespread and early support (א B D L Z Θ 085 0281 ƒ13 892 lat syp samss bo; SBL), the latter was considered to be the earliest reading. However, the decision was by no means easy. NA28 has κύριε after ἐλέησον ἡμᾶς here; a majority of that committee felt that since the placement of κύριε in last place was the nonliturgical order it “would have been likely to be altered in transcription to the more familiar sequence” (TCGNT 44).