# Matthew 20.26-28

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-06-01 | updated: 2026-06-01 -->

**Book:** [Matthew](/codex/matthew-the-apostle/) · NASB95

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 24. <span class="rl-speech">And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation concerning the two brethren.</span> 25. But Jesus called them unto him, and said, <span class="rl-speech">Ye know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.</span>
>
> **26. <span class="rl-speech">Not so shall it be among you: but whosoever would become great among you shall be your minister;</span> 27. <span class="rl-speech">and whosoever would be first among you shall be your servant:</span> 28. <span class="rl-speech">even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.</span>**
>
> 29. And as they went out from Jericho, a great multitude followed him. 30. And behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, Lord, have mercy on us, thou son of David. (Matthew 20:24-30, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 24. <span class="rl-speech">When the ten heard it, they were indignant with the two brothers.</span> 25. But Jesus summoned them, and said, <span class="rl-speech">“You know that the rulers of the nations lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.</span>
>
> **26. <span class="rl-speech">It shall not be so among you, but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant.</span> 27. <span class="rl-speech">Whoever desires to be first among you shall be your bondservant,</span> 28. <span class="rl-speech">even as the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”</span>**
>
> 29. As they went out from Jericho, a great multitude followed him. 30. Behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, “Lord, have mercy on us, you son of David!” (Matthew 20:24-30, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 24. <span class="rl-speech">And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren.</span> 25. But Jesus called them unto him, and said, <span class="rl-speech">Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.</span>
>
> **26. <span class="rl-speech">But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;</span> 27. <span class="rl-speech">And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:</span> 28. <span class="rl-speech">Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.</span>**
>
> 29. And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed him. 30. And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David. (Matthew 20:24-30, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 24. <span class="rl-speech">And the ten having heard, were much displeased with the two brothers,</span> 25. <span class="rl-speech">and Jesus having called them near, said, 'Ye have known that the rulers of the nations do exercise lordship over them, and those great do exercise authority over them,</span>
>
> **26. <span class="rl-speech">but not so shall it be among you, but whoever may will among you to become great, let him be your ministrant;</span> 27. <span class="rl-speech">and whoever may will among you to be first, let him be your servant;</span> 28. <span class="rl-speech">even as the Son of Man did not come to be ministered to, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.'</span>**
>
> 29. And they going forth from Jericho, there followed him a great multitude, 30. and lo, two blind men sitting by the way, having heard that Jesus doth pass by, cried, saying, 'Deal kindly with us, sir, Son of David.' (Matthew 20:24-30, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** _TBD_
- **Audience:** _TBD_
- **Location:** _TBD_
- **Time period:** _TBD_

## Theological reading

_Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added._

## Key words

_Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word; see Lexicon Roadmap._

- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_

<!-- BACKLINKS:START -->
## Quoted in

**Arguments and defeaters:**

- [Harm-Reduction Cannot Ground Morality (Defeater)](/codex/harm-reduction-cannot-ground-morality-defeater/)
- [Isaiah 14 Reverse Slavery Prophecy Objection Defeater](/codex/isaiah-14-reverse-slavery-prophecy-objection-defeater/), via [Matthew 20.25-28](/codex/matthew-20-25-28/)

**Concepts:**

- [Atonement Theory Spread](/codex/atonement-theory-spread/), via [Matthew 20.25-28](/codex/matthew-20-25-28/)
- [Black People Shouldnt Be Christian](/codex/black-people-shouldnt-be-christian/), via [Matthew 20.25-28](/codex/matthew-20-25-28/)
- [Christianity in Africa](/codex/christianity-in-africa/), via [Matthew 20.25-28](/codex/matthew-20-25-28/)
- [Jesus Said](/codex/jesus-said/), via [Matthew 20.18-28](/codex/matthew-20-18-28/)
- [Papal Bulls and Slavery](/codex/papal-bulls-and-slavery/), via [Matthew 20.25-28](/codex/matthew-20-25-28/)

**People:**

- [James the Greater](/codex/james-the-greater/), via [Matthew 20.20-28](/codex/matthew-20-20-28/)

**Lexicon:**

- [G3083 - lytron](/codex/g3083-lytron/), via [Matthew 20.28](/codex/matthew-20-28/)
- [H5650 - ebed](/codex/h5650-ebed/)

<!-- BACKLINKS:END -->
---

_Scripture quotations taken from the **New American Standard Bible®** (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by **The Lockman Foundation**. Used by permission. All rights reserved. [www.lockman.org](https://www.lockman.org)_

## Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

- **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.