# Matthew 20.26

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-11-04 | updated: 2026-11-04 -->

**Book:** [Matthew](/codex/matthew/) · 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> (Matthew 20:24-28, 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> (Matthew 20:24-28, 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> (Matthew 20:24-28, 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> (Matthew 20:24-28, 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._

- None of the words in this verse has its own lexicon entry yet.


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

**Arguments and defeaters:**

- [Christianity Is Brainwashing Objection Defeater](/codex/christianity-is-brainwashing-objection-defeater/), via [Matthew 20.25-28](/codex/matthew-20-25-28/)
- [Harm-Reduction Cannot Ground Morality (Defeater)](/codex/harm-reduction-cannot-ground-morality-defeater/), via [Matthew 20.26-28](/codex/matthew-20-26-28/)
- [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/)
- [Salem Witch Trials Objection Defeater](/codex/salem-witch-trials-objection-defeater/)

**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/)
- [Slave Bible](/codex/slave-bible/), 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:**

- [G5293 - hypotasso](/codex/g5293-hypotasso/), via [Matthew 20.25-28](/codex/matthew-20-25-28/)
- [H5650 - ebed](/codex/h5650-ebed/), via [Matthew 20.26-28](/codex/matthew-20-26-28/)

<!-- BACKLINKS:END -->
## Notes

_Your annotations._

## 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.