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OET (OET-LV) He_is_saying to_them:
On_one_hand you_all_will_be_drinking the cup of_me, on_the_other_hand which to_sit_down on the_right of_me and on the_left, is not mine to_give, but for_whom it_has_been_prepared by the father of_me.
OET (OET-RV) “Well, you will indeed share the suffering with me,” Yeshua responded. “But on the other hand, sitting on my right and my left is not my decision to make, because my father will have prepared those places.”
In this section, Jesus again dealt with the issue of who is important. In 18:1–4, the disciples had asked Jesus “Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Jesus had answered them there. Here, the mother of James and John asked Jesus to give her two sons the most important positions in his kingdom. Jesus again responded to the disciples’ concern to become important people.
Jesus said that the most important person in his kingdom is the person who behaves like a servant rather than like someone in charge. He finished by saying that he himself came to help other people rather than to ask other to help him. He showed that the values in his kingdom are different than the values here on earth.
Here are some other possible headings for this section:
The Request of the Mother of James and John (NRSV)
The mother of James and John asks Jesus to make her sons the most people in his kingdom
Jesus Teaches about Serving Others (NLT)
There is a parallel passage for this section in Mark 10:35–45.
“You will indeed drink My cup,” Jesus said.
Then Jesus told them, “Indeed, you(plur/dual) will drink the cup of suffering which I will drink.
Jesus said, “You(plur/dual) will certainly suffer like I will suffer.
You will indeed drink My cup: In Greek, this clause includes the word indeed, a word that the some versions do not translate. In this context, this word affirms the truth of this statement. The next clause (20:23b) is matched to it and gives a contrasting idea.
Here are some other ways to translate this word:
You will indeed drink from my bitter cup (NLT)
You certainly will drink from my cup! (CEV)
It is true that you will suffer like I will soon suffer
drink My cup: As in 20:22b, the word cup represents suffering. The phrase My cup refers to the suffering that Jesus was going to experience in Jerusalem.
You should translate the expression drink My cup in a similar way to 20:22b.
“But to sit at My right or left is not Mine to grant.
But to sit on my right side or my left side, I am not the person who gives those seats.
But I am not the person who gives someone a place to sit on my right hand and my left. But I am not the one who chooses/decides the person who will sit at my right side and the person who will sit at my left side.
But: There is a contrast between 20:23a and 20:23b–c. James and John would certainly suffer like Jesus (20:23a). But that does not mean that they will have the places of honor (20:23b–c) next to him.
The BSB indicates this contrast with the conjunction But.
to sit at My right or left: As in 20:21c, the phrase right or left means “left side or right side.” The left and right sides of a king were positions of honor.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
as for who sits on my right and left
the person will sit on my right side and left side
In some languages, it is more natural to put this clause after “is not Mine to grant.” See the Display for an example.
is not Mine to grant: In Greek, this clause is more literally “this is not mine to give.” Jesus implied that he did not have the authority to give those positions of honor to anyone.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
I do not have permission to give
I do not have the authority to say who
I have no right to say who (NLT)
These seats belong to those for whom My Father has prepared them.”
Rather, those seats are for those people whom my Father chooses. He has already prepared those seats for them.”
Instead, it is my Father who has prepared those seats for certain people, and he will give those seats to them.”
My father has decided the people who will sit in those places/seats, and he has already prepared those seats for them.”
There is a contrast here. The contrast is between a negative clause (in 20:23b) and a positive clause here in 20:23c. The negative clause is “to sit at My right…is not Mine to grant.” The positive clause is “These seats belong to those for whom My Father has prepared them.” Languages have different ways to indicate this negative-positive type of contrast. Here are some of the ways:
With the conjunction “but.”
With a conjunction other than “but.” This is a common way in English to show this type of contrast. For example:
Rather (NET)
on the contrary
Instead
With no conjunction. For example:
These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father. (NIV)
These seats belong to those: The BSB has added the words These seats belong. These words are not in Greek. The BSB has added them to make the sentence more natural in English.
The ESV expresses a similar idea by adding “it is for those,” probably using the singular word “it” to refer to the role or function that the two brothers wanted to have in the kingdom. It is also possible to use a plural word. For example:
Those places belong to those (NIV)
Those seats are for those people
for whom My Father has prepared them: This clause means that the Father has already decided who will sit on the right and left side of Jesus. He has already prepared that role/function for certain people. He has already made ready those places for people whom he has chosen.
In the Greek this clause is a passive. Here are some other ways to translate it:
Use a passive verb. For example:
for whom they have been prepared by my Father (NIV)
Use an active verb. For example:
for whom my Father has prepared them (GNT)
My Father has already prepared these positions for certain people. (GW)
My Father has already decided who will sit in those places.
Note 1 topic: translate-tense
λέγει
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Λέγει αὐτοῖς τό Μέν ποτήριον μού πίεσθε τό δέ καθίσαι ἐκ δεξιῶν μού καί ἐξ εὐωνύμων οὐκ ἐστίν ἐμόν δοῦναι ἀλλʼ οἷς ἡτοίμασται ὑπό τοῦ Πατρός μού)
To call attention to a development in the story, Matthew uses the present tense in past narration. If it would not be natural to do that in your language, you could use the past tense in your translation. Alternate translation: [He said]
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
τὸ & ποτήριόν μου πίεσθε
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Λέγει αὐτοῖς τό Μέν ποτήριον μού πίεσθε τό δέ καθίσαι ἐκ δεξιῶν μού καί ἐξ εὐωνύμων οὐκ ἐστίν ἐμόν δοῦναι ἀλλʼ οἷς ἡτοίμασται ὑπό τοῦ Πατρός μού)
Here Jesus again speaks of experiencing pain and suffering as if it were drinking from a cup. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a comparable figure of speech or state the meaning plainly. See how you expressed this idea in [20:22](../20/22.md). Alternate translation: [You will experience the pain that I experience] or [You will experience the suffering that I experience]
Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy
τὸ & ποτήριόν μου
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Λέγει αὐτοῖς τό Μέν ποτήριον μού πίεσθε τό δέ καθίσαι ἐκ δεξιῶν μού καί ἐξ εὐωνύμων οὐκ ἐστίν ἐμόν δοῦναι ἀλλʼ οἷς ἡτοίμασται ὑπό τοῦ Πατρός μού)
Here, cup represents the drink inside the cup, which in Jesus’ culture would probably have been wine. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression from your language or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [My drink] or [The wine in my cup]
Note 4 topic: translate-textvariants
πίεσθε
˱you_all˲_˓will_be˒_drinking
Many ancient manuscripts end the question with the word drink. The ULT follows that reading. After the word drink, other ancient manuscripts include the words “and you will be baptized with the baptism with which I am being baptized.” If a translation of the Bible exists in your region, you may wish to use the reading that it uses. If a translation of the Bible does not exist in your region, you may wish to use the reading of the ULT.
Note 5 topic: translate-symaction
τὸ δὲ καθίσαι ἐκ δεξιῶν μου καὶ ἐξ εὐωνύμων
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Λέγει αὐτοῖς τό Μέν ποτήριον μού πίεσθε τό δέ καθίσαι ἐκ δεξιῶν μού καί ἐξ εὐωνύμων οὐκ ἐστίν ἐμόν δοῦναι ἀλλʼ οἷς ἡτοίμασται ὑπό τοῦ Πατρός μού)
When someone sits at the right hand or at the left hand of a ruler, this symbolizes that person’s honor, authority, and ability to rule. See how you translated the similar phrases in [20:21](../20/21.md). Alternate translation: [But to sit down to rule at my right hand and at my left hand] or [But to take the places of honor and authority at my right hand and at my left hand]
Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy
ἐκ δεξιῶν μου καὶ ἐξ εὐωνύμων
on ˓the˒_right (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Λέγει αὐτοῖς τό Μέν ποτήριον μού πίεσθε τό δέ καθίσαι ἐκ δεξιῶν μού καί ἐξ εὐωνύμων οὐκ ἐστίν ἐμόν δοῦναι ἀλλʼ οἷς ἡτοίμασται ὑπό τοῦ Πατρός μού)
Here, the phrases at my right hand and at my left hand refer to the places next to Jesus’ right and left hands, which would be the right side and the left side. In the Jesus’ culture, these sides were associated with honor or authority. See how you expressed the idea in [20:21](../20/21.md). Alternate translation: [at my right side and at my left side] or [in the honorable places at my right and at my left]
Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis
ἀλλ’ οἷς
but ˱for˲_whom
Jesus is leaving out some of the words that in many languages a sentence would need in order to be complete. You could supply these words from earlier in the sentence if it would be clearer in your language. Alternate translation: [but it will be given to the ones for whom]
Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive
ἡτοίμασται ὑπὸ τοῦ Πατρός μου
˱it˲_˓has_been˒_prepared (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Λέγει αὐτοῖς τό Μέν ποτήριον μού πίεσθε τό δέ καθίσαι ἐκ δεξιῶν μού καί ἐξ εὐωνύμων οὐκ ἐστίν ἐμόν δοῦναι ἀλλʼ οἷς ἡτοίμασται ὑπό τοῦ Πατρός μού)
If your language does not use this passive form, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: [my Father has prepared it]
Note 9 topic: guidelines-sonofgodprinciples
τοῦ Πατρός μου
the Father (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Λέγει αὐτοῖς τό Μέν ποτήριον μού πίεσθε τό δέ καθίσαι ἐκ δεξιῶν μού καί ἐξ εὐωνύμων οὐκ ἐστίν ἐμόν δοῦναι ἀλλʼ οἷς ἡτοίμασται ὑπό τοῦ Πατρός μού)
Father is an important title that describes the relationship between God the Father and Jesus the Son.
OET (OET-LV) He_is_saying to_them:
On_one_hand you_all_will_be_drinking the cup of_me, on_the_other_hand which to_sit_down on the_right of_me and on the_left, is not mine to_give, but for_whom it_has_been_prepared by the father of_me.
OET (OET-RV) “Well, you will indeed share the suffering with me,” Yeshua responded. “But on the other hand, sitting on my right and my left is not my decision to make, because my father will have prepared those places.”
Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.
Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.