Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed for doing comparisons of different translations. Click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.
Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clearImportance=normal (All still tentative.)
OET (OET-RV)Because who is greater: the one on the couch, or the one who’s serving? Isn’t it the one on the couch? But among all of you, I’m like the one serving
Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).
ULTFor who is greater, the one reclining to eat or the one serving? Is it not the one reclining to eat? But I am in the midst of you as one serving.
USTFor you know that the important person is the one who eats at the table, not the servant who brings the food. But I, your leader, have been setting an example for you by serving you while I have been among you
BSBFor who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines? But I am among you as one who serves.
BLBFor who is greater, the one reclining or the one serving? Is not the one reclining? But I am in your midst as the One serving.
AICNT“{For who is greater, the one reclining at the table or the one serving? Is it not the one reclining at the table? Yet I am among you as the one serving}.[fn]
22:27,For who is greater...: D(05) reads “Rather, he who reclines, for I came among you not as one who reclines but as one who serves.”
OEBWhich is the greater – the master at the table or his servant? Is not it the master at the table? Yet I myself am among you as one who serves.
WEBBEFor who is greater, one who sits at the table, or one who serves? Isn’t it he who sits at the table? But I am amongst you as one who serves.
NETFor who is greater, the one who is seated at the table, or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is seated at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.
LSVfor who is greater? He who is reclining, or he who is ministering? Is it not he who is reclining? And I am in your midst as He who is ministering.
FBVWho is greater—the one who sits at the table, or the one who serves? Isn't it the one who sits at the table? But I'm among you as the one who serves.
TCNTFor who is greater? The one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.
T4TKeep in mind who is the most important one [RHQ]. It is certainly the one who just sits at the table, not [RHQ] those who serve the meal. But I, your leader, have been an example for you by serving you while I have been among you.
LEBFor who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am in your midst as the one who serves.
BBEFor which is greater, the guest who is seated at a meal or the servant who is waiting on him? is it not the guest? but I am among you as a servant.
WymthFor which is the greater—he who sits at table, or he who waits on him? Is it not he who sits at table? But my position among you is that of one who waits on others.
ASVFor which is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am in the midst of you as he that serveth.
DRAFor which is greater, he that sitteth at table, or he that serveth? Is it not he that sitteth at table? But I am in the midst of you, as he that serveth:
YLTfor who is greater? he who is reclining (at meat), or he who is ministering? is it not he who is reclining (at meat)? and I — I am in your midst as he who is ministering.
DrbyFor which [is] greater, he that is at table or he that serves? [Is] not he that is at table? But I am in the midst of you as the one that serves.
RVFor whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am in the midst of you as he that serveth.
WbstrFor which is greater, he that sitteth at table, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at table? but I am among you as he that serveth.
KJB-1769 For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.
KJB-1611For whether is greater, hee that sitteth at meat, or hee that serueth? Is not he that sitteth at meat? But I am among you as he that serueth. (For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serueth? Is not he that sitteth at meat? But I am among you as he that serueth.)
BshpsFor whether is greater, he that sitteth at meate, or he that serueth? Is not he that sitteth at meate? But I am among you, as he that ministreth. (For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serueth? Is not he that sitteth at meate? But I am among you, as he that ministreth.)
GnvaFor who is greater, he that sitteth at table, or he that serueth? Is not he that sitteth at table? And I am among you as he that serueth.
CvdlFor which is the greatest? he that sytteth at the table, or he that serueth? Is not he that sytteth at the table? But I am amoge you as a mynister. (For which is the greatest? he that sytteth at the table, or he that serueth? Is not he that sytteth at the table? But I am among you as a minister.)
TNTFor whether is greater he that sitteth at meate: or he that serveth? Is not he that sitteth at meate? And I am amonge you as he that ministreth. (For whether is greater he that sitteth at meate: or he that serveth? Is not he that sitteth at meate? And I am among you as he that ministreth. )
WyclFor who is gretter, he that sittith at the mete, or he that mynystrith? whether not he that sittith at the mete? And Y am in the myddil of you, as he that mynystrith. (For who is greater, he that sittith at the meet, or he that mynystrith? whether not he that sittith at the mete? And I am in the middle of you, as he that mynystrith.)
LuthDenn welcher ist der Größte, der zu Tische sitzt, oder der da dienet? Ist‘s nicht also, daß der zu Tische sitzt? Ich aber bin unter euch wie ein Diener. (Because which is the/of_the Größte, the/of_the to Tische sits, or the/of_the there dienet? Ist‘s not also, that the/of_the to Tische sits? I but am under you like a Diener.)
ClVgNam quis major est, qui recumbit, an qui ministrat? nonne qui recumbit? Ego autem in medio vestrum sum, sicut qui ministrat:[fn] (Nam who/any mayor it_is, who recumbit, an who ministrat? isn't_it who recumbit? I however in in_the_middle of_you I_am, like who ministrat: )
22.27Nam quis, etc. Ad verba exhortationis explendæ exemplum de se exponit. Hinc Joannes scribit Joan. 13.: Si ego lavi pedes vestros Dominus et magister, etc. Possunt et in verbo ministrandi omnia quæ Dominus in carne gessit, non tantum prædicando vel miraculis admovendo, sed etiam animam quam pro nobis accepit, ponendo, ut et nos pro invicem ponere animas discamus.
22.27Nam quis, etc. Ad words exhortationis explendæ exemplum about se exponit. Hinc Yoannes scribit Yoan. 13.: When/But_if I lavi pedes vestros Master and magister, etc. Possunt and in verbo ministrandi everything which Master in carne gessit, not/no only prædicando or miraculis admovendo, but also animam how for us accepit, ponendo, as and we for invicem ponere animas discamus.
UGNTτίς γὰρ μείζων, ὁ ἀνακείμενος ἢ ὁ διακονῶν? οὐχὶ ὁ ἀνακείμενος? ἐγὼ δὲ ἐν μέσῳ ὑμῶν εἰμι ὡς ὁ διακονῶν. (tis gar meizōn, ho anakeimenos aʸ ho diakonōn? ouⱪi ho anakeimenos? egō de en mesōi humōn eimi hōs ho diakonōn.)
SBL-GNTτίς γὰρ μείζων, ὁ ἀνακείμενος ἢ ὁ διακονῶν; οὐχὶ ὁ ἀνακείμενος; ἐγὼ δὲ ⸂ἐν μέσῳ ὑμῶν εἰμι⸃ ὡς ὁ διακονῶν. (tis gar meizōn, ho anakeimenos aʸ ho diakonōn; ouⱪi ho anakeimenos; egō de ⸂en mesōi humōn eimi⸃ hōs ho diakonōn.)
TC-GNTΤίς γὰρ μείζων, ὁ ἀνακείμενος ἢ ὁ διακονῶν; [fn]Οὐχὶ ὁ ἀνακείμενος; Ἐγὼ δέ [fn]εἰμι ἐν μέσῳ ὑμῶν ὡς ὁ διακονῶν. (Tis gar meizōn, ho anakeimenos aʸ ho diakonōn; Ouⱪi ho anakeimenos; Egō de eimi en mesōi humōn hōs ho diakonōn. )
22:27For I am among you as one who serves: Jesus defined true leadership as service—meeting the needs of others and empowering them to be all that God has called them to be (see Mark 10:45). This statement was striking in a culture for which status and power were central.
Jesus uses the word For to introduce a reason why his disciples should do what he told them in the previous verse. The reason is that he is already setting a personal example of this himself. Alternate translation: [After all]
who_‹is› & greater the_‹one› reclining or the_‹one› serving
Jesus is using the question form to teach his disciples. If it would be helpful in your language, you could translate his words as a statement. Alternate translation: [I want you to think about who is greater, the person who is dining, or the who is serving the food.]
See how you translated this phrase in 5:29. It was the custom in this culture for dinner guests to eat while lying comfortably around the table on banqueting couches. Alternate translation: [the person who is dining]
Jesus is using a further question to teach his disciples. If it would be helpful in your language, you could translate his words as a statement. Alternate translation: [You must agree that it is the person who is dining.]
I but in /the/_midst ˱of˲_you_all am as the_‹one› serving
Jesus is likely referring to the example that he has set at this meal. This would include serving the bread to the disciples, which Luke describes in 22:19. John 13:4–5 also records that before this meal, Jesus washed the disciples feet, which a household servant would ordinarily have done. Alternate translation: [But I have been acting like a servant here at this meal with you]
On the Thursday before he was crucified, Jesus had arranged to share the Passover meal with his disciples in an upper room, traditionally thought to be located in the Essene Quarter of Jerusalem. After they finished the meal, they went to the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus often met with his disciples. There Judas Iscariot, one of Jesus’ own disciples, betrayed him to soldiers sent from the High Priest, and they took Jesus to the High Priest’s residence. In the morning the leading priests and teachers of the law put Jesus on trial and found him guilty of blasphemy. The council sent Jesus to stand trial for treason before the Roman governor Pontius Pilate, who resided at the Praetorium while in Jerusalem. The Praetorium was likely located at the former residence of Herod the Great, who had died over 30 years earlier. When Pilate learned that Jesus was from Galilee, he sent him to Herod Antipas, who had jurisdiction over Galilee. But when Jesus gave no answer to Herod’s many questions, Herod and his soldiers sent him back to Pilate, who conceded to the people’s demands that Jesus be crucified. Jesus was forced to carry his cross out of the city gate to Golgotha, meaning Skull Hill, referring to what may have been a small unquarried hill in the middle of an old quarry just outside the gate. After Jesus was unable to carry his cross any further, a man named Simon from Cyrene was forced to carry it for him. There at Golgotha they crucified Jesus. After Jesus died, his body was hurriedly taken down before nightfall and placed in a newly cut, rock tomb owned by Joseph of Arimathea, a member of the Jewish high council. This tomb was likely located at the perimeter of the old quarry.
