MAT 20:22 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). 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=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) But Yeshua answered, “You all don’t realise what you’re asking. Do you think you’ll be able to bear the suffering that I will have to suffer?”
¶ “Yes,” they replied, “we can.”

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, cyan:dative/indirect object, red:negative.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT But answering, Jesus said, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink[fn]?”
¶  They say to him, “We are able.”

Here some manuscripts add the words or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am being baptized.

UST Then Jesus responded by speaking to her two sons, “You do not realize what you have actually requested. Are you willing to suffer as I will soon suffer?”
¶  Her two sons, James and John, replied, “Yes, we are willing to suffer.”

BSB “You do not know what you are asking,” Jesus replied. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?”[fn]
§ “We can,” [the brothers] answered.

20:22 BYZ includes or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized. TR is similar.

MSB “You do not know what you are asking,” Jesus replied. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink or be baptized with the baptism [with] which I am baptized?[fn]”
§ “We can,” [the brothers] answered.

20:22 CT does not include or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized.

BLB And Jesus answering, said, "You do not know what you ask for. Are you able to drink the cup which I am about to drink?" They say to Him, "We are able."

AICNT But Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink [[and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with]]?”[fn] They said to him, “We are able.”

20:22, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: Later manuscripts add.

OEB ‘You do not know what you are asking,’ was Jesus’ answer. ‘Can you drink the cup that I am to drink?’ ‘Yes,’ they exclaimed, ‘we can.’

WEBBE But Jesus answered, “You don’t know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptised with the baptism that I am baptised with?”
¶ They said to him, “We are able.”

WMBB But Yeshua answered, “You don’t know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be immersed with the immersion that I am immersed with?”
¶ They said to him, “We are able.”

NET Jesus answered, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink the cup I am about to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.”

LSV And Jesus answering said, “You have not known what you ask for yourselves; are you able to drink of the cup that I am about to drink? And with the immersion that I am immersed with, to be immersed?” They say to Him, “We are able.”

FBV “You don't know what you're asking,” Jesus told them. “Are you able to drink the cup[fn] I'm about to drink?”
¶ “Yes, we are able to do that,” they told him.

20:22 Meaning the cup of suffering.

TCNT Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to [fn]drink, or to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” The two brothers said to him, “We are able.”

20:22 drink, or to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? ¦ drink, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? TR ¦ drink? CT

T4T Jesus said to her and her sons, “You do not understand what you are asking for. Can you suffer like I am about to suffer [IDM]?” James and John answered him, “Yes, we are able to do that.”

LEB But Jesus answered and[fn] said, “You do not know what you are asking! Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.”

20:22 *Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“answered”) has been translated as a finite verb

BBE But Jesus made answer and said, You have no idea what you are requesting. Are you able to take of the cup which I am about to take?

Moff Jesus replied, "You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?" They said to him, "We can."

Wymth "None of you know what you are asking for," said Jesus; "can you drink out of the cup from which I am about to drink?" "We can," they replied.

ASV But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink the cup that I am about to drink? They say unto him, We are able.

DRA And Jesus answering, said: You know not what you ask. Can you drink the chalice that I shall drink? They say to him: We can.

YLT And Jesus answering said, 'Ye have not known what ye ask for yourselves; are ye able to drink of the cup that I am about to drink? and with the baptism that I am baptized with, to be baptized?' They say to him, 'We are able.'

Drby And Jesus answering said, Ye know not what ye ask. Can ye drink the cup which I am about to drink? They say to him, We are able.

RV But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink the cup that I am about to drink? They say unto him, We are able.
(But Jesus answered and said, Ye/You_all know not what ye/you_all ask. Are ye/you_all able to drink the cup that I am about to drink? They say unto him, We are able. )

SLT And Jesus having answered, said, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink the cup which I am about to drink, and be immersed with the immersion which I am immersed? They say to him, We can.

Wbstr But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say to him, We are able.

KJB-1769 But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able.
(But Jesus answered and said, Ye/You_all know not what ye/you_all ask. Are ye/you_all able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptised with the baptism that I am baptised with? They say unto him, We are able. )

KJB-1611 But Iesus answered, and said, Ye know not what ye aske. Are ye able to drinke of the cup that I shall drinke of, and to be baptized with the baptisme that I am baptized with? They say vnto him, We are able.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Bshps But Iesus aunswered, and saide: Ye wote not what ye aske. Are ye able to drynke of the cuppe that I shall drynke of? and to be baptized with the baptisme that I am baptized with? They say vnto hym: we are able.
(But Yesus/Yeshua answered, and said: Ye/You_all wote not what ye/you_all ask. Are ye/you_all able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of? and to be baptised with the baptism that I am baptised with? They say unto him: we are able.)

Gnva And Iesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye aske. Are ye able to drinke of the cup that I shall drinke of, and to be baptized with the baptisme that I shalbe baptized with? They said to him, We are able.
(And Yesus/Yeshua answered and said, Ye/You_all know not what ye/you_all ask. Are ye/you_all able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptised with the baptism that I shall be baptised with? They said to him, We are able. )

Cvdl But Iesus answered, and sayde: Ye wote not what ye axe. Maye ye drynke the cuppe, that I shal drynke? & to be baptised with the baptyme, that I shalbe baptysed withall?
(But Yesus/Yeshua answered, and said: Ye/You_all wote not what ye/you_all ask. May ye/you_all drink the cup, that I shall drink? and to be baptised with the baptism, that I shall be baptised also/fully?)

TNT Iesus answered and sayd: Ye wot not what ye axe. Are ye able to drynke of the cuppe that I shall drynke of and to be baptised with the baptyme that I shalbe baptised with? They answered to him that we are.
(Yesus/Yeshua answered and said: Ye/You_all wot not what ye/you_all ask. Are ye/you_all able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of and to be baptised with the baptism that I shall be baptised with? They answered to him that we are. )

Wycl Jhesus answeride, and seide, Ye witen not what ye axen. Moun ye drynke the cuppe which Y schal drynke? Thei seien to hym, We moun.
(Yhesus answered, and said, Ye/You_all perceive not what ye/you_all ask. Moun ye/you_all drink the cup which I shall drink? They said to him, We may/can.)

Luth Aber JEsus antwortete und sprach: Ihr wisset nicht, was ihr bittet. Könnet ihr den Kelch trinken, den ich trinken werde, und euch taufen lassen mit der Taufe, da ich mit getauft werde? Sie sprachen zu ihm: Jawohl.
(But Yesus replied and spoke: You(pl) know not, what/which you(pl)/their/her requests. Könnet you(pl)/their/her the chalice/goblet/cup drink(v), the I drink(v) become, and you baptise let with the/of_the Taufe, there I with baptised become? They/She said to/for him: Yes_indeed.)

ClVg Respondens autem Jesus, dixit: Nescitis quid petatis. Potestis bibere calicem, quem ego bibiturus sum? Dicunt ei: Possumus.[fn]
(Respondens however Yesus, he/she_said: You_don't_know what petatis. Canis to_drink chalice/cup, which I he_drankurus sum? Sayunt to_him: Possumus. )

20.22 Nescitis. Qui sedem gloriæ petitis vel quæritis, quam nondum meruistis, delectat culmen honoris quos nondum exercuit via laboris. Potestis. Et hoc sciebat, quod ejus passionem poterant imitari; sed hoc dicit, ut eo interrogante, et illis respondentibus, omnes audiamus: quia nemo potest cum Christo regnare, nisi passionem ejus sit imitatus.

20.22 You_don't_know. Who seat of_glory asksis or you_are_looking_for, how not_yet meruistis, delights summit honour which not_yet exercuit way/road work. Canis. And this knew, that his passion they_could to_imitate; but this he_says, as by_him interrogante, and to_them respondentibus, everyone let's_hear: because nobody/no_one can when/with to_Christ/Messiah to_reign, except passion his be imitatus.

UGNT ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν, οὐκ οἴδατε τί αἰτεῖσθε. δύνασθε πιεῖν τὸ ποτήριον ὃ ἐγὼ μέλλω πίνειν? λέγουσιν αὐτῷ, δυνάμεθα.
(apokritheis de ho Yaʸsous eipen, ouk oidate ti aiteisthe. dunasthe piein to potaʸrion ho egō mellō pinein? legousin autōi, dunametha.)

SBL-GNT ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν· Οὐκ οἴδατε τί αἰτεῖσθε· δύνασθε πιεῖν τὸ ποτήριον ὃ ἐγὼ μέλλω ⸀πίνειν; λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· Δυνάμεθα.
(apokritheis de ho Yaʸsous eipen; Ouk oidate ti aiteisthe; dunasthe piein to potaʸrion ho egō mellō ⸀pinein; legousin autōi; Dunametha.)

RP-GNT Ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν, Οὐκ οἴδατε τί αἰτεῖσθε. Δύνασθε πιεῖν τὸ ποτήριον ὃ ἐγὼ μέλλω πίνειν, ἢ τὸ βάπτισμα ὃ ἐγὼ βαπτίζομαι βαπτισθῆναι; Λέγουσιν αὐτῷ, Δυνάμεθα.
(Apokritheis de ho Yaʸsous eipen, Ouk oidate ti aiteisthe. Dunasthe piein to potaʸrion ho egō mellō pinein, aʸ to baptisma ho egō baptizomai baptisthaʸnai; Legousin autōi, Dunametha.)

TC-GNT Ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν, Οὐκ οἴδατε τί αἰτεῖσθε. Δύνασθε πιεῖν τὸ ποτήριον ὃ ἐγὼ μέλλω πίνειν, [fn]ἢ τὸ βάπτισμα ὃ ἐγὼ βαπτίζομαι βαπτισθῆναι; Λέγουσιν αὐτῷ, Δυνάμεθα.
(Apokritheis de ho Yaʸsous eipen, Ouk oidate ti aiteisthe. Dunasthe piein to potaʸrion ho egō mellō pinein, aʸ to baptisma ho egō baptizomai baptisthaʸnai; Legousin autōi, Dunametha. )

20:22 η το βαπτισμα ο εγω βαπτιζομαι βαπτισθηναι ¦ και το βαπτισμα ο εγω βαπτιζομαι βαπτισθηναι TR ¦ — CT

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 20:20–28: The mother of James and John asked Jesus for something

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.

20:22a

“You do not know what you are asking,” Jesus replied.

Jesus said, “You^(dual/plur) do not understand what you^(dual/(plur) are asking for.
Jesus said to them, “You^(dual/plur) do not realize what you are requesting.

“You do not know what you are asking,” Jesus replied: The Greek verb that the BSB translates as know means “have information about something.” The disciples asked for these positions of authority without fully knowing what it might mean to have them. By asking to have authority with Jesus, they were asking to suffer with him.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

You do not understand what you are asking (REB)

You don’t realize what you’re asking. (GW)

You do not know what you are asking: In Greek, You do not know and you are asking are plural. The mother alone asked Jesus a question, but Jesus responded to the two sons. It is possible that he included the mother in his response. But because the two men answered in 20:22c, it is best to understand Jesus’ response as addressed to the sons. If your language has both plural and dual pronouns, you should use dual pronouns here.

20:22b

“Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?”

Are you^(plur/dual) able to drink from the cup of suffering that I am about to drink?”
Do you^(plur/dual) have the strength/power to suffer like I will soon suffer?”

Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?: Some Greek manuscripts include a clause here and in the next verse: “and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with.” The UBS editors judged these clauses most likely added by a later copyist to make Matthew’s account the same as Mark’s. The editors decided with their highest confidence that these clauses were not original and did not include them in the UBS text. Only the KJV translates these clauses. The expression drink the cup is a complex figure of speech. The cup represents the contents of the cup. The expression drink the cup compares suffering with drinking the contents of a cup. This metaphor was used in the Old Testament to represent suffering.See Isaiah 51:17–23 and Lamentations 4:21. This metaphor is also used in the Old Testament to refer to God’s judgment, particularly the punishment of the wicked, and even blessing. Here it refers to suffering.

In this context, Jesus used this figure of speech to refer to the suffering that he would experience.In the Bible, the Greek and Hebrew words that some English versions translate as cup sometimes refer to something that people had to experience. It could be something good (Psalm 116:13) or something bad (Isaiah 51:17). In other words, Jesus asked the disciples if they were able to suffer in the same way that he would suffer.

Here are some other ways to translate this expression:

Keep the metaphor and clearly show that the word cup represents the contents of the cup. For example:
Are you able to drink from the cup that I must soon drink from? (CEV)
Keep the metaphor but make explicit the meaning of the word cup. For example:
Can you drink the cup of suffering that I am about to drink? (GNT)
Change the metaphor to a simile and make the meaning of cup explicit. For example:
Can you suffer with me, as though we drank suffering from the same cup?
State the meaning directly. For example:
Can you endure the suffering that I will experience?

The word “cup” is used as a figure of speech in various places in both the Old and New Testaments. If it is not possible to use this figure of speech in your language, you may want to add a footnote that gives the literal meaning. Here is a sample footnote:

What Jesus literally said was, “Can you drink the cup that I drink?” The phrase “drink the cup” is a metaphor. In the Old Testament it often referred to the experience of suffering or of punishment from God. Here it refers to the suffering that Jesus was about to experience.

Can you: This Greek verb that the BSB translates as Can you means “Do you have the capacity to do something.”

Here are some other ways to translate this verb:

Is it possible for you

Are you capable

Do you have the strength/power

I am going to drink: In Greek, this clause is more literally “that I am about to drink.” The Greek word that means “about to” indicates that this would happen in the near future.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

that I am about to drink (NET)

that I am soon to drink

20:22c

“We can,” the brothers answered.

They^(dual) answered him, “We^(excl/dual) are able.”
They^(dual) said, “Yes, we^(excl/dual) have the strength/power.”

We can: In some languages, it may be natural to add the word “Yes” here. For example:

Yes, we are able

We: If your language has both inclusive and exclusive pronouns, the pronoun We should be exclusive here. If your language has both plural and dual pronouns, the pronoun We should be dual here.

can: The verb can is the same verb as in 20:22b. You should translate it the same way in both places. For example:

Is it possible

We are capable

We have the strength/power

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

εἶπεν

said

Matthew implies that Jesus is speaking directly to the two sons of Zebedee. You could include this information if that would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [said to her two sons]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

πιεῖν τὸ ποτήριον ὃ ἐγὼ μέλλω πίνειν

˓to˒_drink (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἀποκριθείς Δέ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν Οὐκ οἴδατε τί αἰτεῖσθε Δύνασθε πιεῖν τό ποτήριον ὅ ἐγώ μέλλω πίνειν Λέγουσιν αὐτῷ Δυνάμεθα)

Jesus speaks of experiencing pain and suffering as "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. Alternate translation: [to experience the pain that I am about to experience] or [to experience the suffering that I am about to experience]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

τὸ ποτήριον

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἀποκριθείς Δέ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν Οὐκ οἴδατε τί αἰτεῖσθε Δύνασθε πιεῖν τό ποτήριον ὅ ἐγώ μέλλω πίνειν Λέγουσιν αὐτῷ Δυνάμεθα)

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: [the drink] or [the wine in the cup]

Note 4 topic: translate-textvariants

πίνειν

˓to_be˒_drinking

Many ancient manuscripts end the question with the word drink. The ULT follows that reading. Other ancient manuscripts include after the word drink the words “or to 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: writing-pronouns

λέγουσιν

The pronoun They refers to the sons of Zebedee. If this is not clear for your readers, you could use the person's name here. Alternate translation: [The sons of Zebedee say]

Note 6 topic: translate-tense

λέγουσιν

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: [They said]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / exclusive

δυνάμεθα

By We, the sons of Zebedee mean themselves, but not their mother or Jesus, so use the exclusive form of that word in your translation if your language marks that distinction.

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

δυνάμεθα

The sons of Zebedee are 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: [We are able to drink that cup]

Parallel MAT 20:22

Section 20:20–28: The mother of James and John asked Jesus for something

20:22a

20:22b

20:22c