Matthew 20:26

BSB · Public Domain (CC0)

“It shall not be this way among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,”

What this verse means

A short, plain-language explanation of Matthew 20:26 goes here — the kind of answer a reader (or an AI assistant) can quote in one breath. Original meaning coming soon.

Compare translations
BSBPD

“It shall not be this way among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,”

Berean Standard Bible · Public Domain (CC0)
KJVPD

“But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;”

King James Version · Public Domain
ASVPD

“Not so shall it be among you: but whosoever would become great among you shall be your minister;”

American Standard Version · Public Domain
YLTPD

“but not so shall it be among you, but whoever may will among you to become great, let him be your ministrant;”

Young's Literal Translation · Public Domain
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Cross references

Other passages that echo Matthew 20:26 — 21 related verses from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  1. Ezekiel 24:13Because of the indecency of your uncleanness I tried to cleanse you, but you would not be purified from your filthiness. You will not be pure again until My wrath against you has subsided.
  2. Matthew 23:8But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers.
  3. Matthew 25:44And they too will reply, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’
  4. Matthew 27:55And many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to minister to Him.
  5. Mark 9:35Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the last of all and the servant of all.”
  6. Mark 10:43But it shall not be this way among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,
  7. Mark 10:45For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”
  8. Luke 14:7When Jesus noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, He told them a parable:
  9. Luke 18:14I tell you, this man, rather than the Pharisee, went home justified. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
  10. John 18:36Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world; if it were, My servants would fight to prevent My arrest by the Jews. But now My kingdom is not of this realm.”
  11. Acts 13:5When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. And John was with them as their helper.
  12. 2 Corinthians 1:24Not that we lord it over your faith, but we are fellow workers with you for your joy, because it is by faith that you stand firm.
  13. 2 Corinthians 10:4The weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the world. Instead, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
  14. 2 Timothy 1:18May the Lord grant Onesiphorus His mercy on that day. You know very well how much he ministered to me in Ephesus.
  15. Philemon 1:13I would have liked to keep him with me, so that on your behalf he could minister to me in my chains for the gospel.
  16. Hebrews 1:14Are not the angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?
  17. 1 Peter 4:11If anyone speaks, he should speak as one conveying the words of God. If anyone serves, he should serve with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.
  18. 1 Peter 5:3not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.
  19. 3 John 1:9I have written to the church about this, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not accept our instruction.
  20. Revelation 13:11Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. This beast had two horns like a lamb, but spoke like a dragon.
  21. Revelation 17:6I could see that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints and witnesses for Jesus. And I was utterly amazed at the sight of her.

Cross-reference data: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain) via OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0).

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