Mark 10:35-45 - A Request By James And John
35 Now James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came over to Jesus and said to Him, "We would like you to do for us whatever we ask you."
36 And He said to them, "What do you want me to do for you?"
37 They answered Him, "Appoint one of us to sit at your right side and the other at your left side [when you come] in splendor."
38 But Jesus said to them, "You [really] do not know what you are asking for. Are you able to drink the cup [i.e., of suffering] that I will drink? Or [are you able] to be immersed with the immersion that I am [to be] immersed with?" [i.e., to be overwhelmed with agony].
39 And they said to Him, " [Yes], we are able to." And Jesus said to them, "The cup [of suffering] that I [will] drink, you [also] will drink. And the immersion [with agony] with which I am [to be] immersed, you [also] will be immersed. 40 But it is not my prerogative to appoint who sits at my right side and at my left, but [those places] are for people to whom it has been assigned [by the Father]." 41 When the ten other apostles heard this, they became very upset with James and John.
42 Jesus called them [i.e., probably all twelve apostles] to Him and said, "You are aware that those who are regarded as rulers among the [unconverted] Gentiles lord it over their own people, and their important men domineer over them [as well]. 43 But it is not [to be] this way among you, for whoever would like to become important among you will be your servant. 44 And whoever would like to be first [in prominence] among you, will be your slave. 45 For the Son of man did not come to be served [by others] but to be the servant [of others], and to sacrifice His life as a ransom price for many people [i.e., to purchase them back from Satan]."