But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister:
Parallel translations
- WEB But it shall not be so among you, but whoever wants to become great among you shall be your servant.
- BSB But it shall not be this way among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,
- NKJV Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant.
- NASB But it is not this way among you; rather, whoever wants to become prominent among you shall be your servant;
- NLT But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant,
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Among Jesus' followers it must be different: greatness comes through being a servant. The kingdom measures status by humble service, not authority over others.
Overview
Jesus directly reverses worldly leadership: the one who would be great must serve. This is not a denial of leadership but a redefinition of it as self-giving service to others. The principle reshapes every Christian relationship and finds its perfect model in Christ himself.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Matt 23:8–12But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.
- Luke 14:11For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
- Matt 20:26–27But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
- Mark 9:35And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.
- Luke 9:48And said unto them, Whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me: for he that is least among you all, the same shall be great.
- Gal 5:13For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
- 1 Pet 5:5–6Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
- Luke 18:14I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
- Rom 12:2And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
- 1 Cor 9:19–23For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
- John 13:13–18Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
- John 18:36Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Mark drives urgently to the cross, showing Jesus the Son of God as the suffering Servant who 'came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'
How Mark 10:43 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.