A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.
Parallel translations
- WEB “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his lord.
- KJV The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.
- NKJV “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.
- NASB “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master.
- NLT “Students are not greater than their teacher, and slaves are not greater than their master.
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
A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. Followers of Christ should expect to share in His treatment.
Overview
Jesus draws on a common proverb to prepare His disciples for opposition: if the Master is persecuted, the servants will be too. Far from a complaint, this is a call to humble identification with Christ. To follow Him is to walk His path, including its suffering, as a privilege rather than an injustice.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- John 15:20Remember the word that I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you as well; if they kept My word, they will keep yours as well.
- Luke 6:40A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.
- John 13:16Truly, truly, I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.
- Heb 12:2–4Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
- 2 Sam 11:11Uriah answered, “The ark and Israel and Judah are dwelling in tents, and my master Joab and his soldiers are camped in the open field. How can I go to my house to eat and drink and sleep with my wife? As surely as you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do such a thing!”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Commentaries & study tools
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 10:24 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.