Matthew 20:26 It shall not be this way among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,

◄ Matthew 20:26 ►

New International Version
Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,

New Living Translation
But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant,

English Standard Version
It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant,

Berean Standard Bible
It shall not be this way among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,

Berean Literal Bible
Thus will it not be among you. But whoever wishes to become great among you, he will be your servant;

King James Bible
But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;

New King James Version
Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant.

New American Standard Bible
It is not this way among you, but whoever wants to become prominent among you shall be your servant,

NASB 1995
“It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant,

NASB 1977
“It is not so among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant,

Legacy Standard Bible
It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant,

Amplified Bible
It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant,

Christian Standard Bible
It must not be like that among you. On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
It must not be like that among you. On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,

American Standard Version
Not so shall it be among you: but whosoever would become great among you shall be your minister;

Contemporary English Version
But don't act like them. If you want to be great, you must be the servant of all the others.

English Revised Version
Not so shall it be among you: but whosoever would become great among you shall be your minister;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
But that's not the way it's going to be among you. Whoever wants to become great among you will be your servant.

Good News Translation
This, however, is not the way it shall be among you. If one of you wants to be great, you must be the servant of the rest;

International Standard Version
That's not the way it should be among you. Instead, whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant,

Majority Standard Bible
But it shall not be this way among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,

NET Bible
It must not be this way among you! Instead whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant,

New Heart English Bible
It will not be so among you, but whoever desires to become great among you must be your servant.

Webster's Bible Translation
But it shall not be so among you: but whoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;

Weymouth New Testament
Not so shall it be among you; but whoever desires to be great among you shall be your servant,

World English Bible
It shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
but not so will it be among you, but whoever may will among you to become great, let him be your servant;

Berean Literal Bible
Thus will it not be among you. But whoever wishes to become great among you, he will be your servant;

Young's Literal Translation
but not so shall it be among you, but whoever may will among you to become great, let him be your ministrant;

Smith's Literal Translation
But it shall not be so among you; but whoever should wish to be great among you, let him be your attendant;

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
It shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be the greater among you, let him be your minister:

Catholic Public Domain Version
It shall not be this way among you. But whoever will want to be greater among you, let him be your minister.

New American Bible
But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant;

New Revised Standard Version
It will not be so among you; but whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant,

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
Let not this be so among you; but whoever wishes to be great among you, let him be a minister to you;

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
“It will not be so among you, but whoever wants to be great among you, let him be one who waits on you.”

NT Translations

Anderson New Testament
It shall not be so among you. But whoever will be great among you, let him be your minister.

Godbey New Testament
It shall not be so among you; but whosoever may wish to be great among you, shall be your servant;

Haweis New Testament
But thus shall it not be with you. But whosoever will be a great man among you, let him be your servant;

Mace New Testament
but it must not be so among you: on the contrary, whoever would rise among you, let him be your minister.

Weymouth New Testament
Not so shall it be among you; but whoever desires to be great among you shall be your servant,

Worrell New Testament
Not so shall it be among you;

Worsley New Testament
it shall not be so among you; but whosoever would be great among you, let him be your minister, and whoever would be chief among you,

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

A Mother's Request
…25But Jesus called them aside and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their superiors exercise authority over them. 26 It shall not be this way among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave—…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Mark 10:43-45
But it shall not be this way among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, / and whoever wants to be first must be the slave of all. / For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”

Luke 22:26-27
But you shall not be like them. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who leads like the one who serves. / For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines? But I am among you as one who serves.

John 13:14-15
So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. / I have set you an example so that you should do as I have done for you.

Philippians 2:5-7
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus: / Who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, / but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in human likeness.

1 Peter 5:3
not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.

1 Corinthians 9:19
Though I am free of obligation to anyone, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.

Matthew 23:11-12
The greatest among you shall be your servant. / For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Mark 9:35
Sitting 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.”

Luke 9:48
And He said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in My name welcomes Me, and whoever welcomes Me welcomes the One who sent Me. For whoever is the least among all of you, he is the greatest.”

John 12:26
If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, My servant will be as well. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.

Romans 12:10
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Outdo yourselves in honoring one another.

Galatians 5:13
For you, brothers, were called to freedom; but do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh. Rather, serve one another in love.

Ephesians 5:21
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

1 Timothy 5:10
and well known for good deeds such as bringing up children, entertaining strangers, washing the feet of the saints, imparting relief to the afflicted, and devoting herself to every good work.

Isaiah 42:1
“Here is My Servant, whom I uphold, My Chosen One, in whom My soul delights. I will put My Spirit on Him, and He will bring justice to the nations.

Treasury of Scripture

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

it.

Matthew 23:8-12
But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren…

Mark 9:35
And 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.

Mark 10:43,45
But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: …

minister.

Matthew 25:44
Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

Matthew 27:55
And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him:

Ezekiel 24:13
In thy filthiness is lewdness: because I have purged thee, and thou wast not purged, thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more, till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee.

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Matthew 20

1. Jesus, by the parable of the laborers in the vineyard, shows that God is debtor unto no man;
17. foretells his passion;
20. by answering the mother of Zebedee's children, teaches his disciples to be humble;
29. and gives two blind men their sight.

Berean Study Bible

It shall not be this way among you
This phrase sets a clear distinction between the worldly systems of power and the kingdom principles that Jesus is teaching. The Greek word for "shall not be" (οὐκ ἔσται) is a strong negation, emphasizing that the disciples are to operate under a different set of values. In the historical context, the Roman Empire was characterized by hierarchical structures and authority exerted through dominance. Jesus is contrasting this with His vision for His followers, where greatness is not measured by power over others but by service.

Instead, whoever wants to become great among you
The word "whoever" (ὃς ἐὰν) is inclusive, indicating that the path to greatness is open to all, not just a select few. The desire "to become great" (μέγας) is not condemned but redirected. In the scriptural context, greatness is redefined. The historical backdrop of Jewish expectations of a Messiah who would overthrow Roman rule is subverted by Jesus' teaching that true greatness is found in humility and service.

must be your servant
The term "servant" (διάκονος) is crucial here. In the Greco-Roman world, a διάκονος was someone who performed menial tasks, often for little or no recognition. Jesus elevates this role, suggesting that true leadership in His kingdom is marked by a willingness to serve others selflessly. This teaching is consistent with the broader biblical narrative, where God often chooses the humble and lowly to accomplish His purposes. The call to servanthood is a call to emulate Christ Himself, who came "not to be served, but to serve" (Matthew 20:28, BSB). This radical redefinition of greatness challenges believers to live counter-culturally, prioritizing the needs of others above their own ambitions.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(26) Whosoever will be great.--Better, whosoever wisheth to be great. The man who was conscious, as the disciples were, of the promptings of ambition was at once to satisfy and purify them by finding his greatness in active service; not because that service leads to greatness of the type which natural ambition seeks for, but because it is in itself the truest and highest greatness.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 26. - It shall not be so among you. There is good authority for reading "is" instead of "shall be." The new order of things was already prepared. In Messiah's kingdom a contrary rule holds good. There the governors rule solely for the good of the flock, with no self-seeking, and serving no private interests. Whosoever will be (ο{ς ἐὰν θέλη... γενέσθαι: whosoever would fain become) great among you... minister (διάκονος). Taking for granted that there will be ranks and gradations of office in the Church, Christ lays down the rule that men become governors therein in order that they may serve their brethren, be the ministers of those who are subject to them. So the pope, in his official documents, with a verbally proper humility, terms himself, "Servus servorum Dei."

Parallel Commentaries ...

Greek

It shall not be
ἔσται (estai)
Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

this way
οὕτως (houtōs)
Adverb
Strong's 3779: Thus, so, in this manner. Or (referring to what precedes or follows).

among
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

you.
ὑμῖν (hymin)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

Instead,
ἀλλ’ (all’)
Conjunction
Strong's 235: But, except, however. Neuter plural of allos; properly, other things, i.e. contrariwise.

whoever
ὃς (hos)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3739: Who, which, what, that.

wants
θέλῃ (thelē)
Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2309: To will, wish, desire, be willing, intend, design.

to become
γενέσθαι (genesthai)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Middle
Strong's 1096: A prolongation and middle voice form of a primary verb; to cause to be, i.e. to become, used with great latitude.

great
μέγας (megas)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3173: Large, great, in the widest sense.

among
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

you
ὑμῖν (hymin)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

must be
ἔσται (estai)
Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

your
ὑμῶν (hymōn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

servant,
διάκονος (diakonos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 1249: Probably from an obsolete diako; an attendant, i.e. a waiter; specially, a Christian teacher and pastor.

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NT Gospels: Matthew 20:26 It shall not be so among you (Matt. Mat Mt)