Study Desk

While going up to Jerusalem,^(g) Jesus took the 12 disciples aside privately and said to them on the way:

"Listen! We are going up to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn Him to death.^(h)

Then they will hand Him over to the Gentiles⁽ⁱ⁾ to be mocked, flogged,^[l] and crucified, and He will be resurrected^[m] on the third day."

Then the mother of Zebedee's sons approached Him with her sons.^(j) She knelt down to ask Him for something.^(k)

"What do you want?" He asked her. "Promise,"^[n] she said to Him, "that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right and the other on Your left, in Your kingdom."^(l)

But Jesus answered, "You don't know what you're asking. Are you able to drink the cup^[o] that I am about to drink?" ^[p](m) "We are able," they said to Him.

He told them, "You will indeed drink My cup.^[q] But to sit at My right and left is not Mine to give; instead, it belongs to those for whom it has been prepared by My Father."⁽ⁿ⁾

When the 10 disciples heard this, they became indignant with the two brothers.

But Jesus called them over and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles dominate them, and the men of high position exercise power over them.

It must not be like that among you. On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,^(o)

and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave;

just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve,^(p) and to give His life—a ransom for many." ^(q)

As they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed Him.^(r)

There were two blind men sitting by the road. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, "Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!"

The crowd told them to keep quiet, but they cried out all the more, "Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!"^(s)

Jesus stopped, called them, and said, "What do you want Me to do for you?"

"Lord," they said to Him, "open our eyes!"

Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes. Immediately they could see, and they followed Him.