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Matthew 20:23
ESV He said to them, “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”
NIV Jesus said to them, 'You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.'
NASB He *said to them, 'My cup you shall drink; but to sit at My right and at My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by My Father.'
CSB He told them, "You will indeed drink my cup, but to sit at my right and left is not mine to give; instead, it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father."
NLT Jesus told them, 'You will indeed drink from my bitter cup. But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. My Father has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen.'
KJV And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.

What does Matthew 20:23 mean?

Using their mother to make the request on their behalf, James and John have asked Jesus for something tremendous (Matthew 20:20–22). They want to be named as His seconds in command and power when His kingdom is established. He has asked, symbolically, if they are able to endure what He is about to experience. They responded with a yes and now Jesus says that they will "drink His cup." In other words, Jesus is saying that James and John will experience suffering as He will. This does not mean that they will experience all the suffering of Jesus, to the exact degree and severity of His experience on the cross. However, He is suggesting they will suffer for Him, on His behalf (John 15:20; 16:1–3).

And suffer they would. As it turns out, these two men represent the first and last of the loyal disciples to die. James was the first of the disciples to be killed for Jesus' sake (Acts 12:2). John the Apostle was persecuted and eventually exiled to the island of Patmos "on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus" (Revelation 1:9). So far as we know, one of these brothers will die relatively soon, the other will outlive all the others.

Still, Jesus cannot grant their request to sit on His left and on His right in the kingdom. Only God the Father can grant that request. This shows that Jesus understands Himself to be under the authority of His Father in this, though they are one (John 14:8–11). He adds that His Father has prepared those seats for someone, and that is who will occupy them. If Jesus knows who those two people are, He chooses not to reveal it here.
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