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Matthew 20:28
“Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”
Matthew 20:28, King James Version (KJV)
“even as the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.””
World English Bible (WEB)
Matthew 20 (KJV)
- 1For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.
- 2And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
- 3And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
- 4And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.
- 5Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.
- 6And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?
- 7They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.
- 8So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.
- 9And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.
- 10But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.
- 11And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,
- 12Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.
- 13But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?
- 14Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.
- 15Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?
- 16So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.
- 17And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them,
- 18Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death,
- 19And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.
- 20Then came to him the mother of Zebedee’s children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him.
- 21And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom.
- 22But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able.
- 23And 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.
- 24And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren.
- 25But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.
- 26But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
- 27And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
- 28Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
- 29And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed him.
- 30And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David.
- 31And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David.
- 32And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you?
- 33They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened.
- 34So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.
Related verses
Passages that readers often connect with Matthew 20:28, in the King James Version.
Hebrews 9:28
So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
Luke 22:27
For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.
Titus 2:14
Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
1 Peter 3:18
For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
1 Timothy 2:6
Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. …
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1769 standardized text (eBible.org eng-kjv). Public domain outside the United Kingdom. Text courtesy of the Crosswire Bible Society and eBible.org. World English Bible Protestant Edition (eBible engwebp, 2026-09-15 snapshot). Public domain. World English Bible is a trademark of eBible.org. Text unmodified; footnotes and formatting omitted. Related verses: OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0), from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.