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Sunday, July 20th, 2025
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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Read the Bible

New Revised Standard

Matthew 23:11

The greatest among you will be your servant.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Deacon;   Hypocrisy;   Man;   Minister, Christian;   Pharisees;   Pride;   Satire;   Teachers;   Thompson Chain Reference - Greatness, God's;   Honour-Dishonour;   True Greatness;   The Topic Concordance - Greatness;   Servants;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Ambition;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Pharisees;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Father;   Matthew, gospel of;   Servant;   Tradition;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Anger;   Greatness;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Supralapsarians;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Matthew, the Gospel of;   Salutation;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Deacon;   Hypocrite;   Judas Iscariot;   Scribes;   Sin;   Text of the New Testament;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Ambition;   Courage;   Discipleship;   Discourse;   Doctrines;   Equality;   Error;   Greatness;   Guest;   Head ;   Humility;   Law of God;   Minister, Ministration;   Paradox;   Sanctify, Sanctification;   Winter ;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Pharisee;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Scribe;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Jesus of Nazareth;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Great;   Matthew, the Gospel of;   Peter, Simon;   Washing of Feet;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The greatest among you will be your servant.
King James Version (1611)
But hee that is greatest among you, shall be your seruant.
King James Version
But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
English Standard Version
The greatest among you shall be your servant.
New American Standard Bible
"But the greatest of you shall be your servant.
New Century Version
Whoever is your servant is the greatest among you.
Amplified Bible
"But the greatest among you will be your servant.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"But the greatest among you shall be your servant.
Legacy Standard Bible
But the greatest among you shall be your servant.
Berean Standard Bible
The greatest among you shall be your servant.
Contemporary English Version
Whoever is the greatest should be the servant of the others.
Complete Jewish Bible
The greatest among you must be your servant,
Darby Translation
But the greatest of you shall be your servant.
Easy-to-Read Version
Whoever serves you like a servant is the greatest among you.
Geneva Bible (1587)
But he that is greatest among you, let him be your seruant.
George Lamsa Translation
But he who is greatest among you, let him be your minister.
Good News Translation
The greatest one among you must be your servant.
Lexham English Bible
And the greatest among you will be your servant.
Literal Translation
But the greater of you shall be your servant.
American Standard Version
But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
Bible in Basic English
But let the greatest among you be your servant.
Hebrew Names Version
But he who is greatest among you will be your servant.
International Standard Version
The person who is greatest among you must be your servant.Matthew 20:26-27;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
But he who is great among you, let him be your servitor.
Murdock Translation
And the great one among you will be your servitor.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
He that is greatest among you, shalbe your seruaunt.
English Revised Version
But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
World English Bible
But he who is greatest among you will be your servant.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
Weymouth's New Testament
He who is the greatest among you shall be your servant;
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
He that is grettest among you, schal be youre mynystre.
Update Bible Version
But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
Webster's Bible Translation
But he that is greatest among you, shall be your servant.
New English Translation
The greatest among you will be your servant.
New King James Version
But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant.
New Living Translation
The greatest among you must be a servant.
New Life Bible
"He who is greatest among you will be the one to care for you.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, the greatest of you, shall be to you, a minister;
Douay-Rheims Bible
He that is the greatest among you shall be your servant.
Revised Standard Version
He who is greatest among you shall be your servant;
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
He that is greatest amoge you shalbe youre seruaunte.
Young's Literal Translation
And the greater of you shall be your ministrant,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
He that is greatest amoge you, shalbe youre seruaunt.
Mace New Testament (1729)
he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
THE MESSAGE
"Do you want to stand out? Then step down. Be a servant. If you puff yourself up, you'll get the wind knocked out of you. But if you're content to simply be yourself, your life will count for plenty.
Simplified Cowboy Version
The one who is the top hand among you will be your servant who works like a pack mule.

Contextual Overview

1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 "The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat; 3 therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach. 4 They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them. 5 They do all their deeds to be seen by others; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long. 6 They love to have the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues, 7 and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have people call them rabbi. 8 But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all students. 9 And call no one your father on earth, for you have one Father—the one in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Messiah.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Matthew 20:26, Matthew 20:27, Mark 10:43, Mark 10:44, Luke 22:26, Luke 22:27, John 13:14, John 13:15, 1 Corinthians 9:19, 2 Corinthians 4:5, 2 Corinthians 11:23, Galatians 5:13, Philippians 2:5-8

Reciprocal: Matthew 18:1 - Who Matthew 18:4 - humble Luke 9:48 - he that

Cross-References

Genesis 23:6
"Hear us, my lord; you are a mighty prince among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our burial places; none of us will withhold from you any burial ground for burying your dead."
Genesis 23:7
Abraham rose and bowed to the Hittites, the people of the land.
Genesis 23:12
Then Abraham bowed down before the people of the land.
Genesis 23:18
to Abraham as a possession in the presence of the Hittites, in the presence of all who went in at the gate of his city.
Genesis 23:20
The field and the cave that is in it passed from the Hittites into Abraham's possession as a burying place.
Numbers 35:30
If anyone kills another, the murderer shall be put to death on the evidence of witnesses; but no one shall be put to death on the testimony of a single witness.
Deuteronomy 17:6
On the evidence of two or three witnesses the death sentence shall be executed; a person must not be put to death on the evidence of only one witness.
Deuteronomy 19:15
A single witness shall not suffice to convict a person of any crime or wrongdoing in connection with any offense that may be committed. Only on the evidence of two or three witnesses shall a charge be sustained.
Ruth 4:1
No sooner had Boaz gone up to the gate and sat down there than the next-of-kin, of whom Boaz had spoken, came passing by. So Boaz said, "Come over, friend; sit down here." And he went over and sat down.
Ruth 4:4
So I thought I would tell you of it, and say: Buy it in the presence of those sitting here, and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if you will not, tell me, so that I may know; for there is no one prior to you to redeem it, and I come after you." So he said, "I will redeem it."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But he that is greatest among you,.... Either who really is so, having more grace, and greater gifts bestowed upon him, than others; which doubtless was the case of some of the disciples, or who desired to be the greatest, was ambitious of, and affected a superiority over others, and to be in the highest post and place, as it is certain some of them did. This was what they were often contending about among themselves, who should be greatest: and Christ here seems to have regard to that vain spirit, which appeared among them; and his view is, to check and restrain it: "shall be your servant"; or "let him be your servant". Service is the way to honour; he that would be most esteemed ought to do the most work; and the man that has the most grace, and the greatest gifts, ought to employ them for the use and benefit of others;

:-.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See the notes at Matthew 20:26.

He that shall humble himself ... - God will exalt or honor him that is humble, and that seeks a lowly place among people. That is true religion, and God will reward it.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Matthew 23:11. Your servant. — διακονος, deacon. See on Matthew 20:26.


 
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