Mark 9:35
◄  Mark 9:35  ►
New International Version (©2011)
Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all."

New Living Translation (©2007)
He sat down, called the twelve disciples over to him, and said, "Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else."

English Standard Version (©2001)
And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
Sitting down, He called the twelve and said to them, "If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all."

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
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.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
Sitting down, He called the Twelve and said to them, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be last of all and servant of all."

International Standard Version (©2012)
So he sat down, called the Twelve, and told them, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be last of all and servant of all."

NET Bible (©2006)
After he sat down, he called the twelve and said to them, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be last of all and servant of all."

Aramaic Bible in Plain English (©2010)
And Yeshua sat down and he called the twelve and he said to them, “He who wants to be first shall be last, and the servant of every person.”

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
He sat down and called the twelve apostles. He told them, "Whoever wants to be the most important person must take the last place and be a servant to everyone else."

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
And he sat down, and called the twelve, and said unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.

American King James Version
And he sat down, and called the twelve, and said to them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.

American Standard Version
And he sat down, and called the twelve; and he saith unto them, If any man would be first, he shall be last of all, and servant of all.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And sitting down, he called the twelve, and saith to them: If any man desire to be first, he shall be the last of all, and the minister of all.

Darby Bible Translation
And sitting down he called the twelve; and he says to them, If any one would be first, he shall be last of all, and minister of all.

English Revised Version
And he sat down, and called the twelve; and he saith unto them, If any man would be first, he shall be last of all, and minister of all.

Webster's Bible Translation
And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith to them, If any man desireth to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.

Weymouth New Testament
Then sitting down He called the Twelve, and said to them, "If any one wishes to be first, he must be last of all and servant of all."

World English Bible
He sat down, and called the twelve; and he said to them, "If any man wants to be first, he shall be last of all, and servant of all."

Young's Literal Translation
and having sat down he called the twelve, and he saith to them, 'If any doth will to be first, he shall be last of all, and minister of all.'

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

9:30-40 The time of Christ's suffering drew nigh. Had he been delivered into the hands of devils, and they had done this, it had not been so strange; but that men should thus shamefully treat the Son of man, who came to redeem and save them, is wonderful. Still observe that when Christ spake of his death, he always spake of his resurrection, which took the reproach of it from himself, and should have taken the grief of it from his disciples. Many remain ignorant because they are ashamed to inquire. Alas! that while the Saviour teaches so plainly the things which belong to his love and grace, men are so blinded that they understand not his sayings. We shall be called to account about our discourses, and to account for our disputes, especially about being greater than others. Those who are most humble and self-denying, most resemble Christ, and shall be most tenderly owned by him. This Jesus taught them by a sign; whoever shall receive one like this child, receives me. Many have been like the disciples, ready to silence men who have success in preaching to sinners repentance in Christ's name, because they follow not with them. Our Lord blamed the apostles, reminding them that he who wrought miracles in his name would not be likely to hurt his cause. If sinners are brought to repent, to believe in the Saviour, and to live sober, righteous, and godly lives, we then see that the Lord works by the preacher.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 35. - And he sat down, and called the twelve. He sat down, with the authority of the great Teacher, to inculcate solemnly a fundamental principle of the Christian life. If any man would be first he shall be last of all, and minister of all. These words are capable of two interpretations. They might be regarded as analogous to our Lord's words elsewhere, "He that exalteth himself shall be abased;" as though they indicated the penalty which attaches to unworthy ambition. But it is surely far more natural to regard them as pointing out the way to real greatness, namely, by humble service for Christ's sake.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And he sat down,.... As their master, as one having authority; and in order to examine into this matter, and pass judgment upon it:

and called the twelve; all the disciples, who though they might not be all engaged in this dispute, nor equally criminal, yet were all, possessed of the same notion; and therefore Christ calls them all unto him, what he had to say, being pertinent unto them all:

and saith unto them, if any man desire to be first; to have the pre-eminence, and be in the chief place in the kingdom of the Messiah,

the same shall be last of all, and servant of all: his pride and vanity shall be checked; his ambitious views shall be frustrated; instead of being first, he shall be last; and instead of having superior reverence and respect, he shall be debased, and treated with neglect and contempt; and instead of being the master over others, shall be the servant of all. Some copies read, "let him be"; and so the Persic version, "let him be last, and minister to every one"; and the Ethiopic thus, "let him subject himself to all, and be servant to all"; for the only way to preferment in Christ's kingdom, or in the Gospel dispensation, is humility and meekness, and performing the lowest services to all, with diligence and cheerfulness.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

35. If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all—that is, "let him be" such: he must be prepared to take the last and lowest place. See on [1464]Mr 10:42-45.

Mark 9:35 Parallel Commentaries

Mark 9:35 NIV
Mark 9:35 NLT
Mark 9:35 ESV
Mark 9:35 NASB
Mark 9:35 KJV

Bible Hub: Online Parallel Bible


The Greatest in the Kingdom
33And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that you disputed among yourselves by the way? 34But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest. 35And he sat down, and called the twelve, and said to them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.

Matthew 20:26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,
Matthew 23:11 The greatest among you will be your servant.
Mark 9:36 He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them,
Mark 10:43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,
Mark 10:44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.
Luke 22:26 But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves.