James and John, the sons of
Zebedee, once came to Jesus and said, "Master, we want you to do for
us what we shall ask." So he said, "What do you want me to do for
you?" They answered, "When you enter into your kingly glory, let one
of us sit on your right hand and one on your left." But Jesus said
to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup
of woe that I am to drink, or be baptized with the baptism of
suffering with which I am to be baptized?" They said to him, "We
can." Jesus said, "You will drink the cup that I am to drink and be
baptized with my baptism, but to sit on my right hand and on my left
is not mine to give; for it is for those for whom it has been
prepared."
When the ten other disciples heard this request, they were at first
angry with James and John, but Jesus called them to him and said,
"You know that those who are rulers in foreign countries lord it
over those under them, and their great men have authority over them;
but it is not so among you. Whoever wishes to be great among you
must serve you, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be
ready to be the servant of all. For I did not come to be served but
to be of service to others, and to give my life so as to secure
freedom for many."
Then he took a little child and set him in their midst. And taking
him in his arms, he said to them, "Whoever receives a little child
like this, in my name, receives me; and whoever receives me receives
not only me, but God who sent me. Whoever gives one of these little
ones even a cup of cold water to drink because he is my disciple
will, I tell you, not lose his reward.
"When the Son of Man comes in his glory and with him all the angels,
he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all people shall be
gathered before him. And he will separate them one from another as a
shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, placing the sheep on
his right hand and the goats on his left.
"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you whom my
Father has blessed, enter into possession of the kingdom prepared
for you since the creation of the world; for I was hungry and you
gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger
and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and
you cared for me, I was in prison and you came to me.'
"Then the upright will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry
and feed you? Or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a
stranger and welcome you? Or naked and clothe you? Or when did we
see you sick or in prison and come to you?' The King will answer
them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you have done it even to the least of
these my brothers, you have done it to me.'"