10:37

They answered: The words They answered introduce the specific request of James and John. Introduce it in a natural way in your language.

Grant that one of us may sit at Your right hand and the other at Your left in Your glory: Here James and John were asking Jesus to give them positions of honor when he himself would rule in honor.

In the culture at that time, the king or person having the greatest authority sat on a throne. The person with the next greatest authority after the king sat at the king’s right side. The person next in authority after him sat at the king’s left side. James and John wanted Jesus to give them those places of greatest honor next to him and to let them rule over others.

Here are some ways to make this clear:

…we want to sit in places of honor next to you…one at your right and the other at your left. (New Living Translation, 1996 edition)
-or-
…let us sit beside you to rule with you.
-or-
…we want to rule over people with you, one of us sitting at your right side and the other one on your left.

in Your glory: The phrase in Your glory refers to the time when Jesus would rule over others as the Messiah. Some versions make explicit the idea of ruling (as a king in his kingdom). For example:

When you sit on your throne in your glorious Kingdom (Good News Bible)
-or-
in your glory in your kingdom (New Century Version)

The phrase in Your glory could also be expressed with a verb. For example:

when people honor you
-or-
and they honor you

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All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
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