Translation commentary on Matthew 20:23

Them translates a masculine plural form of the pronoun, thereby directing Jesus’ remarks to the two brothers. It is better to make this specific, however, in verse 22, where the plural form of the verb (“[We] are able”) is introduced.

Translators can render drink my cup very much as they did in verse 22.

To sit at my right hand and at my left occurs initially in the Greek clause, thus making it emphatic. But this is not the natural position for an object in English, and so Good News Translation and a number of other modern English translations place this phrase following the verb to grant (Good News Translation “to choose who will sit at my right and my left”). For comments on at my right hand and at my left, see verse 21.

The impersonal construction, is not mine to grant, is transformed by Good News Translation to “I do not have the right to choose.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch (“But I cannot decree who will sit on my right and on my left”) is similar in form to Good News Bible, while Barclay has “is not in my power to give you.”

But it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father: Good News Translation clarifies the referent of it … it and simultaneously shifts from a passive to an active construction: “These places belong to those for whom my Father has prepared them.” New Jerusalem Bible also makes explicit the meaning of the pronouns: “but as for seats at my right hand and at my left, these are not mine to grant….”

Prepared (so most translations) is best not given so specific a theological sense as “destined” (Moffatt, An American Translation); the primary meaning of the verb is “get ready” or “keep ready,” and Matthew uses it elsewhere of a road (3.3), of a meal (22.4; 26.17, 19), of eternal fire (25.41), and in a context much like the present one, of “the kingdom” (25.34). New English Bible has “assigned,” and New Jerusalem Bible has “allotted.” Overall, however, it seems best to use the most neutral term possible, such as “get ready” or “prepare.”

The latter part of this verse, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father, proves awkward in many languages because of the combinations of impersonal constructions and the passive voice. It may be necessary to restructure, for example, as “But my Father has reserved those places for those people he has chosen to be there,” “The people who will sit there are the ones whom my Father prepared the places for,” or even “My father chose the people he wants to sit there, and he prepared the places for them.”

My Father, of course, refers to God. It may be necessary to say “God my Father” or “my Father in heaven.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1988. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 20:23



20:23a

You will indeed drink My cup: In Greek, this clause includes the word indeed, a word that the some versions do not translate. In this context, this word affirms the truth of this statement. The next clause (20:23b) is matched to it and gives a contrasting idea.

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

You will indeed drink from my bitter cup (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
You certainly will drink from my cup! (Contemporary English Version)
-or-

It is true that you will suffer like I will soon suffer

drink My cup: As in 20:22b, the word cup represents suffering. The phrase My cup refers to the suffering that Jesus was going to experience in Jerusalem.

You should translate the expression drink My cup in a similar way to 20:22b.

20:23b

But: There is a contrast between 20:23a and 20:23b–c. James and John would certainly suffer like Jesus (20:23a). But that does not mean that they will have the places of honor (20:23b–c) next to him.

The Berean Standard Bible indicates this contrast with the conjunction But.

to sit at My right or left: As in 20:21c, the phrase right or left means “left side or right side.” The left and right sides of a king were positions of honor.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

as for who sits on my right and left
-or-
the person will sit on my right side and left side

In some languages, it is more natural to put this clause after “is not Mine to grant.” See the Display for an example.

is not Mine to grant: In Greek, this clause is more literally “this is not mine to give.” Jesus implied that he did not have the authority to give those positions of honor to anyone.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

I do not have permission to give
-or-
I do not have the authority to say who
-or-
I have no right to say who (New Living Translation (2004))

20:23c

There is a contrast here. The contrast is between a negative clause (in 20:23b) and a positive clause here in 20:23c. The negative clause is “to sit at My right…is not Mine to grant.” The positive clause is “These seats belong to those for whom My Father has prepared them.” Languages have different ways to indicate this negative-positive type of contrast. Here are some of the ways:

• With the conjunction “but.”

• With a conjunction other than “but.” This is a common way in English to show this type of contrast. For example:

Rather (NET Bible)
-or-
on the contrary
-or-
Instead

• With no conjunction. For example:

These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father. (New International Version)

These seats belong to those: The Berean Standard Bible has added the words These seats belong. These words are not in Greek. The Berean Standard Bible has added them to make the sentence more natural in English.

The English Standard Version expresses a similar idea by adding “it is for those,” probably using the singular word “it” to refer to the role or function that the two brothers wanted to have in the kingdom. It is also possible to use a plural word. For example:

Those places belong to those (New International Version)
-or-
Those seats are for those people

for whom My Father has prepared them: This clause means that the Father has already decided who will sit on the right and left side of Jesus. He has already prepared that role/function for certain people. He has already made ready those places for people whom he has chosen.

In the Greek this clause is a passive. Here are some other ways to translate it:

• Use a passive verb. For example:

for whom they have been prepared by my Father (New International Version)

• Use an active verb. For example:

for whom my Father has prepared them (Good News Translation)
-or-
My Father has already prepared these positions for certain people. (God’s Word)

-or-

My Father has already decided who will sit in those places.

© 2023 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.