Luke 22:26 kjv
But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.
Luke 22:26 nkjv
But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves.
Luke 22:26 niv
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.
Luke 22:26 esv
But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves.
Luke 22:26 nlt
But among you it will be different. Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant.
Luke 22 26 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Mt 20:25-28 | "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them... But it shall not be so among you... but whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant..." | Direct parallel, leadership as service. |
| Mk 10:42-45 | "You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them... But it is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant..." | Direct parallel, servant leadership. |
| Jn 13:12-17 | "Do you understand what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord... I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet." | Jesus' personal example of humble service. |
| Phil 2:5-8 | "Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who... emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant..." | Christ's example of humble self-abasement. |
| 1 Pet 5:2-3 | "Shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily... nor yet as lording it over those entrusted to you, but proving to be examples to the flock." | Leadership as shepherding, not lording over. |
| Lk 9:48 | "Whoever receives this child in My name receives Me... For the one who is least among all of you, this is the one who is great." | Connecting greatness with humility and littleness. |
| Mt 18:4 | "Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." | Humility as the path to true greatness. |
| Prov 16:18 | "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." | Warning against pride, contrasted with humility. |
| Rom 12:10 | "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor." | Valuing others above oneself. |
| Gal 5:13 | "For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another." | Serving one another in love as true freedom. |
| 1 Cor 9:19 | "For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more." | Paul's example of becoming a servant to many. |
| 2 Cor 4:5 | "For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake." | Apostles seeing themselves as servants. |
| Is 53:11 | "My Servant, the Righteous One, will justify the many, as He will bear their iniquities." | Prophetic foreshadowing of Jesus as the ultimate servant. |
| Is 42:1-4 | "Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold... He will not cry out or raise His voice, nor make His voice heard in the street." | The quiet, humble nature of God's Servant. |
| Mk 9:35 | "If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all." | Similar teaching, last as first. |
| Lk 22:27 | "For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines? But I am among you as the one who serves." | Jesus affirms His teaching by His own example. |
| James 4:6 | "God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble." | God's favor rests on the humble. |
| Mt 23:11-12 | "But the greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted." | Reinforces humility and exaltation reversal. |
| Prov 11:2 | "When pride comes, then comes dishonor; but with the humble is wisdom." | The folly of pride contrasted with the wisdom of humility. |
| Ps 147:6 | "The LORD supports the afflicted; He casts the wicked down to the ground." | God lifting up the humble and humbling the proud. |
| Mic 6:8 | "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" | Walking humbly as a core requirement. |
| Zech 3:8 | "Hear now, Joshua the high priest, you and your associates who are sitting before you, for they are men who are a sign: for behold, I am going to bring in My servant the Branch." | Another reference to "My Servant" as a Messianic title. |
Luke 22 verses
Luke 22 26 Meaning
Jesus overturns the conventional understanding of leadership and status. While the world values dominance and external displays of authority, within His kingdom, true greatness is found in humility and selfless service to others. Those who would lead must embrace the position of a servant, prioritizing the needs and well-being of the community above their own. This principle contrasts sharply with the secular model of rulers lording over their subjects.
Luke 22 26 Context
Luke 22:26 is part of Jesus' discourse during the Last Supper, immediately after He prophesies Peter's denial and institutes the new covenant through His body and blood. This teaching specifically arises from a dispute among His disciples regarding who among them was to be considered the greatest (Luke 22:24). This indicates that even at such a sacred and profound moment, the human inclination towards hierarchical power and status was present among them. Jesus directly addresses this worldly ambition by providing a radically alternative vision for leadership within His Kingdom. He contrasts the prevailing secular model of gentile rulers, who "lord it over" their subjects, with His own divine standard of servant-leadership, anticipating His own ultimate act of service on the cross, as well as the foot-washing demonstration in John's Gospel.
Luke 22 26 Word analysis
- But: Greek: Allā (ἀλλά). This conjunction introduces a strong contrast or opposition. It signifies a direct antithesis to the worldly model of leadership Jesus has just described in verse 25, where gentile kings "lord it over" their subjects.
- not so: Greek: Ouch houtōs (οὐχ οὕτως). A direct and emphatic negation. It is a sharp rejection of the dominant hierarchical and authoritarian power structures of the world. Jesus declares that His followers are to operate under an entirely different set of values.
- among you: Greek: en hymin (ἐν ὑμῖν). This phrase specifies the context: within the community of believers, specifically His disciples. The new order applies internally to the Body of Christ, differentiating it from external secular society.
- let the greatest: Greek: ho meizōn (ὁ μείζων). This refers to the one holding the most status, authority, or prestige within the group. It is a comparative adjective from megas (μέγας, "great"). The disciples themselves were disputing "who was greatest."
- among you: Repetition of en hymin, emphasizing that even the highest-ranking or most esteemed person within the believing community is subject to this new kingdom principle.
- become as the youngest: Greek: genesthō hōs ho neōteros (γενέσθω ὡς ὁ νεώτερος).
- Genesthō (γενέσθω): An imperative, meaning "let him become," indicating a command for transformation of character and role.
- Ho neōteros (ὁ νεώτερος): The youngest; a comparative from neos (νέος, "young"). In ancient Near Eastern cultures, the youngest often held the least status, authority, and voice, particularly in a family or social group where seniority was revered. This command calls for humility, obscurity, and the willingness to take the lowest place. It's about shedding pretensions of superiority.
- and he who governs: Greek: kai ho hēgoumenos (καὶ ὁ ἡγούμενος).
- Ho hēgoumenos (ὁ ἡγούμενος): The participle form of hēgeomai (ἡγέομαι), meaning to lead, to rule, to guide, or to have authority. This specifically identifies someone in a leadership or governing position.
- as he who serves: Greek: hōs ho diakonōn (ὡς ὁ διακονῶν).
- Diakonōn (διακονῶν): The participle form of diakoneō (διακονέω), meaning to minister, to serve, especially by waiting on tables or providing personal care. This is the root of the word "deacon." It conveys a practical, humble, and often laborious service. This isn't merely about good intentions, but tangible actions of service.
- Word-Group Analysis:
- "But not so among you": This phrase functions as a definitive repudiation of worldly power dynamics. It establishes a fundamental disjuncture between the values of the world and those of the Kingdom of God. It's a statement of radical counter-culture for the new community Jesus is building.
- "Let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and he who governs as he who serves": This pair of parallel commands embodies Jesus' revolutionary leadership ethic. "Greatest" (high status, honor) is juxtaposed with "youngest" (low status, humility), while "governs" (authority, rule) is contrasted with "serves" (selfless, practical ministry). This structure emphasizes a complete inversion of traditional societal norms. It demands that power, status, and authority within the Christian community be expressed through radical humility and devoted service to others, mirroring Christ's own example. This isn't about giving up authority, but exercising it through the lens of service, elevating the needs of those being led.
Luke 22 26 Bonus section
The cultural context of Jesus' time placed immense value on age, seniority, and social status. To suggest that "the greatest" should become "as the youngest" was incredibly counter-intuitive and subversive. The "youngest" (neōteros) typically implies someone lacking experience, authority, and often regarded as lower in status. This teaching from Jesus represents a deliberate overturning of honor-shame dynamics where societal greatness was achieved through dominance and prestige. His call for the leader to be "as he who serves" (ho diakonōn) underscores a hands-on, often lowly, form of service, in stark contrast to the distant, often opulent, lifestyle of worldly rulers. This profound reorientation of power is central to the very identity of the Christian community, called to embody an ethos antithetical to worldly values, reflecting the self-giving nature of God Himself.
Luke 22 26 Commentary
Luke 22:26 stands as a core tenet of Jesus' teaching on discipleship and leadership within the Kingdom of God. It provides a foundational principle that actively dismantles the self-serving power structures prevalent in the world, which were unfortunately manifesting even among Jesus' closest followers. Instead of aspiring to positions of prominence for personal gain or prestige, followers of Christ, especially those called to lead, are commanded to adopt a posture of profound humility and self-sacrificial service. This servant-leadership is not a demotion or a rejection of leadership itself, but a redefinition of its very nature. The one who truly leads effectively in God's eyes is the one who, like the youngest or the lowest servant, prioritizes the well-being of others and ministers to their needs. This divine logic, exemplified perfectly by Christ's entire life and culminating in His crucifixion, transforms leadership from an exercise of power over people into an empowering act of service for people, fostering spiritual growth, unity, and a counter-cultural witness in the world. Practically, this applies to all spheres of Christian life: a parent serving a child, a pastor serving a congregation, or a ministry leader empowering their team.