Mark 10 39

Mark 10:39 kjv

And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized:

Mark 10:39 nkjv

They said to Him, "We are able." So Jesus said to them, "You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized;

Mark 10:39 niv

"We can," they answered. Jesus said to them, "You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with,

Mark 10:39 esv

And they said to him, "We are able." And Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized,

Mark 10:39 nlt

"Oh yes," they replied, "we are able!" Then Jesus told them, "You will indeed drink from my bitter cup and be baptized with my baptism of suffering.

Mark 10 verses

Mark 10 39 Meaning

In Mark 10:39, Jesus responds to James and John’s ambitious request for prominent positions in His kingdom. Despite their misunderstanding of His kingdom's nature, Jesus confirms that they will indeed partake in the profound suffering, self-sacrifice, and trials that are integral to His mission and the establishment of His kingdom. The "cup" and "baptism" are powerful metaphors for sharing in His path of affliction, ultimately leading to martyrdom for James and intense suffering for John, contrasting sharply with their worldly aspirations for power and glory.

Mark 10 39 Context

Mark 10:39 occurs immediately following James and John's ambitious request for the most honored positions in Jesus' coming kingdom (Mark 10:35-37). This request highlights their continued misunderstanding of the true nature of Jesus' kingdom, viewing it through the lens of earthly power and privilege, rather than sacrifice and servanthood. Jesus has just, for the third time, clearly predicted His passion, His arrest, suffering, death, and resurrection (Mark 10:32-34), yet the disciples still cling to nationalistic, worldly expectations of a glorious earthly reign. Jesus then corrects their misapprehension, transforming their expectation of high office into a prophecy of shared suffering with Him, defining true greatness in the kingdom not by power but by self-sacrificing service, culminating in the ransom verse of Mark 10:45.

Mark 10 39 Word analysis

• And they said to Him, "We are able." This expresses a zealous yet naive confidence on the part of James and John. They believe they possess the capacity to fulfill whatever challenges Jesus might set before them, without truly grasping the profound implications of what He asks. Their "able" is based on earthly strength and ambition, not spiritual understanding or readiness for ultimate sacrifice.
• The cup (Greek: `potērion`, ποτήριον): This is a rich metaphor rooted deeply in Old Testament prophetic language (e.g., Psa 75:8; Isa 51:17; Jer 25:15; Ezek 23:32-34). It consistently signifies a divine apportionment or destiny, often specifically one of suffering, wrath, or judgment, a bitter portion one is forced to drink. For Jesus, it signified the full measure of God’s wrath against sin, the immense suffering of His passion and crucifixion, which He agonized over in Gethsemane (Mk 14:36).
• that I drink (Greek: `pinō`, πίνω): Implies complete experience, taking in, fully partaking of a specified destiny. Jesus speaks of a real, lived experience of suffering that He Himself would endure.
• you will drink: This is a direct prophetic declaration from Jesus, not a question as in the previous verse (Mk 10:38). It indicates a certainty: James and John would indeed, by God's providence, partake in a form of suffering similar to or directly linked to Jesus’ own. Their experience would involve identification with His fate and the costs of discipleship.
• and with the baptism (Greek: `baptisma`, βάπτισμα): Here, "baptism" does not refer to water immersion, but metaphorically signifies an overwhelming immersion into an experience, specifically one of intense suffering or tribulation. Jesus used this metaphor elsewhere to refer to His impending passion (Lk 12:50), indicating a complete submersion into, or engulfment by, the pain and consequences of His atoning death.
• with which I am baptized (Greek: `baptizō`, βαπτίζω): Denotes complete engulfment, indicating Jesus' full and willing immersion into the depths of redemptive suffering and death for humanity's sake.
• you will be baptized: Another clear prophetic statement from Jesus, guaranteeing that James and John would undergo their own immersion in profound suffering and trials, participating in the afflictions that mark true commitment to Christ's mission. Their participation would involve experiencing persecution and hardships for their faith, even martyrdom for James (Acts 12:2) and significant tribulation and exile for John (Rev 1:9).

• The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized you will be baptized: This powerful parallelism emphasizes the dual aspects of their participation in Christ’s suffering. "Drinking the cup" signifies internal agony and bearing the brunt of divine appointment for suffering, while being "baptized with His baptism" points to an outward and overwhelming engulfment in persecution and death for His sake. Together, these phrases signify a full, profound, and inescapable identification with Jesus' sacrificial mission, moving from the internal bearing of suffering to external persecution, challenging the disciples' limited view of a triumphant earthly kingdom.

Mark 10 39 Bonus section

The irony in Mark 10:39 lies in the disciples' zealous but misplaced ambition for earthly honor. They declared, "We are able," not comprehending the profound cost. Jesus affirmed their capacity to suffer, turning their request for places of glory into a prophecy of shared suffering. This exposes the deep contrast between worldly ambition and the true nature of Jesus' kingdom. Furthermore, the passage implies a broader truth for all believers: while not all will face martyrdom like James, all who earnestly follow Christ are called to a symbolic 'drinking of His cup' and 'baptism into His sufferings' through trials, persecutions, and self-denial (Phil 3:10; 1 Pet 4:12-13). Jesus acknowledges their ability, not in the sense of their innate strength, but in God's sovereign plan and the strength He would provide them to endure. Their initial answer stemmed from pride; Jesus' response was one of divine wisdom, transforming their self-confident assertion into a divine appointment to sacrifice.

Mark 10 39 Commentary

Mark 10:39 serves as a profound reorientation of discipleship. James and John, aspiring to earthly glory, are met with Jesus' stark reality of suffering. Jesus' "yes" to their request confirms their destiny of sharing in His cup of affliction and baptism of death, a cost they did not foresee. This highlights that true proximity to Christ is not found in positions of power but in identification with His self-sacrificing path. It foreshadows the martyrdom of James and the significant tribulation John would endure, underscoring that discipleship inevitably involves embracing suffering for Christ’s sake. The promise is not of worldly success but of participation in divine purposes, even through immense hardship, ultimately leading to genuine glory beyond human comprehension. This verse is a timeless reminder that Christian leadership and following Christ entail suffering and sacrifice before, and often instead of, earthly recognition.