Luke 22:25

Green's Literal Translation

And He said to them, The kings of the nations lord it over them, and those exercising authority over them are called benefactors.

Parallel Translations

Simplified Cowboy Version
Jesus said, "The way this world works, the people in power make people do whatever they want, yet they call themselves, 'a friend of the good folks.'

Legacy Standard Bible
And He said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who have authority over them are called ‘Benefactors.'

New American Standard Bible (1995)
And He said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called 'Benefactors.'

Bible in Basic English
And he said, The kings of the Gentiles are lords over them, and those who have authority are given names of honour.

Darby Translation
And he said to them, The kings of the nations rule over them, and they that exercise authority over them are called benefactors.

New King James Version
And He said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called "benefactors.'

Christian Standard Bible®
But He said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles dominate them, and those who have authority over them are called ‘Benefactors.'

World English Bible
He said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who have authority over them are called 'benefactors.'

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And he said to them, The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them, and they that exercise authority upon them have the title of benefactors.

Weymouth's New Testament
But He said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles are their masters, and those who exercise authority over them are called Benefactors.

King James Version (1611)
And hee saide vnto them, The Kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship ouer them, & they that exercise authoritie vpon them, are called benefactors.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But he sayde vnto them: The kynges of ye worlde haue domynion ouer ye people, and they that beare rule ouer the, are called gracious lordes.

Mace New Testament (1729)
Jesus therefore told them, the kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and they, who are invested with their authority, take the title of benefactors.

Amplified Bible
Jesus said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles have absolute power and lord it over them; and those in authority over them are called 'Benefactors.'

American Standard Version
And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles have lordship over them; and they that have authority over them are called Benefactors.

Revised Standard Version
And he said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And he sayde vnto them: the kynges of the getyls raygne over them and they that beare rule over them are called gracious lordes.

Update Bible Version
And he said to them, The kings of the Gentiles have lordship over them; and those that have authority over them are called Benefactors.

Webster's Bible Translation
And he said to them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them, are called benefactors.

New Century Version
But Jesus said to them, "The kings of the non-Jewish people rule over them, and those who have authority over others like to be called ‘friends of the people.'

New English Translation
So Jesus said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in authority over them are called ‘benefactors.'

Contemporary English Version
So Jesus told them: Foreign kings order their people around, and powerful rulers call themselves everyone's friends.

Complete Jewish Bible
But Yeshua said to them, "The kings of the Goyim lord it over them; and those in authority over them are given the title, ‘Benefactor.'

Geneva Bible (1587)
But hee saide vnto them, The Kings of the Gentiles reigne ouer them, and they that beare rule ouer them, are called bountifull.

George Lamsa Translation
Jesus said to them, The kings of the Gentiles are also their owners; and those who rule over them are called benefactors.

Hebrew Names Version
He said to them, "The kings of the Goyim lord it over them, and those who have authority over them are called 'benefactors.'

International Standard Version
But he said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called benefactors.Matthew 20:25; Mark 10:42;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
And Jeshu said to them, The kings of the Gentiles are their lords; and they who exercise authority over them, doers of good are called.

Murdock Translation
And Jesus said to them: The kings of the nations, are their lords; and those exercising authority over them, are called benefactors.

New Living Translation
Jesus told them, "In this world the kings and great men lord it over their people, yet they are called ‘friends of the people.'

New Life Bible
Jesus said to them, "The kings of the nations show their power to the people. Those who have power over the people are given names of honor.

English Revised Version
And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles have lordship over them; and they that have authority over them are called Benefactors.

Berean Standard Bible
So Jesus declared, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in authority over them call themselves benefactors.

New Revised Standard
But he said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, he, said unto them - The kings of the nations, lord it over them, and, they who wield authority over them, benefactors, are called.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he said to them: The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and they that have power over them are called beneficent.

King James Version
And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.

Lexham English Bible
So he said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who have authority over them are called benefactors.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And he saide vnto them: The kinges of nations raigne ouer them, and they that haue aucthoritie vpo them, are called gracious Lordes.

Easy-to-Read Version
But Jesus said to them, "The kings of the world rule over their people, and those who have authority over others want to be called ‘the great providers for the people.'

English Standard Version
And he said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors.

New American Standard Bible
And He said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles domineer over them; and those who have authority over them are called 'Benefactors.'

Good News Translation
Jesus said to them, "The kings of the pagans have power over their people, and the rulers claim the title ‘Friends of the People.'

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
But he seide to hem, Kyngis of hethen men ben lordis of hem, and thei that han power on hem ben clepid good doeris, but ye not so;

Young's Literal Translation
And he said to them, `The kings of the nations do exercise lordship over them, and those exercising authority upon them are called benefactors;

Contextual Overview

²¹ But, behold, the hand of My betrayer on the table with Me! ²² And, indeed, the Son of Man goes according as was determined, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed! ²³ And they began to examine themselves who then it may be of them, the one being about to do this. ²⁴ And there was also a dispute among them, who of them seems to be greater. ²⁵ And He said to them, The kings of the nations lord it over them, and those exercising authority over them are called benefactors. ²⁶ But you be not so, but the greater among you, let him be as the lesser; and the one governing as the one serving. ²⁷ For who is greater, the one reclining, or the one serving? Is it not the one reclining? But I am in your midst as One serving. ²⁸ But you are those continuing with Me in My temptation. ²⁹ And I appoint a kingdom to you, as My Father appointed to Me, ³⁰ that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom; and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Matthew 20:25-28, Mark 10:41-45

Reciprocal: Mark 10:42 - Ye know 2 Corinthians 4:5 - and

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he said unto them,.... The disciples; that is, Jesus said to them, as the Syriac and Persic versions express:

the kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; by which our Lord would dissuade his disciples from seeking to introduce a superiority over one another, since this was the practice of the Heathens, of the men of the world, of ignorant Gentiles; whereas Christ's kingdom was a spiritual kingdom, and not of this world, and therefore, not to be managed in such a way.

And they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors; either by themselves, or by their court flatterers, to cover their ambition, tyranny, and cruelty. Two of the King's of Egypt were called by the name Euergetes p; the word that is here used, and translated "benefactors"; and it was commonly given to other kings, princes, and men in power: so Cyrus was called by the Armenians; Antigonus by the Greeks; and Phylacus among the Persians: the same name was given to Mithridates king of Pontus, to Titus Aelius Hadrianus, to Menander, to Marcus Aurelius Severus, and to Cato Uticensis, and others q.

p Alex. ab. Alexandro Genial. Dier. l. 1. c. 2. q Vid. Cuper. Inscript. & Marmora. p. 283, 284.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The kings of the Gentiles - The kings of the “nations,” or of the earth. They do this, and it is to be expected of them, and it is right. Our Lord does not mean to say that it was wrong that there should be such authority, but that “his” kingdom was to be of a different character, and they were not to expect it there.

Over them - That is, over the “nations.”

Are called benefactors - The word “benefactor” is applied to one who bestows “favor” on another. It was applied to kings by way of “compliment or flattery.” Some of them might have been truly benefactors of their people, but this was by no means true of “all.” Yet it was applied to all, and especially to the Roman emperors. It is found applied to them often in the writings of Josephus and Philo.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 25. Are called benefactors. — The very Greek word used by the evangelist, ευεργεται, was the surname of some of the Ptolemies of Egypt; Ptolemy Euergetes, i.e. the Benefactor. It was a custom among the ancient Romans to distribute part of the lands which they had conquered on the frontiers of the empire to their soldiers; those who enjoyed such lands were called beneficiarii, beneficed persons; and the lands themselves were termed beneficia, benefices, as being held on the beneficence of the sovereign; and it is no wonder that such sovereigns, however tyrannical or oppressive they might have been in other respects, were termed benefactors by those who were thus dependent on their bounty.