What Does Matthew 20:28 Mean?
Even as the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his living soul as a ransom for many.
Key words are shown with the Hebrew or Greek and what each word meant.
Selah Decoded Version The Selah Decoded Version renders what the Hebrew and Greek words meant to the people who first heard them.
King James wording
King James Version
Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.THE KEY
The one who serves gives his own living soul as the ransom that releases many.
THE MEANING
The Son of Man’s life is not organized around being served; he serves, giving his living soul as the ransom that releases many. Greatness takes shape here as self-giving that makes release possible for others.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
This undoes the belief that greatness is measured by how many people serve you, or that others’ release comes without a cost to the one who gives.
THE ROOT
λύτρον
lytron
GROWS FROM
λυ- (from λύω, lyō)
to loosen or release
The word translated “ransom” belongs to a family of words for release. The verse presents the servant’s own life as what brings many out into freedom.
ALSO GROWS
lyō: to loosen, release
λύω
This root gives the ransom its movement: what is bound is released.
lytrōsis: release, redemption
λύτρωσις
This related word names the release brought about, showing that ransom points toward freedom.
lytroō: to redeem, release by ransom
λυτρόω
This verb makes the same connection between ransom and bringing someone out of bondage.
διακονῆσαι
diakonēsai
GROWS FROM
διακον-
diakon-
to serve or attend to another
“to be served” in this verse is diakonēsai. The verse uses the same service word for the role he did not come to receive and the role he came to embody. Service here is not a title but the action that gives itself for others.
ALSO GROWS
diakonos: servant, one who serves
διάκονος
The related noun names the person by the act of serving.
diakonia: service, ministry
διακονία
The related noun names service as an ongoing work, not a position of status.
ψυχή
psychē
GROWS FROM
ψυχ-
psych-
living soul, life, person
“living soul” in this verse is psychē. The word rendered “life” can also mean “soul” or “person.” What is given, then, is the living self; the verse joins that self-giving directly to the release of many.
ALSO GROWS
psychikos: natural, pertaining to the living soul
ψυχικός
This related adjective keeps the word family tied to the life of a living person.
psychē: life, soul, person
ψυχή
In Matthew 16:25, the same word names the life that may be lost or found, clarifying what is given here as the living self.
THE PATTERN
Greatness takes the form of service that gives itself for the release and good of others.
He shall see the toil of his living soul, and be filled. By his knowing, my servant, the one in alignment, shall align many, and he shall carry their crookedness.But he emptied himself, taking the shape of a servant, and became in the likeness of humankind.As each has received a gift, serve it to one another as good stewards of the many-colored favor of God.THE THREAD
Who gave himself as a ransom for all, a witness given in its own season.The Greek ἀντίλυτρον (antilytron, a ransom given in exchange for others) echoes λύτρον (lytron, ransom) here. The shared release-word opens the verse’s image further: a life is given so others can be released.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us