Luke 22 · Verse 24

Luke 22:24

And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.
Luke 22:24, King James Version

Luke 22:24 in other translations

BSBA dispute also arose among the disciples as to which of them would be considered the greatest.
WEBA dispute also arose among them, which of them was considered to be greatest.
ASVAnd there arose also a contention among them, which of them was accounted to be greatest.
YLTAnd there happened also a strife among them--who of them is accounted to be greater.
DARBYAnd there was also a strife among them which of them should be held to be the greatest.
BBEAnd there was an argument among them about which of them was the greatest.
WebsterAnd there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.

What does Luke 22:24 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Luke 22:24-30
24-30. there was--or "had been," referring probably to some symptoms of the former strife which had reappeared, perhaps on seeing the whole paschal arrangements committed to two of the Twelve. (See on Mr 10:42-45.)

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 24. A strife. A contention or debate.

Which of them should be the greatest. The apostles, in common with the Jews generally, had supposed that the Messiah would come as a temporal prince, and in the manner of other princes of the earth--of course, that he would have officers of his government, ministers of state, &c. Their contention was founded on this expectation, and they were disputing which of them should be raised to the highest office. They had before had a similar contention. See Mt 18:1, 20:20-28. Nothing can be more humiliating than that the disciples should have had such contentions, and in such a time and place. That just as Jesus was contemplating his own death, and labouring to prepare them for it, they should strive and contend about office and rank, shows how deeply seated is the love of power; how ambition will find its way into the most secret and sacred places; and how even the disciples of the meek and lowly Jesus are sometimes actuated by this most base and wicked feeling.

(l) "And there was also" Mk 9:34, Lk 9:46

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 24 There was also a strife among them - There are two different instances of this sort of contention or strife mentioned by the evangelists, each of which was accompanied with very different circumstances; one by Matthew, in Mat 18:1, etc., by Mark, Mar 9:33, etc.; and by Luke, in Luk 9:46, etc. That contention cannot have been the same with this which is mentioned here. The other, related in Mat 20:20, etc., and Mar 10:35, etc., must be what Luke intended here to record; and this strife or contention was occasioned by the request which Zebedee's wife made to our Lord in favor of her sons, James and John; but, then, Luke has mentioned this very much out of the order of time, it having happened while our Lord and his disciples were on their way to Jerusalem: Mat 20:17; Mar 10:32. See Bp. Pearce.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Luke 22:21-38

How unbecoming is the worldly ambition of being the greatest, to the character of a follower of Jesus, who took upon him the form of a servant, and humbled himself to the death of the cross! In the way to eternal happiness, we must expect to be assaulted and sifted by Satan. If he cannot destroy, he will try to disgrace or distress us. Nothing more certainly forebodes a fall, in a professed follower of Christ, than…

Read the full comment on Luke 22:21-38 →

Luke 22:24 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἘγένετοEgenetoThere wasG1096
δὲdethenG1161
καὶkaialsoG2532
φιλονεικίαphiloneikiaa disputeG5379
ἐνenamongG1722
αὐτοῖς,autoisthem,G846
τὸto<the>G3588
τίςtiswhichG5101
αὐτῶνautōnof themG846
δοκεῖdokeiis thoughtG1380
εἶναιeinaito beG1511
μείζων.meizōn[the] greatest.G3173

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Luke 22:24

  • Luke 9:46

    Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest.

  • Mark 9:34

    But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest.

  • Matthew 20:20-24

    Then came to him the mother of Zebedee’s children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him. And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom. But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able. And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father. …

  • Mark 10:37-41

    They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory. But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? 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: But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared. …

  • Philippians 2:3-5

    Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

  • 1 Peter 5:5-6

    Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

  • 1 Corinthians 13:4

    Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

  • Romans 12:10

    Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

  • James 4:5-6

    Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
9:46; Mt 20:20-24; Mr 9:34; 10:37-41; Ro 12:10; 1Co 13:4; Php 2:3-5
Jas 4:5,6; 1Pe 5:5,6

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Luke 22:23

    And they began to enquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing.

  • Luke 22:24

    And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.

  • Luke 22:25

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

Read all of Luke 22

Luke 22:24 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y hubo entre ellos una contienda, quién de ellos parecía ser el mayor.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et il arriva aussi une contestation entre eux pour savoir lequel d’entre eux serait estimé le plus grand.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Es entstand aber auch ein Streit unter ihnen, wer von ihnen für den Größten zu halten sei.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Facta est autem et contentio inter eos, quis eorum videretur esse major.