Gethsemane^(A)

³² They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” ³³ He took Peter, James and John^(B) along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. ³⁴ “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,”^(C) he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.”

³⁵ Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour^(D) might pass from him. ³⁶ “Abba,^[a] Father,”^(E) he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup^(F) from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”^(G)

³⁷ Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Simon,” he said to Peter, “are you asleep? Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour? ³⁸ Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.^(H) The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”^(I)

³⁹ Once more he went away and prayed the same thing. ⁴⁰ When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him.

⁴¹ Returning the third time, he said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour^(J) has come. Look, the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. ⁴² Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”

Paul’s Vision and His Thorn

12 I must go on boasting.^(A) Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations^(B) from the Lord. ² I know a man in Christ^(C) who fourteen years ago was caught up^(D) to the third heaven.^(E) Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows.^{(F) 3} And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows— ⁴ was caught up^(G) to paradise^(H) and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell. ⁵ I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses.^{(I) 6} Even if I should choose to boast,^(J) I would not be a fool,^(K) because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, ⁷ or because of these surpassingly great revelations.^(L) Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh,^(M) a messenger of Satan,^(N) to torment me. ⁸ Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.^{(O) 9} But he said to me, “My grace^(P) is sufficient for you, for my power^(Q) is made perfect in weakness.^(R)”^(S) Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. ¹⁰ That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight^(T) in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships,^(U) in persecutions,^(V) in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.^(W)

³⁸ For I have come down from heaven^(A) not to do my will but to do the will^(B) of him who sent me.^(C)

³⁴ “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will^(A) of him who sent me and to finish his work.^(B)

¹⁷ The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life^(A)—only to take it up again. ¹⁸ No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.^(B) I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”^(C)

²⁰ At this, Job got up and tore his robe^(A) and shaved his head.^(B) Then he fell to the ground in worship^{(C) 21} and said:

²² In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.^(G)

⁹ His wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity?^(A) Curse God and die!”^(B)

¹⁰ He replied, “You are talking like a foolish^[a] woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?”^(C)

In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.^(D)

⁹ This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son^(A) into the world that we might live through him.^{(B) 10} This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us^(C) and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.^(D)