Matthew 26:36-46

New Century Version

Jesus Prays Alone

³⁶ Then Jesus went with his followers to a place called Gethsemane. He said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” ³⁷ He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with him, and he began to be very sad and troubled. ³⁸ He said to them, “My heart is full of sorrow, to the point of death. Stay here and watch with me.”

³⁹ After walking a little farther away from them, Jesus fell to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, do not give me this cup^[a] of suffering. But do what you want, not what I want.” ⁴⁰ Then Jesus went back to his followers and found them asleep. He said to Peter, “You men could not stay awake with me for one hour? ⁴¹ Stay awake and pray for strength against temptation. The spirit wants to do what is right, but the body is weak.”

⁴² Then Jesus went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this painful thing to be taken from me, and if I must do it, I pray that what you want will be done.”

⁴³ Then he went back to his followers, and again he found them asleep, because their eyes were heavy. ⁴⁴ So Jesus left them and went away and prayed a third time, saying the same thing.

⁴⁵ Then Jesus went back to his followers and said, “Are you still sleeping and resting? The time has come for the Son of Man to be handed over to sinful people. ⁴⁶ Get up, we must go. Look, here comes the man who has turned against me.”