Jesus Prays Alone^(A)

³⁶ Then Jesus went with his followers to a place called Gethsemane. He said to them, “Sit here while I go there and pray.” ³⁷ He told Peter and the two sons of Zebedee to come with him. Then he began to be very sad and troubled. ³⁸ Jesus said to Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, “My heart is so heavy with grief, I feel as if I am dying. Wait here and stay awake with me.”

³⁹ Then Jesus went on a little farther away from them. He fell to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, don’t make me drink from this cup.^[a] But do what you want, not what I want.” ⁴⁰ Then he went back to his followers and found them sleeping. He said to Peter, “Could you men not stay awake with me for one hour? ⁴¹ Stay awake and pray for strength against temptation. Your spirit wants to do what is right, but your body is weak.”

⁴² Then Jesus went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if I must do this^[b] and it is not possible for me to escape it, then I pray that what you want will be done.”

⁴³ Then he went back to the followers. Again he found them sleeping. They could not stay awake. ⁴⁴ So he left them and went away one more time and prayed. This third time he prayed, he said the same thing.

⁴⁵ Then Jesus went back to the followers and said, “Are you still sleeping and resting? The time has come for the Son of Man to be handed over to the control of sinful men. ⁴⁶ Stand up! We must go. Here comes the one who will hand me over.”

Jesus Prays Alone^(A)

^39-40 Jesus left the city and went to the Mount of Olives. His followers went with him. (He went there often.) He said to his followers, “Pray for strength against temptation.”

⁴¹ Then Jesus went about 50 steps away from them. He knelt down and prayed, ⁴² “Father, if you are willing, please don’t make me drink from this cup.^[a] But do what you want, not what I want.” ⁴³ Then an angel from heaven came to help him. ⁴⁴ Jesus was full of pain; he struggled hard in prayer. Sweat dripped from his face like drops of blood falling to the ground.^{[b] 45} When he finished praying, he went to his followers. He found them asleep, worn out from their grieving. ⁴⁶ Jesus said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray for strength against temptation.”