Matthew 26:36-46

Expanded Bible

Jesus Prays Alone^(A)

³⁶ Then Jesus went with his ·followers [disciples] 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 [sorrowful] and ·troubled [anguished; distressed]. ³⁸ He said to them, “My ·heart [soul] is ·full of sorrow [overwhelmed with grief], to the point of death. Stay here and ·watch [stay awake; be alert] with me.”

³⁹ After walking a little farther away from them, Jesus fell [with his face] to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, ·do not give me [^Llet pass from me] this ·cup of suffering [^Lcup; ^Csuffering is metaphorically portrayed as something bitter to drink]. But do ·what you want [your will], not ·what I want [my will].” ⁴⁰ Then Jesus went back to his ·followers [disciples] and found them asleep. He said to Peter, “You men could not ·stay awake [watch] with me for one hour? ⁴¹ ·Stay awake [Keep watch] and pray for strength ·against temptation [or not to fail the test]. The spirit ·wants to do what is right [is willing], but ·the body [or human nature; ^Tthe flesh] is weak.”

⁴² Then Jesus went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for ·this painful thing [^Lthis thing; ^Cthe cup of suffering; v. 39] to be taken from me, and if I must ·do [drink] it, ·I pray that what you want [^Lmay your] will be done.”

⁴³ Then he went back to his ·followers [disciples], 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 [disciples] and said, “·Are you still sleeping and resting? [or Go ahead, sleep and have your rest!] The time has come for the Son of Man to be ·handed over to [^Lbetrayed/delivered into the hands of] sinful people. ⁴⁶ Get up, we must go. Look, here comes ·the man who has turned against me [my betrayer].”