Prayer in Gethsemane
Matthew 26:36-46
Matt.26.36 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Τοτε: ADV
- ερχεται: VERB,pres,mid,ind,3,sg
- μετ᾽αυτων: PREP,gen+PRON,gen,pl,3
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- Ιησους: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- εις: PREP
- χωριον: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- λεγομενον: VERB,pres,pass,part,acc,sg,n
- Γεθσημανι: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- λεγει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- τοις: ART,dat,pl,m
- μαθηταις·Καθισατε: NOUN,dat,pl,m + VERB,aor,act,imp,2,pl
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,3,m
- εως: CONJ
- ου: PART
- απελθων: VERB,aor,act,part,nom,sg,m
- εκει: ADV
- προσευξωμαι: VERB,aor,mid,subj,1,sg
Parallels
- Mark 14:32-34 (verbal): Mark recounts the same scene in Gethsemane—Jesus and the disciples arrive at a place called Gethsemane, he tells the disciples to sit while he prays; wording and sequence closely parallel Matthew's account.
- Luke 22:39-41 (verbal): Luke describes Jesus going to the Mount of Olives/Gethsemane, withdrawing to pray, and instructing the disciples to sit and keep watch—parallel in location, prayer, and the disciples' role.
- John 18:1-2 (structural): John records Jesus crossing the Kidron to a garden (Gethsemane) with his disciples immediately before his arrest—parallel in setting and the movement into the garden, though John focuses on the arrest narrative.
- Luke 6:12 (thematic): Earlier in Luke, Jesus withdraws to pray all night before significant ministry decisions—the pattern of Jesus withdrawing apart to pray parallels his action in Gethsemane.
Alternative generated candidates
- Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane. He said to his disciples, 'Sit here while I go over there and pray.'
- Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane and said to his disciples, 'Sit here while I go over there and pray.'
Matt.26.37 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- παραλαβων: PART,aor,act,nom,sg,m
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- Πετρον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- τους: ART,acc,pl,m
- δυο: NUM,card
- υιους: NOUN,acc,pl,m
- Ζεβεδαιου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- ηρξατο: VERB,aor,mid,ind,3,sg
- λυπεισθαι: VERB,pres,mid,inf
- και: CONJ
- αδημονειν: VERB,pres,act,inf
Parallels
- Mark 14:33 (verbal): Nearly identical account—Jesus takes Peter, James and John and begins to be greatly distressed and troubled; close verbal and narrative parallel to Matthew's wording.
- Luke 22:41-44 (structural): Same Gethsemane scene: Jesus withdraws to pray, experiences intense anguish (incl. sweat like drops of blood) and is strengthened by an angel—develops the emotional and prayerful context of Matthew 26:37.
- Hebrews 5:7 (allusion): Reflects Jesus' prayers and strong cries with tears during his suffering; the epistle alludes to the Gethsemane agony as evidence of his éprouvée humanity and obedient prayer life.
- Isaiah 53:3 (thematic): Portrait of the 'man of sorrows, acquainted with grief'—a prophetic theme of sorrow and suffering that Matthew's depiction of Jesus' anguish in Gethsemane echoes.
Alternative generated candidates
- And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed.
- And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be greatly distressed and deeply troubled.
Matt.26.38 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- τοτε: ADV
- λεγει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτοις·Περιλυπος: PRON,dat,pl,3+ADJ,nom,sg,m
- εστιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- ψυχη: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- μου: PRON,gen,sg,1
- εως: CONJ
- θανατου·μεινατε: NOUN,gen,sg,m+VERB,pres,act,imp,2,pl
- ωδε: ADV
- και: CONJ
- γρηγορειτε: VERB,pres,act,imp,2,pl
- μετ᾽εμου: PREP+PRON,gen,sg,1
Parallels
- Mark 14:34 (verbal): Nearly identical report in Mark’s Passion narrative: Jesus tells the disciples his soul is 'very sorrowful, even to death' and asks them to stay and watch (direct verbal parallel).
- Luke 22:44 (thematic): Luke describes Jesus' intense agony in Gethsemane (being in anguish and sweating blood) — thematically parallel as an expansion of the same anguish Jesus expresses in Matthew 26:38.
- John 12:27 (verbal): John records Jesus saying his 'soul is troubled' (or 'overwhelmed'), a verbal/thematic echo of Jesus' inner torment expressed in Matthew 26:38.
- Hebrews 5:7 (allusion): Hebrews speaks of Christ offering up prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears in the days of his flesh, reflecting the Gethsemane agony that Matthew 26:38 conveys (New Testament theological allusion).
- Psalm 42:11 (or 42:6 MT) (thematic): The psalmist's language of a distressed 'soul' (e.g., 'Why are you cast down, O my soul?') provides an Old Testament background for expressing deep inner desolation, thematically resonant with Jesus' words in Matthew 26:38.
Alternative generated candidates
- He said to them, 'My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death; stay here and keep watch with me.'
- He said to them, 'My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with me.'
Matt.26.39 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- προελθων: PART,aor,act,nom,m,sg
- μικρον: ADV
- επεσεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- επι: PREP
- προσωπον: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,3,m
- προσευχομενος: PART,pres,mid,nom,m,sg
- και: CONJ
- λεγων·Πατερ: PART,pres,act,nom,m,sg
- μου: PRON,gen,sg,1
- ει: COND
- δυνατον: ADJ,nom,sg,n
- εστιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- παρελθατω: VERB,aor,act,imp,3,sg
- απ᾽εμου: PREP+PRON,gen,sg,1
- το: ART,nom,sg,n
- ποτηριον: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- τουτο·πλην: DEM,nom,sg,n
- ουχ: PART
- ως: CONJ
- εγω: PRO,nom,sg,1
- θελω: VERB,pres,act,ind,1,sg
- αλλ᾽ως: ADV
- συ: PRON,nom,sg,2
Parallels
- Mark 14:36 (verbal): Near-verbatim parallel of Jesus' petition in Gethsemane—addresses the Father, asks that the cup pass, and submits to the Father's will.
- Luke 22:42 (verbal): Very similar account: Jesus asks the Father to remove the cup if possible and declares 'not my will but yours,' with Luke adding details (angelic support, agony).
- Hebrews 5:7-8 (allusion): Speaks of Christ offering prayers and supplications with loud cries and being heard because of his reverence—echoes the Gethsemane prayer and Jesus' submissive, earnest petition.
- Isaiah 53:10 (thematic): The suffering servant's death is presented as God's will; provides prophetic background for Jesus' acceptance of suffering ('not as I will but as you').
- Philippians 2:8 (thematic): Paul's emphasis on Christ's humility and obedient submission to the Father's will ('obedient to death') parallels Jesus' willing submission in the garden.
Alternative generated candidates
- And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, 'My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not as I will, but as you will.'
- And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, 'My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not as I will, but as you will.'
Matt.26.40 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- ερχεται: VERB,pres,mid,ind,3,sg
- προς: PREP
- τους: ART,acc,pl,m
- μαθητας: NOUN,acc,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- ευρισκει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτους: PRON,acc,pl,m
- καθευδοντας: PTCP,pres,act,acc,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- λεγει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- Πετρω·Ουτως: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- ουκ: PART
- ισχυσατε: VERB,aor,act,ind,2,pl
- μιαν: ADJ,acc,sg,f
- ωραν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- γρηγορησαι: VERB,aor,act,inf
- μετ᾽εμου: PREP+PRON,gen,sg,1
Parallels
- Mark 14:37-41 (verbal): Close synoptic parallel: Jesus finds the disciples sleeping in Gethsemane and rebukes Peter (and the others) with essentially the same question about not being able to watch one hour.
- Luke 22:45-46 (structural): Luke reports the disciples sleeping in Gethsemane and Jesus' rebuke and command to pray, providing a parallel scene and similar admonition to vigilance though with different wording.
- Matthew 26:41 (verbal): Immediate literary parallel in the same pericope: Jesus follows the rebuke with the famous injunction 'Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation,' directly tying the failure to watch to the need for prayer.
- Matthew 25:13 (thematic): The parable of the wise and foolish virgins emphasizes watchfulness for the coming of the Lord, thematically resonant with Jesus' rebuke about failing to keep watch.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:6 (thematic): Paul uses the language of sleep versus watchfulness ('let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober'), echoing the ethical/spiritual theme of vigilance found in Jesus' rebuke.
Alternative generated candidates
- He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, 'So, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray so that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.'
- Then he returned to the disciples and found them sleeping. He said to Peter, 'So, could you not keep watch with me one hour?'
Matt.26.41 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- γρηγορειτε: VERB,pres,act,imp,2,pl
- και: CONJ
- προσευχεσθε: VERB,pres,mid,imp,2,pl
- ινα: CONJ
- μη: PART
- εισελθητε: VERB,aor,act,subj,2,pl
- εις: PREP
- πειρασμον·το: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- μεν: PART
- πνευμα: NOUN,nom,sg,n
- προθυμον: ADJ,nom,sg,nt
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- δε: CONJ
- σαρξ: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- ασθενης: ADJ,nom,sg,m
Parallels
- Mark 14:38 (verbal): Near-verbatim parallel in Mark's account of Gethsemane: 'Watch and pray lest you enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.'
- Luke 22:46 (verbal): Luke records Jesus' rebuke to the sleeping disciples and the exhortation to 'rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation,' echoing Matthew's imperative to watch and pray.
- Luke 22:40 (structural): Setting and instruction parallel: at Gethsemane Jesus withdraws to pray and instructs the disciples to pray so they will not fall into temptation, mirroring Matthew's scene and purpose.
- Matthew 6:13 (thematic): Lord's Prayer petition 'lead us not into temptation' parallels the concern in 26:41 to avoid entering into temptation through prayer and watchfulness.
- Galatians 5:17 (thematic): Paul's contrast 'the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit' echoes the Matthean contrast between a willing spirit and a weak flesh (πνεῦμα προθυμον — σάρξ ἀσθενής).
Alternative generated candidates
- Again, he went away and prayed, saying the same words. Then he returned and said, 'If you are asleep now, rest; but rise and keep watch—pray that you may not enter into temptation.'
- Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Matt.26.42 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- παλιν: ADV
- εκ: PREP
- δευτερου: ADJ,gen,sg,m
- απελθων: VERB,aor,act,part,nom,sg,m
- προσηυξατο: VERB,aor,mid,ind,3,sg
- λεγων·Πατερ: VERB,pres,act,part,nom,sg,m + NOUN,voc,sg,m
- μου: PRON,gen,sg,1
- ει: COND
- ου: PART
- δυναται: VERB,pres,mp,ind,3,sg
- τουτο: PRON,acc,sg,n
- παρελθειν: VERB,aor,act,inf
- εαν: CONJ
- μη: PART
- αυτο: PRON,acc,sg,m
- πιω: VERB,aor,act,subj,1,sg
- γενηθητω: VERB,aor,pass,imp,3,sg
- το: ART,nom,sg,n
- θελημα: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- σου: PRON,gen,sg,m
Parallels
- Matt.26:39 (verbal): Immediate parallel within the same scene: an earlier, nearly identical prayer asking that the cup be removed if possible and submitting to the Father’s will (part of the threefold Gethsemane prayers).
- Mark 14:36 (verbal): Very close verbal parallel: Jesus addresses God as Father/Abba, asks that the cup be taken away if possible, and concludes with submission to the Father’s will (‘not what I will, but what you will’).
- Luke 22:42 (verbal): Luke’s rendition of the Gethsemane petition: ‘Father, if you are willing, remove this cup… yet not my will but yours,’ closely matching Matthew’s theme and wording about drinking the cup and yielding to God’s will.
- Hebrews 5:7 (allusion): The author of Hebrews summarizes Jesus’ earthly prayers and strong cries for deliverance, with reverent submission — an allusive reference to the Gethsemane prayers exemplified in Matthew 26:42.
Alternative generated candidates
- A second time he went away and prayed, 'My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.'
- Again he went away and prayed, saying, 'My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.'
Matt.26.43 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- ελθων: VERB,aor,act,ptc,nom,m,sg
- παλιν: ADV
- ευρεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτους: PRON,acc,pl,m
- καθευδοντας: PART,pres,act,acc,pl,m
- ησαν: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,pl
- γαρ: CONJ
- αυτων: PRON,gen,pl,3
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- οφθαλμοι: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- βεβαρημενοι: PART,perf,pass,nom,pl,m
Parallels
- Mark 14:37-40 (verbal): Mark gives a near-verbatim parallel: Jesus finds the disciples sleeping repeatedly, utters the same rebuke about watching, and links sleep to the weakness of the flesh.
- Luke 22:45-46 (thematic): Luke records the same scene—disciples sleeping during Jesus' agony—but emphasizes that they slept from sorrow and includes Jesus' call to rise and pray.
- Matthew 26:40 (structural): Immediate context in Matthew: Jesus had just asked the disciples to 'watch with me one hour,' which explains why he finds them sleeping in v.43.
- Matthew 26:45 (structural): The subsequent verse in Matthew continues the episode, recording Jesus' final rebuke and the announcement that the hour of betrayal has come, highlighting the failure of the disciples to remain vigilant.
Alternative generated candidates
- And he came and found them once more sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. So he left them again and went away and prayed a third time, repeating the same words.
- And he came and found them sleeping again, for their eyes were heavy.
Matt.26.44 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- αφεις: VERB,aor,act,part,nom,sg,m
- αυτους: PRON,acc,pl,m
- παλιν: ADV
- απελθων: VERB,aor,act,part,nom,sg,m
- προσηυξατο: VERB,aor,mid,ind,3,sg
- εκ: PREP
- τριτου: ADJ,gen,sg,m
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- αυτον: PRON,acc,sg,m,3
- λογον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- ειπων: VERB,aor,act,part,nom,m,sg
- παλιν: ADV
Parallels
- Mark 14:39-41 (verbal): Mark gives the closest parallel account of the threefold prayer in Gethsemane, using nearly the same wording about Jesus leaving them and praying the same words a third time.
- Luke 22:43-44 (thematic): Luke parallels the Gethsemane prayer sequence and emphasizes Jesus' intense prayer (angelic strengthening and sweat like drops of blood), linking to the theme of earnest intercession.
- Matthew 26:39 (verbal): The first of the three petitions in Matthew's account; 26:44 refers back to these words when it says Jesus prayed the same thing a third time.
- Matthew 26:42 (structural): The second prayer in Matthew's triadic structure; 26:44 completes the sequence by noting a third repetition of the petition.
- Hebrews 5:7 (thematic): Hebrews reflects the theological significance of Jesus' prayers—his earnest petitions and reverent submission to the Father—resonating with the Gethsemane scenes in Matthew 26.
Alternative generated candidates
- Then he came to the disciples and said to them, 'Sleep on now and take your rest. Behold, the hour is at hand—the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.'
- So he left them, went away once more, and prayed a third time, repeating the same words.
Matt.26.45 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- τοτε: ADV
- ερχεται: VERB,pres,mid,ind,3,sg
- προς: PREP
- τους: ART,acc,pl,m
- μαθητας: NOUN,acc,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- λεγει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτοις·Καθευδετε: PRON,dat,pl,m;VERB,pres,act,imp,2,pl
- το: ART,nom,sg,n
- λοιπον: ADV
- και: CONJ
- αναπαυεσθε·ιδου: VERB,pres,mp,imp,2,pl;INTJ
- ηγγικεν: VERB,perf,act,ind,3,sg
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- ωρα: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- υιος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- ανθρωπου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- παραδιδοται: VERB,pres,pass,ind,3,sg
- εις: PREP
- χειρας: NOUN,acc,pl,f
- αμαρτωλων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
Parallels
- Mark 14:41 (verbal): Close verbal and narrative parallel: Jesus finds the sleeping disciples, admonishes them, and declares the hour has come and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners (very similar wording to Matt 26:45).
- Luke 22:46 (verbal): Parallel scene of the sleeping disciples; Jesus wakes them with the rebuke 'Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray'—connects to Matthew’s admonition to sleep/rest and the imminence of betrayal.
- Luke 22:53 (thematic): Links the 'hour' motif and the coming attack: 'this is your hour, and the power of darkness,' echoing Matthew’s statement that the hour has come and the Son of Man will be delivered to sinners.
- John 13:21-27 (thematic): In the same Last Supper context Jesus predicts and identifies Judas’ imminent betrayal—parallels Matthew’s announcement that the Son of Man is about to be handed over to wrongdoers.
- Psalm 41:9 (40:10 LXX) (allusion): An Old Testament precedent for betrayal by a close associate ('even my close friend... has lifted his heel against me'), often applied to Judas in the passion narrative and thematically undergirds Jesus’ prediction of being delivered to enemies.
Alternative generated candidates
- 'Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.' While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, came; with him was a great crowd with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people.
- Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, 'Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? See, the hour has come; the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.'
Matt.26.46 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- εγειρεσθε: VERB,pres,mid/pass,imp,2,pl
- αγωμεν·ιδου: VERB,pres,act,subj,1,pl
- ηγγικεν: VERB,perf,act,ind,3,sg
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- παραδιδους: VERB,aor,act,ptc,nom,sg,m
- με: PRON,acc,sg,1
Parallels
- Mark 14:42 (verbal): Nearly identical wording—Jesus says 'Arise, let us go; behold, the one who betrays me is at hand,' matching Matthew's report of the moment of betrayal.
- Luke 22:46 (verbal): Luke preserves the same summons ('Rise, let us go') and the notice that the betrayer is near, paralleling Matthew's description of Jesus' departure from Gethsemane.
- Matthew 26:45 (structural): Immediate contextual parallel within Matthew—verse 45 announces that the hour has come and the Son of Man is betrayed, leading directly to the call to depart in v.46.
- John 18:2-5 (thematic): John narrates the approach and arrest of Jesus by Judas and the armed crowd; thematically parallels Matthew's alert that the betrayer is now present and the impending arrest.
- Psalm 41:9 (allusion): An Old Testament motif of betrayal by a close companion ('Even my close friend... has lifted his heel against me') that the Gospels thematically echo in the betrayal scene.
Alternative generated candidates
- Now the one who betrayed him had given them a sign, saying, 'The man I shall kiss is the one—seize him.' And immediately he went up to Jesus and said, 'Greetings, Rabbi!' and kissed him.
- Rise, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand.'
Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, 'Sit here while I go over there and pray.' And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be deeply grieved and troubled.
He said to them, 'My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with me.' And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, 'My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not as I will, but as you will.'
Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, 'So, could you not stay awake with me one hour?'
'Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.'
Again, a second time, he went away and prayed, 'My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.' And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. So leaving them again, he went away and prayed a third time, saying the same words.
Then he came to the disciples and said to them, 'Sleep on now and take your rest! See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.'
'Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.' While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived; with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and elders of the people.