Matthew 26:36-56

New King James Version

The Prayer in the Garden^(A)

^36 (B)Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there.” ³⁷ And He took with Him Peter and ^(C)the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. ³⁸ Then He said to them, ^(D)“My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.”

³⁹ He went a little farther and fell on His face, and ^(E)prayed, saying, ^(F)“O My Father, if it is possible, ^(G)let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, ^(H)not as I will, but as You will.”

⁴⁰ Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? ^41 (I)Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. ^(J)The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

⁴² Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, “O My Father, ^[a]if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.” ⁴³ And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy.

⁴⁴ So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. ⁴⁵ Then He came to His disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour ^[b]is at hand, and the Son of Man is being ^(K)betrayed into the hands of sinners. ⁴⁶ Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.”

Betrayal and Arrest in Gethsemane^(L)

⁴⁷ And ^(M)while He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and elders of the people.

⁴⁸ Now His betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him.” ⁴⁹ Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” ^(N)and kissed Him.

⁵⁰ But Jesus said to him, ^(O)“Friend, why have you come?”

Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him. ⁵¹ And suddenly, ^(P)one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.

⁵² But Jesus said to him, “Put your sword in its place, ^(Q)for all who take the sword will ^[c]perish by the sword. ⁵³ Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with ^(R)more than twelve legions of angels? ⁵⁴ How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, ^(S)that it must happen thus?”

⁵⁵ In that hour Jesus said to the multitudes, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me? I sat daily with you, teaching in the temple, and you did not seize Me. ⁵⁶ But all this was done that the ^(T)Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.”

Then ^(U)all the disciples forsook Him and fled.