Matthew 26:44

44 Again Jesus left them, went away, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.

Matthew 26:44 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 26:44

And he left them, and went away again
At some little distance from them; they being so overpowered with sleep, that he could have no conversation with them:

and prayed the third time;
as the Apostle Paul did, when under temptation, he prayed thrice that it might depart from him, ( 2 Corinthians 12:8 ) ,

saying the same words:
the Arabic version renders it, "in the words which he before expressed"; and Munster's Hebrew Gospel reads, "he said the same prayer"; not in the selfsame words, or in the express form he had before delivered it; for it is certain, that his second prayer is not expressed in the same form of words as the first: but the sense is, that he prayed to the same purpose; the matter and substance of his prayer was the same, namely, that he might be exempted from suffering; but if that could not be admitted of, he was desirous to be resigned to the will of his heavenly Father, and was determined to submit unto it.

Matthew 26:44 In-Context

42 Once more Jesus went away and prayed, "My Father, if this cup of suffering cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done."
43 He returned once more and found the disciples asleep; they could not keep their eyes open.
44 Again Jesus left them, went away, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.
45 Then he returned to the disciples and said, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Look! The hour has come for the Son of Man to be handed over to the power of sinners.
46 Get up, let us go. Look, here is the man who is betraying me!"
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.