Matthew 26:44

44 So He left them, and went away once more and prayed a third time, again using 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 Again a second time He went away and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it is impossible for this cup to pass without my drinking it, Thy will be done."
43 He came and again found them asleep, for they were very tired.
44 So He left them, and went away once more and prayed a third time, again using the same words.
45 Then He came to the disciples and said, "Sleep on and rest. See, the moment is close at hand when the Son of Man is to be betrayed into the hands of sinful men.
46 Rouse yourselves. Let us be going. My betrayer is close at hand."
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