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And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.”
Luke 22:40 · English Standard Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB When he was at the place, he said to them, “Pray that you don’t enter into temptation.”
  • KJV And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.
  • BSB When He came to the place, He told them, “Pray that you will not enter into temptation.”
  • NKJV When He came to the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.”
  • NASB Now when He arrived at the place, He said to them, “Pray that you do not come into temptation.”
  • NLT There he told them, “Pray that you will not give in to temptation.”

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

Jesus tells the disciples to pray that they will not enter into temptation. He urges watchful prayer against the coming trial.

Overview

Arriving at the place, Jesus immediately calls His disciples to pray for protection from temptation. He knows the testing hour is near and that prayer is their safeguard. His exhortation models reliance on God amid spiritual danger and remains a vital lesson for all believers.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 16

  • Matt 6:13Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.’
  • Luke 22:46and said to them, “Why do you sleep? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”
  • Matt 26:36–46Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go there and pray.”
  • Mark 14:32–42They came to a place which was named Gethsemane. He said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I pray.”
  • 2 Cor 12:7–10By reason of the exceeding greatness of the revelations, that I should not be exalted excessively, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, that I should not be exalted excessively.
  • Rev 3:10Because you kept my command to endure, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, which is to come on the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.
  • Eph 6:18–19with all prayer and requests, praying at all times in the Spirit, and being watchful to this end in all perseverance and requests for all the saints:
  • 1 Pet 5:8–9Be sober and self-controlled. Be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
  • 1 Pet 4:7But the end of all things is near. Therefore be of sound mind, self-controlled, and sober in prayer.
  • Luke 11:4Forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’”
  • Ps 119:133Establish my footsteps in your word. Don’t let any iniquity have dominion over me.
  • 1 Chr 4:10Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that you would bless me indeed, and enlarge my border! May your hand be with me, and may you keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” God granted him that which he requested.
  • Ps 17:5My steps have held fast to your paths. My feet have not slipped.
  • Ps 119:116–117Uphold me according to your word, that I may live. Let me not be ashamed of my hope.
  • Prov 30:8–9Remove far from me falsehood and lies. Give me neither poverty nor riches. Feed me with the food that is needful for me;
  • Ps 19:13Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins. Let them not have dominion over me. Then I will be upright. I will be blameless and innocent of great transgression.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (4)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Luke videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Luke 22:40YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on LukeMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.

How Luke 22:40 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.