Then Jesus returned and found them sleeping. “Simon, are you asleep?” He asked. “Were you not able to keep watch for one hour?
Parallel translations
- WEB He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Couldn’t you watch one hour?
- KJV And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour?
- NKJV Then He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not watch one hour?
- NASB And He *came and *found them sleeping, and *said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour?
- NLT Then he returned and found the disciples asleep. He said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Couldn’t you watch with me even one hour?
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 finds the three sleeping and gently rebukes Peter for failing to watch one hour. The contrast between his vigilance and their weakness is striking.
Overview
Having boasted of his loyalty, Peter cannot even stay awake. Jesus' question exposes how the spirit's willingness is undermined by the flesh's weakness. His tender yet pointed words call disciples to wakeful dependence on God rather than self-confidence.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Matt 26:40Then Jesus returned to the disciples and found them sleeping. “Were you not able to keep watch with Me for one hour?” He asked Peter.
- Mark 14:29–31Peter declared, “Even if all fall away, I never will.”
- 2 Sam 16:17“Is this the loyalty you show your friend?” Absalom replied. “Why did you not go with your friend?”
- Matt 25:5When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
- Luke 22:45–46When Jesus rose from prayer and returned to the disciples, He found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow.
- Luke 9:31–32They appeared in glory and spoke about His departure, which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.
- Heb 12:3Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
- Mark 14:40–41And again Jesus returned and found them sleeping—for their eyes were heavy. And they did not know what to answer Him.
- 1 Th 5:6–8So then, let us not sleep as the others do, but let us remain awake and sober.
- Jer 12:5“If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in a peaceful land, how will you do in the thickets of the Jordan?
- Jonah 1:6The captain approached him and said, “How can you sleep? Get up and call upon your God. Perhaps this God will consider us, so that we may not perish.”
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Christ at the center
Mark drives urgently to the cross, showing Jesus the Son of God as the suffering Servant who 'came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'
How Mark 14:37 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.