Then Jesus returned to the disciples and found them sleeping. “Were you not able to keep watch with Me for one hour?” He asked Peter.
Parallel translations
- WEB He came to the disciples, and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What, couldn’t you watch with me for one hour?
- KJV And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?
- NKJV Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour?
- NASB And He *came to the disciples and *found them sleeping, and He *said to Peter, “So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour?
- NLT Then he returned to the disciples and found them asleep. He said to Peter, “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 disciples sleeping and asks Peter if he could not watch one hour. Their weakness contrasts with His earnest prayer.
Overview
Despite their earlier vows, the disciples fail even to stay awake during Jesus's agony. His gentle rebuke to Peter, who had boasted so confidently, highlights human frailty. The scene calls believers to spiritual vigilance and reminds us that Christ remained faithful in the very hour His friends could not.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Luke 22:45When Jesus rose from prayer and returned to the disciples, He found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow.
- Mark 14:37Then Jesus returned and found them sleeping. “Simon, are you asleep?” He asked. “Were you not able to keep watch for one hour?
- Matt 26:43And again Jesus returned and found them sleeping—for their eyes were heavy.
- Luke 9:32Meanwhile Peter and his companions were overcome by sleep, but when they awoke, they saw Jesus’ glory and the two men standing with Him.
- Matt 25:5When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
- Matt 26:38Then He said to them, “My soul is consumed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with Me.”
- Matt 26:35Peter replied, “Even if I have to die with You, I will never deny You.” And all the other disciples said the same thing.
- 1 Kgs 20:11And the king of Israel replied, “Tell him: ‘The one putting on his armor should not boast like one taking it off.’”
- Judg 9:33And in the morning at sunrise, get up and advance against the city. When Gaal and his men come out against you, do to them whatever you are able.”
- Song 5:2I sleep, but my heart is awake. A sound! My beloved is knocking: “Open to me, my sister, my darling, my dove, my flawless one. My head is drenched with dew, my hair with the dampness of the night.”
- 1 Sam 26:15–16So David said to Abner, “You are a man, aren’t you? And who in Israel is your equal? Why then did you not protect your lord the king when one of the people came to destroy him?
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 26:40 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.