And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.
Parallel translations
- WEB He left them again, went away, and prayed a third time, saying the same words.
- BSB So He left them and went away once more and prayed a third time, saying the same thing.
- NKJV So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.
- NASB And He left them again, and went away and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more.
- NLT So he went to pray a third time, saying the same things again.
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 prays a third time, repeating the same words. His threefold prayer shows settled resolve to do the Father's will.
Overview
Praying once more in the same submission, Jesus brings His struggle to full resolution before the Father. The threefold prayer parallels Peter's coming threefold denial, contrasting Christ's faithfulness with His disciple's failure. Having prevailed in prayer, Jesus is ready to meet His betrayer with calm resolve.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 4
- 2 Cor 12:8For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
- Luke 18:1And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
- Matt 6:7But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
- Dan 9:17–19Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord’s sake.
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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 26:44 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
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