Mark 14 35

Mark 14:35 kjv

And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.

Mark 14:35 nkjv

He went a little farther, and fell on the ground, and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him.

Mark 14:35 niv

Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him.

Mark 14:35 esv

And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.

Mark 14:35 nlt

He went on a little farther and fell to the ground. He prayed that, if it were possible, the awful hour awaiting him might pass him by.

Mark 14 verses

Mark 14 35 Meaning

Mark 14:35 vividly portrays Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, immediately before His betrayal and crucifixion. It captures His profound anguish and humanity as He separates Himself from His disciples, prostrates Himself on the ground, and repeatedly pleads with the Father. His earnest prayer, "that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him," reflects His deep human desire to avoid the immense suffering, abandonment, and divine wrath associated with His impending sacrificial death. Despite this deeply felt wish, the verse also underscores His ultimate submission to God's sovereign and redemptive will.

Mark 14 35 Context

Mark 14:35 is set within the intensely emotional Gethsemane narrative (Mk 14:32-42), immediately following the Last Supper and Jesus' premonitions of Peter's denial and the disciples' desertion. This pivotal scene portrays Jesus retreating deeper into the garden for prayer, intentionally seeking solitude even from His closest disciples (Peter, James, and John). It encapsulates His human struggle as He confronts the impending culmination of His redemptive mission. The Garden of Gethsemane, situated on the Mount of Olives, served as a familiar sanctuary for Jesus, which now became the backdrop for His agonizing spiritual and emotional battle, leading directly to His betrayal, arrest, and crucifixion. The "hour" refers to this pre-ordained period of suffering and death as the sacrificial Lamb for humanity's sins.

Mark 14 35 Word analysis

• And He went (καὶ προσελθὼν - kai proselthōn): "And" links this action to the previous verses, signifying continuous narration. "He went" indicates Jesus' deliberate physical progression, separating Himself further for private, intense prayer. The participle form "proselthōn" (having come/gone near) emphasizes a movement to a closer, more secluded position, highlighting His seeking profound solitude in this moment.

• a little farther (μικρὸν - mikron): This adverb emphasizes the small distance, suggesting Jesus sought deeper privacy and a more intimate space for prayer, distinguishing His place from where the disciples were waiting. It conveys His need for complete focus during this personal and crucial spiritual conflict.

• and fell (καὶ πεσὼν - kai pesōn): "And fell" describes a sudden, physical prostration. The participle "pesōn" (having fallen) denotes an immediate, unprompted reaction to profound internal distress or reverential awe. This posture symbolizes deep humility, desperate supplication, and complete surrender, typical for intense prayer in biblical times.

• on the ground (ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς - epi tēs gēs): This specific detail underlines the profound extent of Jesus' humiliation, physical agony, and absolute submission to the Father. It illustrates His vulnerability, literally throwing Himself to the earth in the face of His impending suffering and the weight of human sin.

• and prayed (προσηύχετο - prosēuchetō): "And prayed" uses the imperfect tense in Greek, indicating that Jesus was not uttering a single, brief prayer, but engaging in continuous, sustained, or repeated fervent prayer. It highlights the persistence and depth of His spiritual struggle and communication with God.

• that if it were possible (ἵνα εἰ δυνατόν ἐστιν - hina ei dynaton estin): "That" introduces the content of His prayer. "If it were possible" expresses a genuine, raw human desire to avoid the unparalleled suffering and cosmic implications of His impending crucifixion. This is not an expression of doubt in God's power, but a deep human cry within a full recognition of divine sovereignty and the predetermined plan.

• the hour (ἡ ὥρα - hē hōra): "The hour" does not refer to a sixty-minute period but signifies the divinely appointed, predetermined, and pivotal moment of His ultimate suffering, betrayal, crucifixion, death, and atonement for sin. It is the culmination of His earthly ministry and God's redemptive plan.

• might pass from Him (παρέλθῃ ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ - parelthē ap’ autou): "Might pass from Him" signifies Jesus' profound desire for this "hour" of destined anguish and divine wrath to be removed or averted. The verb "parelthē" (pass by or depart) expresses His human will recoiling from the immense pain and burden of carrying humanity's sin and facing the Father's judgment.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "He went a little farther, and fell on the ground": This sequence highlights Jesus' desperate search for secluded solitude and expresses extreme physical manifestation of profound internal anguish, portraying His humble, vulnerable prostration before the Father.
  • "and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him": This reveals the paradox of Christ’s being: His truly human recoil from unimaginable suffering and separation from God, presented within the perfect understanding and submission to the Father's sovereign, predetermined will for His redemptive sacrifice.

Mark 14 35 Bonus section

• The Weight of Sin: The "hour" Jesus prayed to pass was not just physical torture, but the spiritual reality of becoming "sin for us" (2 Co 5:21), enduring the separation from God the Father that sin demands. This is what caused His soul to be "exceedingly sorrowful, even to death" (Mk 14:34).
• The Human Will of Christ: This verse vividly portrays the reality of Christ's human will operating distinctly from, yet in perfect harmony with, His divine will and the Father's will. His human will desired to avoid suffering, while His divine purpose affirmed the necessity of the cross.
• An Example for Believers: Jesus' Gethsemane prayer serves as a profound model for believers to bring their deepest fears, desires, and anxieties honestly before God, coupled with an ultimate commitment to surrender to His sovereign will, no matter how difficult.
• Gethsemane vs. Calvary: Gethsemane was the battle of wills and the onset of profound internal anguish for Jesus; Calvary was the physical manifestation and victorious conclusion of that battle, where the ultimate price for sin was paid.

Mark 14 35 Commentary

Mark 14:35 opens a window into the core of Jesus' Gethsemane ordeal, revealing His perfect humanity wrestling with divine purpose. His solitary retreat and humble prostration reflect an agonizing spiritual and emotional battle. The intense prayer, "if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him," expresses a genuine, human dread of the impending cross—not merely physical suffering, but bearing the entirety of humanity's sin and enduring the Father's just wrath. Yet, even in this raw vulnerability, Jesus models absolute trust and obedience, expressing a preference within the confines of divine will. This prayer highlights His unyielding submission to the Father's plan, affirming that His sacrifice was a deliberate act of selfless love rather than a forced fate. It offers a profound lesson in honest prayer and humble surrender to God's will amidst extreme adversity.