Matthew 26:38 kjv
Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.
Matthew 26:38 nkjv
Then He said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me."
Matthew 26:38 niv
Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me."
Matthew 26:38 esv
Then he said to them, "My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me."
Matthew 26:38 nlt
He told them, "My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me."
Matthew 26 38 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Mk 14:34 | And He said to them, "My soul is very sorrowful, even to death..." | Mark's parallel account of Gethsemane anguish. |
| Lk 22:42, 44 | "Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me..." "And being in an agony..." | Luke's detail of intense agony and prayer. |
| Heb 5:7-8 | In the days of His flesh, Jesus offered up prayers... with loud cries and tears... though He was a Son, He learned obedience through what He suffered. | Jesus' cries, tears, and obedience through suffering. |
| Jn 12:27 | "Now is My soul troubled. And what shall I say? 'Father, save Me from this hour'? But for this purpose I have come to this hour." | Jesus' prior acknowledgment of troubled soul. |
| Isa 53:3 | He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief... | Prophecy of the Suffering Servant's grief. |
| Ps 42:5-6 | Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?... | The psalmist's personal struggle with deep sorrow. |
| Ps 43:5 | Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?... | A reiteration of the psalmist's questioning of his soul. |
| Ps 69:1-3 | Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck... I am weary with my crying... | Depths of distress akin to Jesus' experience. |
| Jon 2:5 | The waters closed in over me to take my life; the deep engulfed me... | Experiencing death-like distress and deep waters. |
| 2 Cor 5:21 | For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. | Jesus bearing the full weight of sin. |
| 1 Pt 2:24 | He himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. | Christ bearing sins on the cross. |
| Isa 51:17 | Wake yourself, wake yourself, stand up, O Jerusalem, you who have drunk from the hand of the Lord the cup of His wrath... | The metaphor of the "cup of wrath." |
| Ps 75:8 | For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup with foaming wine... | Divine judgment poured out as a cup. |
| Jer 25:15 | Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, "Take from My hand this cup of the wine of wrath..." | God's wrath administered through a cup. |
| Mt 26:39 | And going a little farther He fell on His face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me..." | Jesus' subsequent prayer about the "cup." |
| Mt 26:40-41 | And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And He said to Peter, "So, could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation." | Disciples' failure to watch and call to spiritual vigilance. |
| Heb 4:15 | For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. | Jesus' empathy through shared human experience. |
| Php 2:8 | And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. | Jesus' obedience in suffering and death. |
| Mt 24:42 | Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. | General command for watchfulness. |
| Eph 6:18 | praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance... | Encouragement for constant prayer and vigilance. |
| Col 4:2 | Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. | Persistence and watchfulness in prayer. |
| 1 Pt 5:8 | Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. | Call to watchfulness against spiritual foes. |
Matthew 26 verses
Matthew 26 38 Meaning
In Matthew 26:38, Jesus Christ reveals the profound depth of His inner suffering and sorrow to His closest disciples. He expresses an overwhelming, death-like anguish within His soul as He confronts the impending weight of humanity's sin and the wrath of God He is about to bear. He then calls for His disciples to remain with Him in vigilance and prayer during this intensely personal and pivotal moment of spiritual conflict, highlighting His true humanity and His desire for compassionate companionship in His ultimate agony.
Matthew 26 38 Context
Matthew 26:38 is set in the Garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives, immediately following the Last Supper and Jesus' prophecy of Peter's denial. After sharing the Passover meal and instituting the Lord's Supper with His disciples, Jesus withdraws to this garden. He instructs most of His disciples to sit down while He goes further to pray, taking only Peter, James, and John with Him. This verse captures the moment Jesus reveals the true depth of His inner agony to these closest companions, just before He embarks on the series of fervent prayers that anticipate His arrest and crucifixion. The scene highlights Jesus' intense spiritual struggle as He faces the ultimate sacrifice for humanity, demonstrating His full humanity in a moment of unparalleled distress.
Matthew 26 38 Word analysis
- Then He said to them: (Tote legei) Indicates a deliberate and immediate communication from Jesus, revealing His innermost state to His most trusted circle. This is not a casual remark but a profound disclosure.
- My soul: (hē psychē mou) Refers to Jesus' entire inner being—His emotions, intellect, will, and very life force. This is not merely surface-level sadness but a comprehensive anguish that pervades His deepest self. It underscores His complete humanity and real experience of suffering.
- is exceedingly sorrowful: (perilypos estin) Derived from peri (around, intensive) and lypē (grief, sorrow). This word signifies being surrounded or overwhelmed by sorrow, indicating an extraordinary and encompassing grief. It describes an intensity of suffering that is almost unbearable.
- even to death: (heōs thanatou) This phrase expresses the ultimate degree of Jesus' sorrow. It is a sorrow so profound and overwhelming that it feels life-threatening, suggesting a psychosomatic impact. This anguish isn't simply fear of physical death but the unparalleled horror of taking on the sin of the world and facing God's righteous wrath as the innocent Lamb.
- Stay here: (Meinate hōde) A direct imperative command for His disciples to remain. This is a call for steadfast presence and spiritual solidarity during His deepest trial.
- and watch with Me: (kai grēgoreite met’ emou) "Watch" (grēgoreō) implies vigilance, alertness, and wakefulness, especially in a spiritual sense—being watchful in prayer. It's a plea for His disciples to participate in His spiritual struggle through sympathetic wakefulness, prayer, and attentiveness to His agony, offering companionship rather than falling asleep.
Matthew 26 38 Bonus section
The Gethsemane agony of Jesus, powerfully articulated in this verse, points not only to His true humanity but also uniquely illuminates the spiritual dimensions of His atonement. It wasn't simply the physical suffering on the cross that overwhelmed His soul, but the bearing of God's holy wrath against sin—an experience far more terrifying than physical demise for the sinless Son of God. His plea for His disciples to "watch" implies more than just staying awake; it was a call to spiritual empathy and a share in the spiritual combat against temptation and the powers of darkness that Jesus Himself was enduring. The contrast with the disciples' inability to stay awake further emphasizes the unparalleled nature of Christ's burden and His solitary battle for humanity. This intense moment in Gethsemane can be viewed as Jesus tasting the very death and separation from God that awaited Him, and that would be justly inflicted upon all humanity if not for His intervention.
Matthew 26 38 Commentary
Matthew 26:38 provides a crucial window into the depths of Christ's humanity and His atoning work. His "exceeding sorrow, even to death" was not a fleeting emotion but a profound anguish of His entire being, reflecting the true cost of sin and the weight of the Father's wrath He was about to endure. This sorrow surpasses mere human fear of pain; it encapsulates the horror of cosmic sin and separation from God that He, the sinless one, would undergo on the cross. This Gethsemane agony reveals the immense spiritual struggle prior to the physical crucifixion, underscoring that the atonement began even before the cross itself, as Jesus began to drink the cup of God's wrath for sin. His invitation to "watch with Me" was a plea for companionship, a shared spiritual vigilance that the disciples, in their human weakness, would tragically fail to provide, highlighting the singular burden borne by Christ alone. For believers, this verse invites profound empathy with Christ's suffering, emphasizes the need for spiritual vigilance in our own lives (especially against temptation), and encourages compassionate presence for others in their moments of deep distress. For example, when a brother or sister in Christ is battling immense spiritual darkness, our "watching with them" might involve persistent prayer, listening with empathy, and offering supportive presence.