Matthew 26:40 kjv
And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?
Matthew 26:40 nkjv
Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "What! Could you not watch with Me one hour?
Matthew 26:40 niv
Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Couldn't you men keep watch with me for one hour?" he asked Peter.
Matthew 26:40 esv
And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, "So, could you not watch with me one hour?
Matthew 26:40 nlt
Then he returned to the disciples and found them asleep. He said to Peter, "Couldn't you watch with me even one hour?
Matthew 26 40 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Mark 14:37 | Then He came and found them sleeping... | Parallel account in Gethsemane. |
| Luke 22:45-46 | When He rose... He found His disciples sleeping... And He said to them, "Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray lest you enter into temptation." | Parallel account with added command to pray. |
| Matt 26:37 | He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee and began to be sorrowful and greatly distressed. | Identifying the specific disciples present. |
| Matt 26:39 | He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me..." | Context: Jesus' agony in prayer. |
| Matt 26:41 | "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." | Immediate follow-up; clarifies human weakness. |
| Matt 24:42 | "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come." | Command for general spiritual vigilance. |
| Matt 25:13 | "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour." | Parable of ten virgins, emphasis on readiness. |
| Mark 13:33-37 | "Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come..." | Extended teaching on constant watchfulness. |
| Luke 12:35-40 | "Let your loins be girded... Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake..." | Parable teaching vigilance for the Master's return. |
| Luke 21:36 | "But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place..." | Urgency of watchfulness and prayer. |
| 1 Cor 16:13 | Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. | Apostolic command for vigilance in faith. |
| Col 4:2 | Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. | Watchfulness tied directly to prayer. |
| Eph 5:14 | "Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light." | Call to spiritual awakening. |
| Rom 13:11 | Besides this, you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. | Exhortation to awaken from spiritual slumber. |
| 1 Pet 4:7 | The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. | Soberness and vigilance in the end times. |
| 1 Pet 5:8 | Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion... | Vigilance against spiritual dangers. |
| Rev 3:2-3 | "Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of My God... "Watch, therefore." | Rebuke for spiritual lethargy; call to wake up. |
| Rev 16:15 | ("Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake...) | Blessing on the vigilant in light of Christ's return. |
| Luke 22:40 | And when He came to the place, He said to them, "Pray that you may not enter into temptation." | Prior instruction from Jesus to pray for strength. |
| Heb 5:7-8 | In the days of His flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears... | Shows the intensity of Jesus' Gethsemane prayer. |
| Jn 16:32 | "Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and leave Me alone..." | Jesus predicts His disciples' abandonment. |
| Matt 26:33-35 | Peter answered... "Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!" | Peter's prior confident but empty boasts. |
Matthew 26 verses
Matthew 26 40 Meaning
After an intense personal prayer where He fully submitted to God's will, Jesus returned to His three closest disciples, Peter, James, and John, in Gethsemane. He found them asleep, despite His plea for them to "keep watch" with Him. Addressing Peter directly, Jesus expressed a gentle yet profound sorrow and mild rebuke, questioning their inability to remain awake and share in His agony for even a brief period. This highlights the stark contrast between Christ's deep spiritual struggle and His disciples' physical and spiritual lethargy at a moment of supreme crisis, revealing human weakness in the face of spiritual testing and the loneliness of Christ's suffering.
Matthew 26 40 Context
This verse is set in the Garden of Gethsemane, shortly before Jesus' arrest and crucifixion. The preceding verses (Matt 26:36-39) describe Jesus' profound anguish as He prayed to His Father, grappling with the immense burden of the sin He was about to bear. He had brought His three closest disciples – Peter, James, and John – specifically asking them to "stay here and keep watch with Me" (Matt 26:38). Their failure to do so, immediately after Jesus' agonizing prayer, highlights the immense solitude of Christ in His greatest trial. The entire chapter outlines the unfolding betrayal and passion of Christ, from the plot against Him to Judas' betrayal and Peter's confident claims of loyalty that are swiftly proven false. Historically, Gethsemane was an olive press, fittingly symbolizing the crushing spiritual and emotional pressure Jesus experienced. This scene reveals not only Christ's human struggle and perfect obedience but also the reality of the disciples' human limitations and spiritual weakness even at such a critical juncture.
Matthew 26 40 Word analysis
- Then He came: (Gk. elthōn) Marks Jesus' return from His first segment of agonizing prayer. It emphasizes His seeking companionship and support after profound personal spiritual wrestling.
- to the disciples: Specifically refers to Peter, James, and John, the inner circle (as noted in Mt 26:37), who were chosen for a privileged closeness to Jesus but failed to sustain vigilance.
- and found them sleeping: (Gk. katheudontas) The present participle "sleeping" indicates they were actively asleep when Jesus arrived. This points to not merely physical tiredness but also a spiritual unawareness and failure to discern the gravity of the moment, a repeated motif in the Gospels highlighting spiritual dullness among even His chosen few.
- and He said: (Gk. legei) Uses the present tense, giving the narrative a vivid, immediate quality, drawing the reader into the scene.
- to Peter: Peter, as the typically outspoken leader and one who had just boldly declared his loyalty (Mt 26:33-35), is singled out for the rebuke, making his failure particularly pointed.
- "So, could you not keep watch with Me for one hour?": This whole phrase is a rhetorical question filled with gentle reproach and sorrow.
- "So": (Gk. houtōs) Indicates surprise and mild condemnation. It expresses disappointment at their inability or unwillingness.
- "could you not": (Gk. ouk ischysate) "Were you not strong/able?" Uses a form of ischyō, meaning "to be strong," "to be able." It subtly highlights their lack of spiritual strength or perseverance in contrast to Jesus' profound endurance.
- "keep watch": (Gk. grēgorēsai) A crucial word. It means "to be watchful," "to stay awake," "to be alert." In the New Testament, it consistently carries a spiritual connotation of vigilance against temptation and preparedness for the Lord's return, underscoring the spiritual nature of their failure here.
- "with Me": Implies sharing in His struggle, providing companionship and intercessory support during His hour of dire need. It underlines Jesus' humanity and desire for fellowship in His suffering.
- "for one hour": (Gk. mian hōran) This specifies a relatively brief duration. The inability to remain awake for even such a short time magnifies their spiritual lapse and illustrates the immense burden Jesus was bearing largely alone.
Matthew 26 40 Bonus section
The deep sadness in Jesus' rhetorical question reflects His loneliness during the Gethsemane agony, where even His closest companions could not sustain solidarity with Him. This incident also sets up the thematic contrast of the following verse, Matthew 26:41, "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak," providing an immediate interpretation and a timeless principle for all believers regarding spiritual warfare and perseverance. The disciples' failure to watch mirrors their future failures during Jesus' arrest and trial, particularly Peter's denial. It underscores that spiritual preparedness requires conscious effort and dependence on God, rather than mere good intentions or physical presence.
Matthew 26 40 Commentary
Matthew 26:40 captures a moment of poignant human frailty contrasted with divine anguish. Jesus, having wrestled alone with the Father in Gethsemane's depths, returns to find His most trusted companions, whom He specifically requested to "watch with Him," succumbing to sleep. His question to Peter is not a harsh reprimand but a sorrowful query, highlighting their lack of spiritual vigilance and inability to endure a short period of shared burden. This incident powerfully illustrates that even genuine disciples, with willing spirits, can succumb to the weaknesses of the flesh, falling asleep in moments requiring acute spiritual alertness. It serves as a stark reminder of humanity's limited capacity to truly share in the unparalleled suffering of Christ and foreshadows the broader abandonment Jesus would experience. For believers, this verse stands as a perennial call to spiritual watchfulness and persistent prayer, especially when facing trials or accompanying Christ in His suffering. It underscores the danger of complacency and the necessity of dependence on divine strength rather than human resolve.