New International VersionHe went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”
New Living TranslationThen Jesus left them a second time and prayed, “My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done.”
English Standard VersionAgain, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.”
Berean Standard BibleA second time He went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cup cannot pass unless I drink it, may Your will be done.”
Berean Literal BibleAgain for a second time having gone away, He prayed, saying, "My Father, if this is not possible to pass unless I drink it, Your will be done."
King James BibleHe went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.
New King James VersionAgain, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.”
New American Standard BibleHe went away again a second time and prayed, saying, “My Father, if this cup cannot pass away unless I drink from it, Your will be done.”
NASB 1995He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, “My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done.”
NASB 1977He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, “My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Thy will be done.”
Legacy Standard BibleHe went away again a second time and prayed, saying, “My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done.”
Amplified BibleHe went away a second time and prayed, saying, “My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done.”
Christian Standard BibleAgain, a second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.”
Holman Christian Standard BibleAgain, a second time, He went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, Your will be done.”
American Standard VersionAgain a second time he went away, and prayed, saying, My Father, if this cannot pass away, except I drink it, thy will be done.
Contemporary English VersionAgain Jesus went to pray and said, "My Father, if there is no other way, and I must suffer, I will still do what you want."
English Revised VersionAgain a second time he went away, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cannot pass away, except I drink it, thy will be done.
GOD'S WORD® TranslationThen he went away a second time and prayed, "Father, if this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, let your will be done."
Good News TranslationOnce more Jesus went away and prayed, "My Father, if this cup of suffering cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done."
International Standard VersionHe went away a second time and prayed, "My Father, if this cup cannot go away unless I drink it, let your will be done."
NET BibleHe went away a second time and prayed, "My Father, if this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will must be done."
New Heart English BibleAgain, a second time he went away, and prayed, saying, "My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, your desire be done."
Webster's Bible TranslationHe went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.
Weymouth New TestamentAgain a second time He went away and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it is impossible for this cup to pass without my drinking it, Thy will be done." Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleA second time He went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cup cannot pass from Me unless I drink it, may Your will be done.”
World English BibleAgain, a second time he went away and prayed, saying, “My Father, if this cup can’t pass away from me unless I drink it, your desire be done.” Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAgain, a second time, having gone away, He prayed, saying, “My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me except I drink it, Your will be done”;
Berean Literal BibleAgain for a second time having gone away, He prayed, saying, "My Father, if this is not possible to pass unless I drink it, Your will be done."
Young's Literal Translation Again, a second time, having gone away, he prayed, saying, 'My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from me except I drink it, Thy will be done;'
Smith's Literal TranslationAgain of a second time, having gone away, he prayed, saying, My Father if this cup cannot pass away from me except I drink it, let thy will be. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAgain the second time, he went and prayed, saying: My Father, if this chalice may not pass away, but I must drink it, thy will be done.
Catholic Public Domain VersionAgain, a second time, he went and prayed, saying, “My Father, if this chalice cannot pass away, unless I drink it, let your will be done.”
New American BibleWithdrawing a second time, he prayed again, “My Father, if it is not possible that this cup pass without my drinking it, your will be done!”
New Revised Standard VersionAgain he went away for the second time and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleHe went away again the second time and prayed and said, O my Father, if this cup cannot pass, and if I have to drink it, let it be according to your will.
Aramaic Bible in Plain EnglishGoing again the second time, he prayed and he said, “My Father, if this cup cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” NT Translations Anderson New TestamentAgain, a second time, he went away, and prayed, saying: My Father, if this cup cannot pass from me, unless I drink it, thy will be done.
Godbey New TestamentAnd again the second time, having gone away, He prayed, saying, My Father, if it is possible that this cup pass from me, if I shall not drink it, let thy will be done.
Haweis New Testament
Again the second time he went away, and prayed, saying, O my Father, If it be not possible, that this cup pass from me, but that I should drink it, thy will be done.
Mace New Testament
again, he went away the second time, and prayed thus, "O my father, if I cannot avoid drinking this cup, thy will be done."
Weymouth New Testament
Again a second time He went away and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it is impossible for this cup to pass without my drinking it, Thy will be done."
Worrell New Testament
Again, a second time, going away, He prayed, saying,"My Father, if it is not possible that thiscup should pass away except I drinkit, Thy will be done,"
Worsley New Testament
And going away again, the second time He prayed, saying,O my Father, if this cup may not pass from me, unless I drink it, thy will be done.
Additional Translations ... Audio Bible
Context Jesus Prays at Gethsemane… 41“Watch and pray so that you will not enter into temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” 42A second timeHe went awayand prayed,“MyFather,ifthis cupcannotpassunlessI drinkit,may Yourwillbe done.”43And again Jesus returned and found them sleeping—for their eyes were heavy.…
Cross References Luke 22:42“Father, if You are willing, take this cup from Me. Yet not My will, but Yours be done.”
Mark 14:36“Abba, Father,” He said, “all things are possible for You. Take this cup from Me. Yet not what I will, but what You will.”
John 18:11“Put your sword back in its sheath!” Jesus said to Peter. “Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given Me?”
Hebrews 5:7-8During the days of Jesus’ earthly life, He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the One who could save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverence. / Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from what He suffered.
Philippians 2:8And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross.
Isaiah 53:10Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush Him and to cause Him to suffer; and when His soul is made a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand.
Psalm 40:8I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your law is within my heart.”
John 6:38For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but to do the will of Him who sent Me.
Romans 5:19For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
Hebrews 10:7Then I said, ‘Here I am, it is written about Me in the scroll: I have come to do Your will, O God.’”
John 12:27-28Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? No, it is for this purpose that I have come to this hour. / Father, glorify Your name!” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”
Isaiah 50:5-7The Lord GOD has opened My ears, and I have not been rebellious, nor have I turned back. / I offered My back to those who struck Me, and My cheeks to those who tore out My beard. I did not hide My face from scorn and spittle. / Because the Lord GOD helps Me, I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set My face like flint, and I know that I will not be put to shame.
Psalm 143:10Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God. May Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.
John 4:34Jesus explained, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work.
Romans 8:3For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man, as an offering for sin. He thus condemned sin in the flesh,
Treasury of Scripture He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, your will be done. the second. Matthew 26:39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thouwilt. Psalm 22:1,2 To the chief Musician upon Aijeleth Shahar, A Psalm of David. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?why art thou so far from helping me,and from the words of my roaring? … Psalm 69:1-3,17,18 To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim,A Psalm of David. Save me, O God; for the waters are come in untomy soul… Jump to Previous CupDesireDrinkDrinkingExceptFatherImpossiblePleasurePossiblePrayedPrayerSecondTimeUnlessJump to Next CupDesireDrinkDrinkingExceptFatherImpossiblePleasurePossiblePrayedPrayerSecondTimeUnlessMatthew 26 1.Jesus foretells his own death.3.The rulers conspire against him.6.The woman anoints his feet.14.Judas bargains to betray him.17.Jesus eats the Passover;26.institutes his holy supper;30.foretells the desertion of his disciples, and Peter's denial;36.prays in the garden;47.and being betrayed by a kiss,57.is carried to Caiaphas,69.and denied by Peter.A second time He went away and prayedThis phrase indicates Jesus' persistence in prayer, a model for believers to follow. The repetition underscores the intensity of His spiritual struggle. In the Garden of Gethsemane, a place known for its olive trees, Jesus seeks solitude to commune with the Father. This setting is significant as olive oil, produced from the garden's trees, is often used in anointing, symbolizing the Holy Spirit. Jesus' withdrawal for prayer highlights His humanity and need for divine strength, paralleling His earlier teachings on the importance of prayer ( Matthew 6:6). “My Father, if this cup cannot pass unless I drink it
The term "My Father" reflects Jesus' intimate relationship with God, emphasizing His divine sonship. The "cup" symbolizes the suffering and wrath He is about to endure, a metaphor rooted in Old Testament imagery (Psalm 75:8,Isaiah 51:17). This cup represents the full measure of divine judgment against sin, which Jesus willingly accepts. The conditional "if" acknowledges the possibility of an alternative, yet submits to the necessity of His sacrificial role, fulfilling prophecies such asIsaiah 53:10. may Your will be done.”
This submission to God's will is central to Jesus' mission, echoing His earlier teaching in the Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:10). It reflects the ultimate act of obedience and surrender, contrasting Adam's disobedience in the Garden of Eden. Jesus, the second Adam, chooses to align with God's redemptive plan, highlighting His role as the perfect mediator. This phrase encapsulates the essence of Christian discipleship, calling believers to prioritize God's will over personal desires, as seen throughout Scripture (Philippians 2:8,Hebrews 5:8). Persons / Places / Events 1. Jesus ChristThe central figure in this passage, Jesus is in the Garden of Gethsemane, praying to His Father about the impending crucifixion. 2. God the FatherJesus addresses God as "My Father," indicating a personal and intimate relationship, seeking His will above His own desires. 3. The Garden of GethsemaneThe location where Jesus prays, a place of deep spiritual struggle and submission to God's will. 4. The DisciplesAlthough not directly mentioned in this verse, they are nearby, struggling to stay awake and pray with Jesus. 5. The CupSymbolic of the suffering and wrath that Jesus is about to endure on the cross for the sins of humanity. Teaching Points Submission to God's WillJesus models perfect submission to the Father's will, even when it involves immense personal cost. As believers, we are called to seek and submit to God's will in our lives, trusting His greater plan. Prayer in Times of DistressIn moments of deep anguish, Jesus turns to prayer. This teaches us the importance of seeking God in prayer during our own times of distress and uncertainty. The Cost of ObedienceObedience to God may require personal sacrifice and suffering. Jesus' willingness to endure the cross challenges us to consider what we are willing to sacrifice for the sake of following God's will. Intimacy with the FatherJesus' use of "My Father" reflects a deep, personal relationship with God. We are encouraged to cultivate a similar intimacy with God through regular prayer and communion. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1.What is the meaning of Matthew 26:42?
2.How does Matthew 26:42 demonstrate Jesus' submission to God's will in prayer?
3.What can we learn from Jesus' perseverance in prayer in Matthew 26:42?
4.How does Matthew 26:42 connect to Philippians 2:8 about obedience?
5.How can we apply Jesus' example of surrender in Matthew 26:42 today?
6.What does "Your will be done" teach us about trusting God's plan?
7.What does Matthew 26:42 reveal about Jesus' submission to God's will?
8.How does Matthew 26:42 challenge our understanding of obedience and sacrifice?
9.Why does Jesus pray the same prayer twice in Matthew 26:42?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Matthew 26?
11.What does 'Not my will, but yours be done' mean?
12.What were the words of Jesus' second prayer according to Matthew, given Mark says they were the same as the first?
13.In Matthew 26:36–46, why does Jesus seem conflicted about His fate if He was fully aware of His divine mission and outcome?
14.Did Jesus pray to The Father to prevent the crucifixion? Yes. (Matthew 26:39; Mark 14:36; Luke 22:42) No. (John 12:27)What Does Matthew 26:42 Mean A second time He went away and prayed• The repetition shows steadfast dependence. Earlier He had prayed the same request (Matthew 26:39), modeling perseverance rather than a lack of faith. • Solitude marks pivotal moments in His ministry—after feeding the five thousand He “went up on the mountain by Himself to pray” (Matthew 14:23). •Hebrews 5:7 reminds us that “He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the One who could save Him from death,” underscoring both His humanity and the Father’s attentive ear. • This second withdrawal exposes the depth of the coming trial; even perfect faith does not negate the need for repeated, earnest prayer.
"My Father"• The address is intimate yet reverent, echoing the Lord’s Prayer (“Our Father in heaven,”Matthew 6:9). • By calling God “My Father,” Jesus affirms His unique Sonship (John 10:30) while also showing us the relational heartbeat of prayer. • The title conveys trust: the Son knows the Father is good even when the path involves suffering.
"if this cup cannot pass"• “Cup” in Scripture often pictures God’s wrath or judgment (Isaiah 51:17;Jeremiah 25:15;Revelation 14:10). Here it represents the full weight of sin’s penalty about to be placed on Him. • Earlier Jesus asked James and John, “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” (Matthew 20:22), preparing them—and us—for the meaning of His sacrifice. • The conditional phrase highlights divine necessity. If redemption demands this cup, then there is no alternative plan. Salvation history is converging on this moment.
"unless I drink it"• The verb pictures personal appropriation: He must take the cup Himself. Substitution is at the forefront—He will bear what sinners deserve. •John 18:11 records His firm resolve: “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given Me?” •2 Corinthians 5:21 states the outcome: “God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf.” • The phrase reveals the cost of obedience and the depth of love: He alone can drink, and He will.
"may Your will be done"• Jesus returns to the core petition of the kingdom prayer, “Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). • Perfect alignment with the Father defines His mission;Philippians 2:8 notes He “became obedient to death—even death on a cross.” •Hebrews 10:9–10 links His submission to our sanctification: “Here I am, I have come to do Your will…we have been sanctified through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” • For believers, the pattern is clear: God’s will is supreme, even when it involves costly surrender.
summaryMatthew 26:42 unveils the Savior’s heart in Gethsemane: persistent prayer, intimate trust, clear vision of the cup of wrath, willing self-sacrifice, and wholehearted submission to the Father’s sovereign will. In this single sentence we see both the agony of redemption and the triumph of obedient love, securing our salvation and setting the standard for our own walk of faith. (42) If this cup may not pass away from me.--There is a slight change of tone perceptible in this prayer as compared with the first. It is, to speak after the manner of men, as though the conviction that it was not possible that the cup could pass away from Him had come with fuller clearness before His mind. and He was learning to accept it. He finds the answer to the former prayer in the continuance, not the removal. of the bitter agony that preyed on His spirit. It is probably at this stage of the trial that we are to place the sweat like "great drops of blood" and the vision of the angel of Luke 22:43-44. Verse 42. - Again the second time. A pleonastic expression, as in John 4:54; John 21:16, etc., calling especial attention to "the numerical re-repetition of the Saviour's prayer" (Morison). St. Matthew alone gives the words of this second prayer, which differs in some respects from the first. The possibility of the cup passing away was considered no longer; the continuance of the trial showed that it was not to he. If this cup may ( can) not pass away from me... thy will be done. He accepts the cup; his human will coincides with the Divine will; he acquiesces with perfect self-resignation. The cup, relatively to the circumstances, could not pass away from the Saviour.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Greek A second timeδευτέρου(deuterou)Adjective - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's 1208:Second; with the article: in the second place, for the second time. As the compare of duo; second.He went awayἀπελθὼν(apelthōn)Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 565:From apo and erchomai; to go off, aside or behind, literally or figuratively.[and] prayed,προσηύξατο(prosēuxato)Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 4336:To pray, pray for, offer prayer. From pros and euchomai; to pray to God, i.e. Supplicate, worship.“Myμου(mou)Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473:I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.Father,Πάτερ(Pater)Noun - Vocative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3962:Father, (Heavenly) Father, ancestor, elder, senior. Apparently a primary word; a 'father'.ifεἰ(ei)Conjunction
Strong's 1487:If. A primary particle of conditionality; if, whether, that, etc.this [cup]τοῦτο(touto)Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3778:This; he, she, it.cannotδύναται(dynatai)Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1410:(a) I am powerful, have (the) power, (b) I am able, I can. Of uncertain affinity; to be able or possible.passπαρελθεῖν(parelthein)Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active
Strong's 3928:From para and erchomai; to come near or aside, i.e. To approach, go by, perish or neglect, avert.unlessἐὰν(ean)Conjunction
Strong's 1437:If. From ei and an; a conditional particle; in case that, provided, etc.I drinkπίω(piō)Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 4095:To drink, imbibe. A prolonged form of pio, which poo occurs only as an alternate in certain tenses; to imbibe.it,αὐτὸ(auto)Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Neuter 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846:He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.{may} Yourσου(sou)Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 4771:You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.willθέλημά(thelēma)Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 2307:An act of will, will; plur: wishes, desires. From the prolonged form of ethelo; a determination, i.e. choice or inclination.be done.”γενηθήτω(genēthētō)Verb - Aorist Imperative Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1096:A prolongation and middle voice form of a primary verb; to cause to be, i.e. to become, used with great latitude.
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NT Gospels: Matthew 26:42 Again a second time he went away (Matt. Mat Mt) |
