# Matthew 26.38

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-06-01 | updated: 2026-06-01 -->

**Book:** [Matthew](/codex/matthew-the-apostle/) · NASB95

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 36. Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto his disciples, <span class="rl-speech">Sit ye here, while I go yonder and pray.</span> 37. And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and sore troubled.
>
> **38. Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: abide ye here, and watch with me.**
>
> 39. And he went forward a little, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass away from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt. 40. And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, <span class="rl-speech">What, could ye not watch with me one hour?</span> (Matthew 26:36-40, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 36. Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to his disciples, <span class="rl-speech">“Sit here, while I go there and pray.”</span> 37. He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and severely troubled.
>
> **38. Then he said to them, <span class="rl-speech">“My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here, and watch with me.”</span>**
>
> 39. He went forward a little, fell on his face, and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from me; nevertheless, not what I desire, but what you desire.” 40. He came to the disciples, and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, <span class="rl-speech">“What, couldn’t you watch with me for one hour?</span> (Matthew 26:36-40, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 36. Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, <span class="rl-speech">Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.</span> 37. And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.
>
> **38. Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.**
>
> 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 thou wilt. 40. And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, <span class="rl-speech">What, could ye not watch with me one hour?</span> (Matthew 26:36-40, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 36. Then come with them doth Jesus to a place called Gethsemane, and he saith to the disciples, <span class="rl-speech">'Sit ye here, till having gone away, I shall pray yonder.'</span> 37. And having taken Peter, and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful, and to be very heavy;
>
> **38. then saith he to them, 'Exceedingly sorrowful is my soul, unto death; abide ye here, and watch with me.'**
>
> 39. And having gone forward a little, he fell on his face, praying, and saying, 'My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as Thou.' 40. And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them sleeping, and he saith to Peter, <span class="rl-speech">'So! ye were not able one hour to watch with me!</span> (Matthew 26:36-40, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** _TBD_
- **Audience:** _TBD_
- **Location:** _TBD_
- **Time period:** _TBD_

## Theological reading

_Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added._

## Key words

_Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word; see Lexicon Roadmap._

- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_

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## Quoted in

**Arguments and defeaters:**

- [Necessity of the Incarnation](/codex/necessity-of-the-incarnation/)

**Concepts:**

- [Can God Have Lackful Emotions](/codex/can-god-have-lackful-emotions/), via [Matthew 26.37-38](/codex/matthew-26-37-38/)
- [God is Impossible Paradox Cluster](/codex/god-is-impossible-paradox-cluster/)
- [Jesus Said](/codex/jesus-said/), via [Matthew 26](/codex/matthew-26/)

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_Scripture quotations taken from the **New American Standard Bible®** (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by **The Lockman Foundation**. Used by permission. All rights reserved. [www.lockman.org](https://www.lockman.org)_

## Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

- **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.