# Matthew 26.41

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-05-06 | updated: 2026-05-06 -->

**Book:** [Matthew](/codex/matthew-the-apostle/) · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 39. <span class="rl-speech">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.</span> 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>
>
> **41. <span class="rl-speech">Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.</span>**
>
> 42. <span class="rl-speech">Again a second time he went away, and prayed, saying, My Father, if this cannot pass away, except I drink it, thy will be done.</span> 43. And he came again and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. (Matthew 26:39-43, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 39. <span class="rl-speech">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.”</span> 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>
>
> **41. <span class="rl-speech">Watch and pray, that you don’t enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”</span>**
>
> 42. <span class="rl-speech">Again, 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.”</span> 43. He came again and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. (Matthew 26:39-43, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 39. <span class="rl-speech">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.</span> 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>
>
> **41. <span class="rl-speech">Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.</span>**
>
> 42. <span class="rl-speech">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, thy will be done.</span> 43. And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy. (Matthew 26:39-43, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 39. <span class="rl-speech">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.'</span> 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>
>
> **41. <span class="rl-speech">watch, and pray, that ye may not enter into temptation: the spirit indeed is forward, but the flesh weak.'</span>**
>
> 42. <span class="rl-speech">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;'</span> 43. and having come, he findeth them again sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. (Matthew 26:39-43, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** Matthew (traditionally) the tax-collector-apostle / narrator + Jesus's direct teaching
- **Audience:** Jewish-Christian audience (heavy OT-fulfillment emphasis)
- **Location:** first-century Palestine (events); possibly Antioch (composition)
- **Time period:** events c. 4 BC, AD 30/33; composed c. AD 60-80

## Theological reading

## Key words

- [G4151 - pneuma](/codex/g4151-pneuma/), *pneuma* (Strong's G4151). Also appears in: [Matthew 1.18](/codex/matthew-1-18/), [Matthew 1.20](/codex/matthew-1-20/), [Matthew 3.16](/codex/matthew-3-16/).
- [G4561 - sarx](/codex/g4561-sarx/), *sarx* (Strong's G4561). Also appears in: [Matthew 19](/codex/matthew-19/), [Mark 14](/codex/mark-14/), [Luke 24.39](/codex/luke-24-39/).

## 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.

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## Quoted in

**Concepts:**

- [Christianity](/codex/christianity/), via [Matthew 26.39-42](/codex/matthew-26-39-42/)
- [Jesus Said](/codex/jesus-said/), via [Matthew 26](/codex/matthew-26/)
- [Spirit of Slumber](/codex/spirit-of-slumber/)
- [Trinity](/codex/trinity/), via [Matthew 26.39-42](/codex/matthew-26-39-42/)
- [Trinity Common Objections](/codex/trinity-common-objections/), via [Matthew 26.39-42](/codex/matthew-26-39-42/)

**Lexicon:**

- [G4561 - sarx](/codex/g4561-sarx/)

**Passages:**

- [1 Corinthians 15.50](/codex/1-corinthians-15-50/)
- [1 Corinthians 6](/codex/1-corinthians-6/)
- [1 Corinthians 6.16-20](/codex/1-corinthians-6-16-20/)
- [1 John 4.2-3](/codex/1-john-4-2-3/)
- [1 John 4.3](/codex/1-john-4-3/)
- [1 Peter 3.18-19](/codex/1-peter-3-18-19/)
- [2 Corinthians 12.7](/codex/2-corinthians-12-7/)
- [2 John 1.7](/codex/2-john-1-7/)
- [2 John 7](/codex/2-john-7/)
- [Acts 2.17-18](/codex/acts-2-17-18/)
- [Acts 2.31](/codex/acts-2-31/)
- [Colossians 2.10-14](/codex/colossians-2-10-14/)
- [Colossians 2.11](/codex/colossians-2-11/)
- [Ephesians 2.15](/codex/ephesians-2-15/)
- [Ephesians 2.3](/codex/ephesians-2-3/)
- [Ephesians 6](/codex/ephesians-6/)
- [Ephesians 6.10-18](/codex/ephesians-6-10-18/)
- [Galatians 2.15-16](/codex/galatians-2-15-16/)
- [Galatians 2.20](/codex/galatians-2-20/)
- [Galatians 5](/codex/galatians-5/)
- [Galatians 5.17](/codex/galatians-5-17/)
- [Galatians 5.19-20](/codex/galatians-5-19-20/)
- [Galatians 5.24](/codex/galatians-5-24/)
- [Hebrews 5.7](/codex/hebrews-5-7/)
- [John 1.1-14](/codex/john-1-1-14/)
- [John 1.1-18](/codex/john-1-1-18/)
- [John 17.2](/codex/john-17-2/)
- [John 3](/codex/john-3/)
- [John 3.6](/codex/john-3-6/)
- [John 6.51](/codex/john-6-51/)
- [John 6.54-55](/codex/john-6-54-55/)
- [John 6.63-64](/codex/john-6-63-64/)
- [John 8.14-19](/codex/john-8-14-19/)
- [Jude 1](/codex/jude-1/)
- [Luke 24.36-42](/codex/luke-24-36-42/)
- [Matthew 19](/codex/matthew-19/)
- [Philemon 1.16](/codex/philemon-1-16/)
- [Romans 2.28-29](/codex/romans-2-28-29/)
- [Romans 4.1](/codex/romans-4-1/)
- [Romans 7](/codex/romans-7/)
- [Romans 7.14-25](/codex/romans-7-14-25/)
- [Romans 7.18-20](/codex/romans-7-18-20/)
- [Romans 8](/codex/romans-8/)
- [Romans 8.13](/codex/romans-8-13/)
- [Romans 8.9](/codex/romans-8-9/)

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