"Please, Watch and Pray" — November 17 [Description]Overview of Matthew 26:36-46 and Mark 14:32-42:These parallel passages describe Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane the night before His crucifixion. Emotionally overwhelmed, He takes Peter, James, and John aside and asks them to watch and pray while He goes further to pray alone. Jesus is deeply distressed and says His soul is “overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.”He prays three times, asking the Father if the “cup” (His coming suffering and death) could be taken from Him—yet each time submits to God’s will over His own. Meanwhile, the disciples repeatedly fall asleep, failing to stay awake and support Him during this intense moment. Jesus returns from prayer and finds them sleeping three times, each time urging them to watch and pray so they don’t fall into temptation.This moment highlights both Christ’s humanity—His struggle with fear and suffering—and His complete obedience to the Father’s will. It also reveals the disciples’ spiritual weakness despite good intentions.

Bible discovery

Matthew 26:36-46365D 321.1

36 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there.”365D 321.2

37 And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed.365D 321.3

38 Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.”365D 321.4

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; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will. ”365D 321.5

40 Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour?365D 321.6

41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”365D 321.7

42 Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, “O My Father, ^{[h]NU if this may not pass away unless} if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.”365D 321.8

43 And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy.365D 321.9

44 So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.365D 321.10

45 Then He came to His disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour ^{[i]has drawn near} is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.365D 321.11

46 Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.”365D 321.12

Mark 14:32-42365D 321.13

32 Then they came to a place which was named Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”365D 321.14

33 And He took Peter, James, and John with Him, and He began to be troubled and deeply distressed.365D 321.15

34 Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch.”365D 321.16

35 He went a little farther, and fell on the ground, and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him.365D 321.17

36 And He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will. ”365D 321.18

37 Then He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not watch one hour?365D 321.19

38 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”365D 321.20

39 Again He went away and prayed, and spoke the same words.365D 321.21

40 And when He returned, He found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy; and they did not know what to answer Him.365D 321.22

41 Then He came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough! The hour has come; behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.365D 321.23

42 Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.”365D 321.24