Matthew 26:39
“And he went a little farther, 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.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Context
In Gethsemane, after the Last Supper and before His arrest, Jesus takes Peter, James, and John apart to pray. Overwhelmed with sorrow, He prays this prayer three times while the disciples sleep.
What Does Matthew 26:39 Mean?
This verse shows Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, praying in deep anguish that the suffering ahead might pass, yet surrendering His will entirely to the Father's. It is one of the most intimate and weighty moments in the Gospels, on the night before the crucifixion.
Every detail conveys the depth of His distress. He "went a little farther," drawing apart even from His closest companions. He "fell on his face," a posture of total abandonment in prayer. He cries "O my Father," appealing to the closeness of that relationship. The "cup" is the suffering He is about to drink -- in Scripture the cup often pictures a portion appointed to be received. Jesus asks, "if it be possible, let this cup pass from me," laying bare a fully human shrinking from what lies ahead. Yet the prayer does not end there. "Nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt" turns the whole prayer toward trust. Here is honest desire held within complete surrender. Jesus does not pretend the cup is easy, nor does He refuse it; He brings His real feelings to the Father and then yields. This is the pattern of faithful prayer -- bringing genuine requests to God while trusting His will above our own.
In the Original Language
The Greek "to potērion" (the cup) evokes a portion appointed to be received. The pivotal word is "plēn" (nevertheless, yet), which turns desire toward submission: not "as I will" (thelō) but "as thou wilt."
Cross References
“Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.”
- Luke 22:42
“Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared.”
- Hebrews 5:7
“For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.”
- John 6:38
Application
Bring your honest desires and fears to God in prayer, and then, like Jesus, entrust the outcome to the Father's will rather than insisting on your own.