Luke 22:42
“Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.”
King James Version (KJV)
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This is Jesus' prayer in Gethsemane (Luke 22:39-46) on the night of His betrayal, as He prepares to face arrest, trial, and crucifixion.
What Does Luke 22:42 Mean?
In this prayer Jesus honestly asks the Father to spare Him the coming suffering, yet fully surrenders to the Father's will above His own. He prays this in Gethsemane, in deep agony on the night before the cross, knowing what lies ahead. The verse shows both the reality of His distress and the depth of His obedience held together in one breath.
The "cup" is a biblical image for an appointed portion of suffering, here the full weight of what He is about to bear. Jesus does not pretend the burden is light; He asks plainly that it be removed if there is another way, modeling complete honesty before God. Yet the prayer does not end there. "Nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done" is the hinge on which everything turns. He places the Father's will above His own desire to avoid the suffering, choosing obedience even at unimaginable cost. This is the very opposite of the rebellion that marked humanity's failure; where others grasp for their own way, Jesus yields. The prayer reveals that genuine surrender is not the absence of struggle but the choice to trust the Father through it. For the reader, it offers both a comfort -- that bringing real anguish to God is welcome -- and a pattern for praying "thy will be done" when our own wishes run the other way.
In the Original Language
"Cup" is poterion, used figuratively for an appointed lot of suffering. "Will" is thelema, what one wills or desires; Jesus subordinates His to the Father's.
Cross References
“O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.”
- Matthew 26:39
“Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;”
- Hebrews 5:8
“For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.”
- John 6:38
Application
You can bring your honest dread and requests to God without pretending. The path of trust is to ask freely, then yield with Jesus, praying not my will but thine be done.