Luke 22:45 Meaning and Explanation
“And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow,”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Rising from prayer, Jesus finds the disciples asleep, worn out by sorrow.
What Does Luke 22:45 Mean?
Luke alone explains their sleep: 'for sorrow.' Grief is exhausting, and the disciples - hearing of betrayal, denial, and departure - had been overwhelmed by it. While their Master agonized a stone's throw away, sorrow shut their eyes.
The detail is full of compassion. His friends did not fail him out of indifference but out of human frailty under crushing emotion - and he knows it: 'the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak' (Matthew 26:41). The Lord who found them sleeping did not disown them. He understands what grief does to a body, and he deals gently with the worn-out (Psalm 103:14).
Luke 22:45 in the Original Language
lype (λύπη), 'sorrow' -- grief; a heaviness of heart that drains the body.
Frequently Asked Questions About Luke 22:45
What does Luke 22:45 mean?
Rising from prayer, Jesus finds the disciples asleep, worn out by sorrow.