Gethsemane

Jesus brings his closest friends to a garden at night and asks them to stay awake. Alone, he prays, “if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt” (Matthew 26:39). Three times he returns and finds them asleep. Luke notes an angel strengthening him, and Mark preserves the word Abba, a child’s word for father. Then Judas arrives with a crowd and identifies him with a kiss. Matthew 26, Mark 14, Luke 22 and John 18 each tell part of the night, so read them side by side.

43 verses

Matthew

Matthew 26:36

Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.

Matthew 26:37

And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.

Matthew 26:38

Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.

Matthew 26:39

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.

Matthew 26:40

And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?

Matthew 26:41

Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Matthew 26:42

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.

Matthew 26:43

And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy.

Matthew 26:44

And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.

Matthew 26:45

Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

Matthew 26:46

Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.

Matthew 26:47

And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people.

Matthew 26:48

Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast.

Matthew 26:49

And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him.

Matthew 26:50

And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.

Mark

Mark 14:32

And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray.

Mark 14:33

And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy;

Mark 14:34

And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch.

Mark 14:35

And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.

Mark 14:36

And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.

Mark 14:37

And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour?

Mark 14:38

Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.

Mark 14:39

And again he went away, and prayed, and spake the same words.

Mark 14:40

And when he returned, he found them asleep again,(for their eyes were heavy,) neither wist they what to answer him.

Mark 14:41

And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

Mark 14:42

Rise up, let us go; lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand.

Mark 14:43

And immediately, while he yet spake, cometh Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.

Mark 14:44

And he that betrayed him had given them a token, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he; take him, and lead him away safely.

Mark 14:45

And as soon as he was come, he goeth straightway to him, and saith, Master, master; and kissed him.

Mark 14:46

And they laid their hands on him, and took him.

Luke

Luke 22:39

And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him.

Luke 22:40

And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.

Luke 22:41

And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,

Luke 22:42

Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

Luke 22:43

And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.

Luke 22:44

And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

Luke 22:45

And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow,

Luke 22:46

And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.

Luke 22:47

And while he yet spake, behold a multitude, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him.

Luke 22:48

But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?

Luke 22:49

When they which were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword?

John

John 18:1

When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples.

John 18:2

And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples.

From Easton's Bible Dictionary

Matthew George Easton, 1897

Oil-press, the name of an olive-yard at the foot of the Mount of Olives, to which Jesus was wont to retire (Luke 22:39) with his disciples, and which is specially memorable as being the scene of his agony (Mark 14:32; John 18:1; Luke 22:44). The plot of ground pointed out as Gethsemane is now surrounded by a wall, and is laid out as a modern European flower-garden. It contains eight venerable olive-trees, the age of which cannot, however, be determined. The exact site of Gethsemane is still in question. Dr. Thomson (The Land and the Book) says: “When I first came to Jerusalem, and for many years afterward, this plot of ground was open to all whenever they chose to come and meditate beneath its very old olivetrees. The Latins, however, have within the last few years succeeded in gaining sole possession, and have built a high wall around it...The Greeks have invented another site a little to the north of it...My own impression is that both are wrong. The position is too near the city, and so close to what must have always been the great thoroughfare eastward, that our Lord would scarcely have selected it for retirement on that dangerous and dismal night...I am inclined to place the garden in the secluded vale several hundred yards to the north-east of the present Gethsemane.”

Read the full entry

From Smith's Bible Dictionary

William Smith, 1884

(an oil-press), a small "farm," (Matthew 26:36; Mark 14:32) situated across the brook Kedron (John 18:1) probably at the foot of Mount Olivet, (Luke 22:39) to the northwest and about one-half or three quarters of a mile English from the walls of Jerusalem, and 100 yards east of the bridge over the Kedron. There was a "garden," or rather orchard, attached to it, to which the olive, fig and pomegranate doubtless invited resort by their hospitable shade. And we know from the evangelists (Luke 22:39) And (John 18:2) that our Lord ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples. But Gethsemane has not come down to us as a scene of mirth; its inexhaustible associations are the offspring of a single event--the agony of the Son of God on the evening preceding his passion. A garden, with eight venerable olive trees, and a grotto to the north detached from it, and in closer connection with the church of the sepulchre of the Virgin, are pointed out as the Gethsemane. Against the contemporary antiquity of the olive trees it has been urged that Titus cut down all the trees about Jerusalem. The probability would seem to be that they were planted by Christian hands to mark the spot unless, like the sacred olive of the Acropolis, they may have reproduced themselves.

Based on Nave's Topical Bible by Orville J. Nave (1896). Dictionary entries from Easton's Bible Dictionary and Smith's Bible Dictionary. Public domain. KJV scripture text, public domain.