And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus’ prayer, "if it were possible," reveals not a doubt in God’s power, but a profound human wrestling with the unimaginable horror of the coming suffering. He’s not asking if God can remove the cup, but acknowledging the sheer weight of it, while simultaneously bowing to His Father’s will.
And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus, deeply troubled, takes Peter, James, and John a short distance into the olive grove of Gethsemane. He begins to pray with an anguish so profound that his soul feels as if it will die, asking them to stay awake and watch with him. This prayer is the beginning of his intense struggle with the impending suffering, the "hour" of his passion.
Jesus' prayer in Gethsemane is raw, human, and deeply emotional. What was in that "cup" that caused such agony?
Jesus referred to his impending suffering as a "cup" to drink. This wasn't just physical pain or the betrayal and crucifixion itself. It was the spiritual burden of bearing the sin of the world. The commentators suggest this was the "curse of sin" and the "wrath of God" that fell upon Him. He wasn't just facing death; He was facing the utter separation from God that sin causes, a prospect a sinless being would keenly feel. His agony stemmed from experiencing the full weight of human sin and God's righteous judgment against it, all poured into that one "cup."
Jesus prayed, 'Not what I will, but what You will.' How does His human will interact with His divine knowledge?
In Gethsemane, Jesus' human will, with its natural aversion to suffering and death, wrestled with His perfect knowledge of the Father's will and His mission. He prayed for the "cup" to pass, expressing a genuine human desire for relief. However, this human desire was immediately brought into submission to the Father's sovereign plan. He wasn't ignorant of God's will; rather, He actively chose obedience. This wasn't a passive resignation but an active surrender, demonstrating the incredible unity of His divine nature with His human experience, where His human will perfectly aligned with the Father's purpose.
Jesus' prayer wasn't just a moment of weakness, but a powerful example of how to approach God in extreme distress.
Jesus' prayer in Gethsemane is a profound model for us. He withdrew to a solitary place to pour out His heart to the Father. He was honest about His feelings, expressing His sorrow and desire for the suffering to end. Yet, He didn't stop there. He anchored His plea in God's absolute power ('all things are possible unto Thee') and ultimately submitted to God's sovereign will. The repetition of His prayer also shows perseverance, not in demanding a specific outcome, but in seeking God's face amidst overwhelming circumstances. It teaches us to be honest with God about our struggles while trusting His ultimate plan.
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Understand the original words
hōra · Greek Noun
In the Gospel of Mark, this often refers specifically to the climactic moment of Jesus' passion, death, and glorification. It signifies the predetermined time of the fulfillment of God’s redemptive plan.
This verse captures Jesus' human struggle with the immense suffering and divine judgment he was about to face, highlighting the profound emotional and spiritual weight of his sacrifice.
c. 30 AD
Jesus enters Jerusalem for Passover
Jesus makes his triumphant entry into Jerusalem during the Passover festival, a time of heightened national and religious expectation.
c. 30 AD
The Last Supper
Jesus shares his final meal with his disciples, instituting the Lord's Supper and predicting his betrayal.
c. 30 AD— this verse
Jesus prays in Gethsemane
Jesus withdraws to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray, experiencing profound anguish and wrestling with his impending suffering and death.
c. 30 AD
Betrayal and arrest of Jesus
Judas Iscariot betrays Jesus to the authorities, leading to Jesus' arrest in Gethsemane.
c. 30 AD
Jesus' trial before the Sanhedrin
Jesus is tried by the Jewish high council, facing accusations of blasphemy.
c. 30 AD
Jesus before Pilate and Herod
Jesus is brought before the Roman governor Pontius Pilate and Herod Antipas, undergoing further interrogation and condemnation.
c. 30 AD
Crucifixion of Jesus
Jesus is crucified at Golgotha, fulfilling prophecy and offering himself as a sacrifice for humanity's sins.
This passage describes Jesus offering prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears, echoing the deep anguish and earnest prayer seen in Gethsemane.
Genesis 3:15The 'hour' Jesus prays to pass signifies the moment the curse of sin would be fully laid upon Him, a concept foreshadowed in the protoevangelium where the serpent's head would be bruised by the Seed of the woman.
John 12:27Jesus expresses a similar internal struggle here, saying 'Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour? But for this cause came I unto this hour,' showing His awareness and dread of the coming suffering.
Isaiah 53:10This prophecy speaks of the Lord being 'pleased to put him to grief' and making His 'soul an offering for sin,' which directly relates to the 'cup' Jesus prays to pass and the divine purpose behind His suffering.
Romans 8:3This verse explains that God sent His Son 'in the likeness of sinful flesh' to deal with sin, providing theological context for why Jesus, though sinless, experienced such profound anguish in facing sin's penalty.
pulpitMark 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."
Verse 35. - Our Lord now separated himself, though apparently, as St. Luke (Luke 22:41) says, only "about a stone's cast" from the three disciples, and threw himself on the ground in mortal agony, and prayed that this hour of his supreme mental anguish might, if possible, pass from him.
expositorsMark 14:34-42: "And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch."
CHAPTER 14:34-42 (Mark 14:34-42)THE AGONY "And He saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death: abide ye here, and watch. And He went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass away from Him. And He said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto Thee: remove this cup from Me: howbeit not what I will, but what Tho…
Jesus’ prayer, "if it were possible," reveals not a doubt in God’s power, but a profound human wrestling with the unimaginable horror of the coming suffering. He’s not asking if God can remove the cup, but acknowledging the sheer weight of it, while simultaneously bowing to His Father’s will.
Jesus, deeply troubled, takes Peter, James, and John a short distance into the olive grove of Gethsemane. He begins to pray with an anguish so profound that his soul feels as if it will die, asking them to stay awake and watch with him. This prayer is the beginning of his intense struggle with the impending suffering, the "hour" of his passion.
Jesus, deeply troubled, takes Peter, James, and John a short distance into the olive grove of Gethsemane. He begins to pray with an anguish so profound that his soul feels as if it will die, asking them to stay awake and watch with him. This prayer is the beginning of his intense struggle with the impending suffering, the "hour" of his passion.
"And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him." — Jesus’ prayer, "if it were possible," reveals not a doubt in God’s power, but a profound human wrestling with the unimaginable horror of the coming suffering. He’s not asking if God can remove the…
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Last reviewed October 2026