Luke 22:44
What does Luke 22:44 mean?
A plain-English look at Luke 22:44 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Luke 22:44 means
In deep agony, Jesus prays more earnestly, and His sweat becomes like great drops of blood falling to the ground. Luke emphasizes the intensity of the struggle. Whether a simile or a description of hematidrosis, the point is the extremity of distress under which He embraces the Father’s will. Prayer is not perfunctory; it is costly. The Savior faces the weight of sin and wrath He will bear, yet persists in submission. The mention of the ground anticipates the shedding of blood soon to come. This verse invites reverent awe at the price of redemption and compassion of Christ. He does not shrink back but presses in, strengthened by heaven, choosing obedience in the fiercest spiritual battle.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became as it were great drops of blood falling down upon the ground.
KJV
King James Version · 1611And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became as it were great drops of blood falling down upon the ground.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And being in great trouble of soul, the force of his prayer became stronger, and great drops, like blood, came from him, falling to the earth.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862and having been in agony, he was more earnestly praying, and his sweat became, as it were, great drops of blood falling upon the ground.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And his sweat became as drops of blood, trickling down upon the ground.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And being in conflict he prayed more intently. And his sweat became as great drops of blood, falling down upon the earth.
Context
After the angel strengthens Him, Jesus’ agony increases, and His prayer intensifies to the point of sweating like blood. This climactic depiction of inner struggle is followed by His return to the disciples, whom He finds asleep from sorrow. He rouses them to pray so as not to enter temptation. Even as He speaks, the betrayer’s arrival interrupts the scene, moving the narrative from private anguish to public confrontation and arrest.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Romans 8:32
He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not also with him freely give us all things?
- Psalms 88:1
O Jehovah, the God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee.
- Psalms 130:1
Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Jehovah.
- Lamentations 3:53
They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and have cast a stone upon me.
- Psalms 22:12
Many bulls have compassed me; Strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.
- Psalms 69:14
Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: Let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters.
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