Matthew 26 · Verse 37

Matthew 26:37

And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.
Matthew 26:37, King James Version

Matthew 26:37 in other translations

BSBHe took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee and began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed.
WEBHe took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and severely troubled.
ASVAnd he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and sore troubled.
YLTAnd having taken Peter, and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful, and to be very heavy;
DARBYAnd taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and deeply depressed.
BBEAnd he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and became sad and very troubled.
WebsterAnd he took with him Peter, and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.

What does Matthew 26:37 mean?

Barnes' Notes
Verse 37. And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee. That is, James and John, Mt 10:2. On two other occasions he had favoured these disciples in a particular manner, suffering them to go with him to witness his power and glory, viz., at the healing of the ruler's daughter, (Lk 8:51,) and at his transfiguration on the mount, Mt 17:1.

Sorrowful. Affected with grief.

Very heavy. The word in the original is much stronger than the one translated sorrowful. It means, to be pressed down, or overwhelmed with great anguish. This was produced, doubtless, by a foresight of his great sufferings on the cross in making an atonement for the sins of men.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee - That is, James and John; the same persons who had beheld his transfiguration on the mount - that they might contemplate this agony in the light of that glory which they had there seen; and so be kept from being stumbled by a view of his present humiliation. Began to be sorrowful - Λυπεισθαι, from λυω, to dissolve - exquisite sorrow, such as dissolves the natural vigor, and threatens to separate soul and body. And very heavy - Overwhelmed with anguish - αδημονειν. This word is used by the Greeks to denote the most extreme anguish which the soul can feel - excruciating anxiety and torture of spirit.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 26:36-46

He who made atonement for the sins of mankind, submitted himself in a garden of suffering, to the will of God, from which man had revolted in a garden of pleasure. Christ took with him into that part of the garden where he suffered his agony, only those who had witnessed his glory in his transfiguration. Those are best prepared to suffer with Christ, who have by faith beheld his glory. The words used denote the most…

Read the full comment on Matthew 26:36-46 →

Matthew 26:37 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ΚαὶKaiAndG2532
παραλαβὼνparalabōnhaving taken with [Him]G3880
τὸνton<the>G3588
ΠέτρονPetronPeterG4074
καὶkaiandG2532
τοὺςtoustheG3588
δύοduotwoG1417
υἱοὺςhuioussonsG5207
ΖεβεδαίουZebedaiouof ZebedeeG2199
ἤρξατοērxatoHe beganG757
λυπεῖσθαιlupeisthaito be sorrowfulG3076
καὶkaiandG2532
ἀδημονεῖν.¶adēmoneinto be deeply distressed.G85

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Matthew 26:37

  • Matthew 4:21

    And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.

  • Matthew 17:1

    And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,

  • Mark 5:37

    And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James.

  • Mark 14:33-34

    And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy; And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch.

  • 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.

  • John 12:27

    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.

  • Matthew 4:18

    And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

  • Matthew 20:20

    Then came to him the mother of Zebedee’s children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Peter.
4:18,21; 17:1; 20:20; Mr 5:37
sorrowful.
Mr 14:33,34; Lu 22:44; Joh 12:27

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 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.

Read all of Matthew 26

Matthew 26:37 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y tomando á Pedro, y á los dos hijos de Zebedeo, comenzó á entristecerse y á angustiarse en gran manera.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et ayant pris Pierre et les deux fils de Zébédée, il commença à être attristé et fort angoissé.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und er nahm den Petrus und die zwei Söhne des Zebedäus mit, und fing an betrübt und beängstigt zu werden.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et assumpto Petro, et duobus filiis Zebedæi, cœpit contristari et mœstus esse.