Luke Chapter 22 · Verse 45

Authorized King James Version

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

Original Language Analysis

καὶ And G2532
καὶ And
Strong's: G2532
Word #: 1 of 15
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
ἀναστὰς when he rose up G450
ἀναστὰς when he rose up
Strong's: G450
Word #: 2 of 15
to stand up (literal or figurative, transitive or intransitive)
ἀπὸ for G575
ἀπὸ for
Strong's: G575
Word #: 3 of 15
"off," i.e., away (from something near), in various senses (of place, time, or relation; literal or figurative)
τῆς G3588
τῆς
Strong's: G3588
Word #: 4 of 15
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
προσευχῆς prayer G4335
προσευχῆς prayer
Strong's: G4335
Word #: 5 of 15
prayer (worship); by implication, an oratory (chapel)
ἐλθὼν and was come G2064
ἐλθὼν and was come
Strong's: G2064
Word #: 6 of 15
to come or go (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)
πρὸς to G4314
πρὸς to
Strong's: G4314
Word #: 7 of 15
a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e., toward (with the genitive case, the side of, i.e., pertaining to; with the dative case, by the side of,
τοὺς G3588
τοὺς
Strong's: G3588
Word #: 8 of 15
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
μαθητὰς disciples G3101
μαθητὰς disciples
Strong's: G3101
Word #: 9 of 15
a learner, i.e., pupil
εὗρεν he found G2147
εὗρεν he found
Strong's: G2147
Word #: 10 of 15
to find (literally or figuratively)
αὐτοὺς his G846
αὐτοὺς his
Strong's: G846
Word #: 11 of 15
the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative g1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons
κοιμωμένους sleeping G2837
κοιμωμένους sleeping
Strong's: G2837
Word #: 12 of 15
to put to sleep, i.e., (passively or reflexively) to slumber; figuratively, to decease
ἀπὸ for G575
ἀπὸ for
Strong's: G575
Word #: 13 of 15
"off," i.e., away (from something near), in various senses (of place, time, or relation; literal or figurative)
τῆς G3588
τῆς
Strong's: G3588
Word #: 14 of 15
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
λύπης sorrow G3077
λύπης sorrow
Strong's: G3077
Word #: 15 of 15
sadness

Analysis & Commentary

When he rose up from prayer—After His agonizing intercession (v. 44), Jesus returned to find His disciples sleeping for sorrow (κοιμωμένους ἀπὸ τῆς λύπης, koimōmenous apo tēs lypēs). Only Luke attributes their sleep to sorrow (λύπη, lypē—deep grief, emotional heaviness). They weren't indifferent but overwhelmed; grief had emotionally and physically exhausted them. Yet sorrow was no excuse for prayerlessness.

The contrast is devastating: Jesus prayed to the point of sweating blood (v. 44), while they slept in self-protective numbness. Their 'sorrow' was about their fear of losing Jesus, their dawning awareness that everything was unraveling. But their grief-induced sleep left them unprepared for the testing ahead. Within minutes, Judas would arrive (v. 47); within hours, they would all flee (Matthew 26:56); by morning, Peter would curse and deny his Lord (22:54-62). Sorrow should drive us to prayer, not away from it. The disciples' failure here became a spiritual catastrophe from which only Christ's resurrection could recover them.

Historical Context

The Passover meal was eaten late in the evening, and Jesus and the disciples walked to Gethsemane afterward, arriving well past midnight. The emotional intensity of the Last Supper discourse (Luke 22:14-38, John 13-17), combined with the late hour and physical exhaustion, created vulnerability to sleep. Yet Jesus had explicitly warned them to 'pray that ye enter not into temptation' (v. 40). The 'sorrow' they felt likely stemmed from Jesus' predictions of His death (22:15-16), His announcement of betrayal (22:21-22), and His warnings about their coming denials and scattering (22:31-34).

Questions for Reflection