Luke 22:44

New Testament Gospel ASV (1901)

What does Luke 22:44 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became as it were great drops of blood falling down upon the ground.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became as it were great drops of blood falling down upon the ground.
Luke 22:44 — American Standard Version

Context — Luke 22

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
44And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became as it were great drops of blood falling down upon the ground.

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And being in an agony, etc.] Or in a conflict, and combat; that is, with thee devil, who now appeared visibly to him, in an horrible form: after his temptations in the wilderness Satan left him for a season, till another opportunity should offer; and now it did; now the prince of this world came to him; (see <420413>Luke 4:13, <431430>John 14:30) and attacked him in a garden, where the first onset on human nature was made: and now began the battle between the two combatants, the serpent, and the seed of the woman; which issued in the destruction of Satan, and thee recovery of mankind. The Arabic version leaves out this clause; and the Syriac version renders it, “being in fear”; and to the…”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“See the Matthew 26:30-46 notes; Mark 14:26-42 notes. Luke 22:43 Strengthening him - His human nature, to sustain the great burden that was upon his soul. Some have supposed from this that he was not divine as well as human; for if he was “God,” how could an angel give any strength or comfort? and why did not the divine nature “alone” sustain the human? But the fact that he was “divine” does not affect the case at all. It might be asked with the same propriety, If he was, as all admit, the friend of God, and beloved of God, and holy, why, if he was a mere man, did not “God” sustain him alone, without an angel’s intervening? But the objection in neither case would have any force. The “man,…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“And being in an agony - Probably just now grappling with the powers of darkness: feeling the weight of the wrath of God, and at the same time surrounded with a mighty host of devils, who exercised all their force and malice to persecute and distract his wounded spirit. He prayed more earnestly - Even with stronger cries and tars: and his sweat - As cold as the weather was, was as it were great drops of blood - Which, by the vehement distress of his soul, were forced out of the pores, in so great a quantity as afterward united in large, thick, grumous drops, and even fell to the ground. Luke 22:48”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“22:44 his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood: The text does not say that Jesus sweated blood, as is often supposed, but that his sweat fell like blood pouring to the ground, which probably means that in his agony he sweated profusely.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“being: Gen 32:24-28; Psa 22:1, Psa 22:2, Psa 22:12-21, Psa 40:1-3, Psa 69:14-18, 88:1-18, Psa 130:1, Psa 130:2; Psa 143:6, Psa 143:7; Lam 1:12, Lam 3:53-56; Jon 2:2, Jon 2:3; Joh 12:27; Heb 5:7 his: Isa 53:10; Lam 1:12; Rom 8:32 Luke 22:45”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification