God’s Word Translation
Matthew 26:53
53Don’t you think that I could call on my Father to send more than twelve legions of angels to help me now?
Matthew 26:53 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?
- New International Version (NIV)Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?
- English Standard Version (ESV)Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?
- New King James Version (NKJV)Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?
Context of Matthew 26:53
51Suddenly, one of the men with Jesus pulled out his sword and cut off the ear of the chief priest’s servant. 52Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword away! All who use a sword will be killed by a sword. Don’t you think that I could call on my Father to send more than twelve legions of angels to help me now? 54How, then, are the Scriptures to be fulfilled that say this must happen?” 55At that time Jesus said to the crowd, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me as if I were a criminal? I used to sit teaching in the temple courtyard every day. But you didn’t arrest me then.
Read all of Matthew 26Matthew 26:53 word by word
ἢ δοκεῖς ὅτι οὐ δύναμαι παρακαλέσαι τὸν πατέρα μου, καὶ παραστήσει μοι ἄρτι πλείω δώδεκα λεγιῶνας ἀγγέλων;Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ἤē · orG2228
- Thinkest thouδοκέωdokeō · to thinkG1380
- thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
- I cannotοὐou · noG3756
- I cannotδύναμαιdunamai · be ableG1410
- nowἄρτιarti · nowG737
- prayπαρακαλέωparakaleō · to plead/comfortG3870
- toὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- toπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
- myἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- he shall presently giveπαρίστημιparistēmi paristanō · to stand byG3936
- moreπλείων, πλεῖονpleiōn pleion pleon · greaterG4119
- twelveδώδεκαdōdeka · twelveG1427
- legionsλεγεώνlegeōn · LegionG3003
- of angelsἄγγελοςaggelos · angelG32
Cross-references for Matthew 26:53
- Matthew 4:11Then the devil left him, and angels came to take care of him.
- Matthew 25:31“When the Son of Man comes in his glory and all his angels are with him, he will sit on his glorious throne.
- 2 Kings 6:17Then Elisha prayed, “Lord, please open his eyes so that he may see.” The Lord opened the servant’s eyes and let him see. The mountain around Elisha was full of fiery horses and chariots.
- Daniel 7:10A river of fire flowed. It came from him. Thousands and thousands served him. Ten thousand times ten thousand were stationed in front of him. The court convened, and the books were opened.
- 2 Thessalonians 1:7It is also right for God to give all of us relief from our suffering. He will do this when the Lord Jesus is revealed, ⌞coming⌟ from heaven with his mighty angels in a blazing fire.
- Jude 1:14Furthermore, Enoch, from the seventh generation after Adam, prophesied about them. He said, “The Lord has come with countless thousands of his holy angels.
- Matthew 10:1Jesus called his twelve disciples and gave them authority to force evil spirits out of people and to cure every disease and sickness.
- Luke 8:30Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He answered, “Legion [Six Thousand].” (Many demons had entered him.)
Commentaries on Matthew 26:53
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 53More than twelve legions of angels? - As if he had said, Instead of you twelve, one of whom is a traitor, my Father can give me more than twelve legions of angels to defend me. A legion, at different times, contained different numbers; 4,200, 5,000, and frequently 6,000 men; and from this saying, taking the latter number, which is the common rate, may we not-safely believe that the angels of God amount to more than 72,000?Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 47-57Verses 47-57 The account of Jesus‘ being betrayed by Judas is recorded by all the evangelists. See Mark 14:43-52; Luke 22:47-53; John 18:2-12. Matthew 26:47 Judas, one of the twelve, came - This was done while Jesus was addressing his disciples. John informs us that Judas knew the place, because Jesus was in the habit of going there with his disciples. Judas had passed the time, after he left Jesus and the other disciples at the Passover, in arranging…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 47-56Verses 47-56 No enemies are so much to be abhorred as those professed disciples that betray Christ with a kiss. God has no need of our services, much less of our sins, to bring about his purposes. Though Christ was crucified through weakness, it was voluntary weakness; he submitted to death. If he had not been willing to suffer, they could not conquer him. It was a great sin for those who had left all to follow Jesus; now to leave him for they knew not…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 53twelve legions: Jesus used Roman military language to describe the help he could receive from God. A legion was about 6,000 soldiers. Jesus was not a helpless victim. He allowed his own arrest.Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 26:53
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Matthew 26
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Catena Aurea
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- John Lightfoot Commentary
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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