Matthew 26:38Then he said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here, and watch with me."
The setting
Deep in Gethsemane, Jerusalem, Israel. Jesus speaks words of such raw honesty that his closest friends will never forget them...
The emotion here: documenting the most vulnerable moment of Jesus he ever witnessed
The original word
perilupos (περίλυπος) — completely surrounded by grief, like drowning in sorrow
Why it matters
Jesus quotes the exact phrase used in Psalm 42:5, connecting his agony to David's darkest moments
Read with care
What most readers miss in Matthew 26:38
Jesus says 'watch WITH me' not 'watch OVER me' - he wants companionship, not protection
Common misconceptionPeople avoid this verse because it sounds too dark. But Jesus gives us permission to admit when our soul is crushed.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Matthew 26:38
Bible Genome reading
Matthew 26:38 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Matthew 26:38 comes from the book of Matthew, written during the gospel period. These words are attributed to Jesus. The dominant emotion in this verse is grieving, with a comfort power of 80% and a tone that is lamenting. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include anguish, mortality. Notable phrases: soul exceedingly sorrowful; even to death; stay and watch. This verse contains a command.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same grieving
“By the sweat of your face will you eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust you…”
— Genesis 3:19
“Jesus wept.”
— John 11:35
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?”
— Psalms 22:1
“They divide my garments among them. They cast lots for my clothing.”
— Psalms 22:18
“for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;”
— Romans 3:23
Your reflection
What does Matthew 26:38 mean to you, today?
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