What Does Matthew 26:37 Mean in the King James?
And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The one named “Stone” is brought beside grief, showing that strength is not the absence of sorrow.
THE MEANING
Your grief can be real while trusted company stands near it; their presence does not make it disappear. The verse holds strength and sorrow together without asking anyone to become unfeeling.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The lie that strength requires emotional invulnerability is undone here: Peter, whose name means “stone,” is brought alongside grief, while Jesus himself is sorrowful.
THE ROOT
λυπεῖσθαι
lypeisthai
GROWS FROM
λυπ-
lyp-
Grief, sorrow; being grieved.
The Greek word belongs to the λυπ- seed of grief. In the next verse, περίλυπος (perilypos), “deeply sorrowful,” carries the same seed, showing the grief here deepening rather than giving way to another state.
ALSO GROWS
lypē: Grief, sorrow.
λύπη
This noun names the grief held inside the verb “to be sorrowful.”
perilypos: Deeply sorrowful; exceeding sorrowful.
περίλυπος
Matthew 26:38 uses this related word, carrying the same grief-root into the next verse.
παραλαβών
paralabōn
GROWS FROM
λαμβάνω
lambanō
Take, receive.
“took with him” in this verse is paralabōn. The Greek παραλαμβάνω (paralambanō) combines “alongside” with “take or receive.” The wording puts Peter and the two sons beside Jesus; their presence accompanies his distress without removing it.
ALSO GROWS
paralambanō: Take along; receive alongside.
παραλαμβάνω
This is the verb behind “took with him,” making the closeness explicit.
katalambanō: Take hold of; grasp; overtake.
καταλαμβάνω
This compound shares the λαμβάνω seed of taking, showing how the root can carry the sense of being seized or met by something.
Πέτρον
Petron
GROWS FROM
πέτρ-
petr-
Rock, stone.
Peter’s name belongs to the Greek rock-and-stone word family. The scene brings the one called “Stone” into the company of sorrow, without equating steadiness with being unfeeling.
ALSO GROWS
petra: Rock.
πέτρα
This related rock-word shows the image carried by Peter’s name.
petrōdēs: Rocky, stony.
πετρώδης
This related adjective keeps the same stone-image, grounding the name’s nature in the verse.
THE PATTERN
Strength and company can stand beside sorrow without making it vanish.
So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled,THE THREAD
Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.Matthew 26:38 uses περίλυπος (perilypos), “deeply sorrowful,” from the same λυπ- (lyp-) grief-root as “sorrowful” here. The shared root carries the sorrow forward, while Jesus’ request to stay with him keeps company beside it.
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