Matthew 26:53
New International Version
Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?

New Living Translation
Don’t you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly?

English Standard Version
Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?

Berean Standard Bible
Are you not aware that I can call on My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?

Berean Literal Bible
Or do you think that I am not able to call upon My Father, and He will furnish to Me presently more than twelve legions of angels?

King James Bible
Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?

New King James Version
Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?

New American Standard Bible
Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?

NASB 1995
“Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?

NASB 1977
“Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?

Legacy Standard Bible
Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?

Amplified Bible
Do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will immediately provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?

Christian Standard Bible
Or do you think that I cannot call on my Father, and he will provide me here and now with more than twelve legions of angels?

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Or do you think that I cannot call on My Father, and He will provide Me at once with more than 12 legions of angels?

American Standard Version
Or thinkest thou that I cannot beseech my Father, and he shall even now send me more than twelve legions of angels?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Do you think that I cannot ask my Father and he would raise up for me now more than twelve Legions of Angels?

Contemporary English Version
Don't you know that I could ask my Father, and he would at once send me more than twelve armies of angels?

Douay-Rheims Bible
Thinkest thou that I cannot ask my Father, and he will give me presently more than twelve legions of angels?

English Revised Version
Or thinkest thou that I cannot beseech my Father, and he shall even now send me more than twelve legions of angels?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Don't you think that I could call on my Father to send more than twelve legions of angels to help me now?

Good News Translation
Don't you know that I could call on my Father for help, and at once he would send me more than twelve armies of angels?

International Standard Version
Don't you think that I could call on my Father, and he would send me more than twelve legions of angels now?

Literal Standard Version
do you think that I am not able now to call on My Father, and He will place beside Me more than twelve legions of messengers?

Majority Standard Bible
Are you not aware that I can call on My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?

New American Bible
Do you think that I cannot call upon my Father and he will not provide me at this moment with more than twelve legions of angels?

NET Bible
Or do you think that I cannot call on my Father, and that he would send me more than twelve legions of angels right now?

New Revised Standard Version
Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?

New Heart English Bible
Or do you think that I could not ask my Father, and he would even now send me more than twelve legions of angels?

Webster's Bible Translation
Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he will presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?

Weymouth New Testament
Or do you suppose I cannot entreat my Father and He would instantly send to my help more than twelve legions of angels?

World English Bible
Or do you think that I couldn’t ask my Father, and he would even now send me more than twelve legions of angels?

Young's Literal Translation
dost thou think that I am not able now to call upon my Father, and He will place beside me more than twelve legions of messengers?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Betrayal of Jesus
52“Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him. “For all who draw the sword will die by the sword. 53 Are you not aware that I can call on My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels? 54But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen this way?”…

Cross References
Matthew 4:11
Then the devil left Him, and angels came and ministered to Him.

Mark 5:9
"What is your name?" Jesus asked. "My name is Legion," he replied, "for we are many."

Mark 5:15
When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons sitting there, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.

Luke 8:30
"What is your name?" Jesus asked. "Legion," he replied, because many demons had gone into him.

John 10:18
No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from My Father."

John 18:36
Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world; if it were, My servants would fight to prevent My arrest by the Jews. But now My kingdom is not of this realm."


Treasury of Scripture

Think you that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?

and he.

Matthew 4:11
Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

Matthew 25:31
When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:

2 Kings 6:17
And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.

twelve.

Matthew 10:1,2
And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease…

legions.

Luke 8:30
And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him.

Jump to Previous
Able Angels Appeal Couldn't Disposal Entreat Furnish Help Instantly Messengers Once Possible Presently Request Seem Suppose Think Thinkest Twelve
Jump to Next
Able Angels Appeal Couldn't Disposal Entreat Furnish Help Instantly Messengers Once Possible Presently Request Seem Suppose Think Thinkest Twelve
Matthew 26
1. Jesus foretells his own death.
3. The rulers conspire against him.
6. The woman anoints his feet.
14. Judas bargains to betray him.
17. Jesus eats the Passover;
26. institutes his holy supper;
30. foretells the desertion of his disciples, and Peter's denial;
36. prays in the garden;
47. and being betrayed by a kiss,
57. is carried to Caiaphas,
69. and denied by Peter.














(53) Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray . . .?--There is a strange and suggestive blending of the possible and the impossible in these words. Could He have brought Himself to utter that prayer, it would have been answered. But He could not so pray unless He knew it to be in harmony with His Father's will, and He had been taught, in that hour of agony, that it was not in harmony, and therefore He would not utter it.

Presently.--The modern English reader needs to be reminded once more that the word means immediately, without a moment's delay.

Twelve legions.--The number is probably suggested by that of the Apostles. Not twelve weak men, one a traitor and the others timorous, but twelve legions of the armies of the Lord of Hosts. Note the Roman word appearing here, as in Mark 5:9; Mark 5:15, as the representative of warlike might.

Verse 53. - Thinkest thou that I cannot now (ἄρτι) pray to (παρακαλέσαι, beseech) my Father? Jesus proceeds to show that he needs not Peter's puny assistance. Η δοκεῖς; An putas? Or thinkest thou? The particle, neglected by the Authorized Version, marks the transition to a new motive. The verb παρακαλεῖν has the special meaning of "to summon with authority," "to call upon as an ally." Peter needed still to learn the lesson of Christ's Divinity, his oneness with the Father; and this is furnished by the right interpretation of this word, which was not, as our version seems to make it, the cry of an inferior to one mightier than himself, but the summons of an equal to his great Ally in heaven. So Jesus virtually says, "Have I not power through my own Godhead to summon my Father to support me?" (Sewell, 'Microscope of the New Testament'). Shall presently give me (παραστήσει μοι ἄρτι). The Authorized Version seems to have read ἄρτι twice, "now... presently." The manuscripts show it only once, but vary its position. It most probably belongs to the first clause. The verb rendered "give" has a more pregnant meaning. It is a military term meaning "to place by the side," "to post on one's flank." Hence the Lord implies that at a word the serried ranks of angels would range themselves at his side, true flank comrades, to defend and support him. Twelve legions of angels. Not a dozen weak men. He employs the Roman term "legion" with intention. He had been arrested by a cohort (John 18:3, 12, σπεῖρα), the tenth part of the legion, which numbered six thousand men; he could, it he chose, call to his aid twelve times six thousand angels, who would deliver their Lord from his enemies. If there was to be an appeal to force, which Peter's rash assault suggested, what could withstand his angelic allies, the heavenly hosts, infinitely more numerous, better disciplined, more effectively officered, prompt and happy to do the will of the great Commander?

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Are you not aware
δοκεῖς (dokeis)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 1380: A prolonged form of a primary verb, doko dok'-o of the same meaning; to think; by implication, to seem.

that
ὅτι (hoti)
Conjunction
Strong's 3754: Neuter of hostis as conjunction; demonstrative, that; causative, because.

I can
δύναμαι (dynamai)
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1410: (a) I am powerful, have (the) power, (b) I am able, I can. Of uncertain affinity; to be able or possible.

call on
παρακαλέσαι (parakalesai)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active
Strong's 3870: From para and kaleo; to call near, i.e. Invite, invoke.

My
μου (mou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

Father,
Πατέρα (Patera)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3962: Father, (Heavenly) Father, ancestor, elder, senior. Apparently a primary word; a 'father'.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

He will at once put at My disposal
παραστήσει (parastēsei)
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 3936: Or prolonged paristano from para and histemi; to stand beside, i.e. to exhibit, proffer, recommend, substantiate; or to be at hand, aid.

more than
πλείω (pleiō)
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural - Comparative
Strong's 4119: Or neuter pleion, or pleon comparative of polus; more in quantity, number, or quality; also the major portion.

twelve
δώδεκα (dōdeka)
Adjective - Genitive Feminine Plural
Strong's 1427: Twelve; the usual way in which the Twelve apostles of Jesus are referred to. From duo and deka; two and ten, i.e. A dozen.

legions
λεγιῶνας (legiōnas)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural
Strong's 3003: Of Latin origin; a 'legion', i.e. Roman regiment.

of angels?
ἀγγέλων (angelōn)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 32: From aggello; a messenger; especially an 'angel'; by implication, a pastor.


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Matthew 26:52
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