“Threw himself face downward on the ground” of Good News Translation is more literally he fell on his face. In place of on his face, Mark has “on the ground” (14.35). The problem with a literal translation in English is that it implies accidental falling, whereas the text indicates the intentional assumption of this position for fervent prayer (see Gen 17.3, 17; Num 14.5; 16.4; Josh 7.6). Barclay is similar to Good News Bible: “flung himself face down on the ground in prayer.”

Matthew presents Jesus’ prayer in direct discourse, whereas Mark uses first indirect discourse (14.35b), which he follows with direct discourse (14.36). My Father recalls the address “Our Father” of the Lord’s Prayer (6.9). Noticeably absent from Matthew is the Aramaic word for Father (“Abba, Father”), which is found in the Marcan parallel (14.36).

The impersonal form of if it be possible is natural in many languages, as in “if it can be done,” but often it needs to be transformed to an active clause, in which case God is the agent: “if you can do it.”

“This cup of suffering” (Good News Translation) is literally this cup (see comment at 20.22). In the Old Testament a cup is sometimes used as a symbol of punishment and revenge (Isa 51.17; Jer 49.12; Ezek 23.32), but here it is used of suffering, and several modern language translations make this clear (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, INCL, Malay common language version, Bible en français courant). Some translations have dropped the image altogether and said “this suffering.” Barclay, for example, has “this bitter ordeal.”

Let this cup pass from me can be expressed somewhat literally as “allow it to happen that this cup of suffering will leave me” or “allow me to not have to take this cup of suffering.” It may be more natural, however, to use an imperative or request form; for example, “please take this cup of suffering away from me,” “don’t make me take this cup of suffering,” or “let me avoid having to go through this experience of suffering.”

Sometimes the whole request needs to be restructured: “My Father, permit me, if you can, to escape this cup of suffering.”

Not as I will is a short way of saying “things should happen not in the way I want” or “it is not what I want that should happen.”

The clause but as thou wilt (Good News Translation “but what you want”) is without a verb in Greek, and one must be supplied from the previous clause (not as I will). Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch inverts the order of the two clauses: “But what must happen is what you want, not what I want.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1988. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .