The Garden Of Gethsemane
An EasyEnglish Story Unit (AEE) from our series ‘The First Easter and Afterwards‘
Elaine Young
The Garden Of Gethsemane
Jesus and his friends went into a garden.
The garden was called the Garden of Gethsemane.
Jesus said to his friends, “Sit down here.
I am going over there to pray.”
Jesus was very sad and worried.
He said to his friends,
“I feel sad enough to die.
Please stay awake for me.”
Jesus walked on a bit further.
He prayed, “Dear Father God,
I don’t want to die.
Please don’t let me die.
But if you want me to, I will.”
Jesus went back and found his friends sleeping.
He said, “Surely you can stay awake just for an hour.
I know you want to, but you are weak.
Stay awake and pray.”
Jesus went away again to pray.
He prayed, “Father God, if I have to die, I will.”
He went back to his friends.
They were asleep again.
So he went to pray for a third time.
When he came back again, he said to his friends,
“Are you still sleeping? Get up.
It is time for me to be arrested.”
Just then, Judas arrived.
Judas was one of Jesus’ friends.
A lot of people were with Judas.
They were carrying swords and heavy sticks.
Judas had told these people he would kiss someone.
They should arrest the person he kissed.
He went straight over to Jesus and kissed him.
So the men grabbed Jesus and arrested him.
Peter was so angry he took out his sword.
He cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant.
Jesus healed the man’s ear.
Jesus said to Peter,
“Put your sword away.
God could send thousands of angels to save me.
But he doesn’t want to save me.
He wants me to die.
The holy writings say I will die.
What those writings say must come true.”
Then all of Jesus’ friends ran away and left him.
Matthew 26:36-56
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© 1997-2007, Wycliffe Associates (UK)
This publication is written in Accessible EasyEnglish.
October 2007
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