39 He came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples followed him. 40When he reached the place, he said to them, ‘Pray that you may not come into the time of trial.’ 41Then he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed, 42‘Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but yours be done.’ 43Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and gave him strength. 44In his anguish he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground. 45When he got up from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping because of grief, 46and he said to them, ‘Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not come into the time of trial.’

47 While he was still speaking, suddenly a crowd came, and the one called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him; 48but Jesus said to him, ‘Judas, is it with a kiss that you are betraying the Son of Man?’ 49When those who were around him saw what was coming, they asked, ‘Lord, should we strike with the sword?’ 50Then one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear. 51But Jesus said, ‘No more of this!’ And he touched his ear and healed him. 52Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple police, and the elders who had come for him, ‘Have you come out with swords and clubs as if I were a bandit? 53When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness!’

54 Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest’s house. But Peter was following at a distance.

"New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved."

Transcript

Unlike Mark’s account, in Luke’s Gospel all of the disciples accompany Jesus as he prays. Jesus’ mood is not described and he prays only once for the cup to pass him by. He therefore returns only once to find the disciples asleep, but Luke provides a more benign explanation for this: the disciples are sorrowful.

The scene of the skirmish has two elements found only in Luke’s Gospel. The disciples ask Jesus if they should use violence, and Jesus heals the ear that is severed in the clash. No mention is made of the disciples abandoning Jesus and fleeing from the scene as in Mark’s narrative. Luke’s portrayal of the disciples is much less negative than Mark’s.