Drops of Blood?
He sweats blood. How many times have we all heard a sermon regarding the anguish of Jesus in the garden on the night of His betrayal? To further drive the sermon home was some very solid evidence of the medical condition called HERMATIDROSISI.
BUT… what does the text really say?
I intend to use Luke 22:44, a text that so many of us are familiar with, as a teaching point regarding various translations. Highlighting what was written, what it is saying, and what it is not saying. When reading any biblical text something to consider is to give attention to context, hermeneutics, proper grammar usage, syntax, original language, and more.
For example, in Luke 22:44> Jesus, in the garden, praying to God the Father before his betrayal and then ultimately His impending death, therein, is continuously spoken of, and taught, that Jesus sweated drops of blood.
Is this a correct statement and or teaching?
No, it is not!
I once again challenge your thinking and use this small and, may I add, non-essential verse to make the bigger point that individuals (supposedly Christians, Pastors, Various Church Teachers, Biblical Scholars, and Professors) either overlook many verses in this same manner. Or... could it just be that they choose to ignore it? Ignore it because it does not fit what they grew up hearing. There are so many things taught regarding various scriptures in and among Christendom that are simply not accurately conveyed and happens to be birthed from what I call Religious Urban Legend, and dogma.
To cut to the chase, what I am implying is an example of INDOCTRINATION. A small example in a bigger picture.
In various modern era versions of the bible like ESV, NASB, NIV, and many others that so many tend to read, it is WORDED in a particular way. Then in other older versions such as the KJV that lean into the Textus Receptus that is WORDED a little differently. The same with the versions that lean into the Critical Text. However, in the end they all mean and say the same thing, just differently.
(For information regarding Majority Text and Critical Text you can do a search online and find sufficient information.)
What many versions say in Luke 22:44 varies.
This is not a complete list of versions, but here we go.
HIS SWEAT BECAME LIKE, WAS LIKE, OR JUST THE WORD LIKE - BLOOD:
New International Version
NIV
And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.
New Living Translation
NLT
He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood. English Standard Version
ESV
And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. Berean Standard Bible
BSV
And in His anguish, He prayed more earnestly, and His sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground. Berean Literal Bible
BLT
And having been in agony, He was praying more earnestly. And His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down upon the ground.
NASB
And being in agony, He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground]. Amplified Bible
AMP
And being in agony [deeply distressed and anguished; almost to the point of death], He prayed more intently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down on the ground. Christian Standard Bible
CSV
Being in anguish, he prayed more fervently, and his sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground. Holman Christian Standard Bible
HCSV
Being in anguish, He prayed more fervently, and His sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground.
Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And as he was in fear, he prayed urgently, and his sweat was like drops of blood, and he fell upon the ground.
Contemporary English Version
CEV
Jesus was in great pain and prayed so sincerely that his sweat fell to the ground like drops of blood. Douay-Rheims Bible
And his sweat becameas drops of blood, trickling down upon the ground.
Good News Translation
In great anguish he prayed even more fervently; his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.
International Standard Version
ISV
In his anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like large drops of blood falling on the ground. New American Bible
NAB
He was in such agony and he prayed so fervently that his sweat became like drops of blood falling on the ground.] NET Bible
NET
And in his anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.] NRSV
In his anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground. Weymouth New Testament while He--an agony of distress having come upon Him--prayed all the more with intense earnestness, and His sweat became like clots of blood dropping on the ground. World English Bible Being in agony he prayed more earnestly. His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground.
Then other translations say>
His sweat became AS IT WERE:
King James Bible
KJV And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
Young's Literal Translation
YLT and having been in agony, he was more earnestly praying, and his sweat became, as it were, great drops of blood falling upon the ground.
Literal Standard Version
LSV and having been in agony, He was more earnestly praying, and His sweat became, as it were, great drops of blood falling on the ground.
American Standard Version
ASV And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became as it were great drops of blood falling down upon the ground.
In no translation does it simply say straight forward the HE SWEAT BLOOD!
Whoever it is that actually penned the letter of Luke was simply using dramatic flair in his writing to express the immense anguish that Jesus was enduring, and in doing so was sweating profusely, as if, or like, the way, or in the manner of, blood falling to the ground.
How many verses of scripture do we interpret incorrectly simply because we were told incorrectly?
Do not be a Christian based on what you are told or raised to believe, but because you have read it to be true for yourself from God’s Word.
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