Matthew 26:41
“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”Read in Context
Modern Meaning
What Does “The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak” Mean?
Good intentions undermined by human frailty.
Biblical Origin
Where Does This Phrase Come From?
Jesus spoke these words to his disciples in Gethsemane when he found them sleeping instead of praying with him on the night before his crucifixion. The phrase captures the universal human experience of wanting to do right but being unable to follow through.
The phrase appears in Matthew 26:41 in the King James Version of the Bible, first published in 1611.
Usage Today
How Is It Used Today?
A rueful admission of weakness. "I planned to get up early for the gym, but the spirit is willing and the flesh is weak."
The KJV Verse
Matthew 26:41
“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
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