Luke 6:12

KJV

¶ And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.

KJV (with Strong's)

And {G1161} it came to pass {G1096} in {G1722} those {G5025} days {G2250}, that he went out {G1831} into {G1519} a mountain {G3735} to pray {G4336}, and {G2532} continued all night {G1273}{G2258} in {G1722} prayer {G4335} to God {G2316}.

Complete Jewish Bible

It was around that time that Yeshua went out to the hill country to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God.

Berean Standard Bible

In those days Jesus went out to the mountain to pray, and He spent the night in prayer to God.

American Standard Version

And it came to pass in these days, that he went out into the mountain to pray; and he continued all night in prayer to God.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Luke 6:12 presents a pivotal moment in Jesus' ministry, revealing His profound and unwavering reliance on God the Father through dedicated, sustained prayer. On the eve of selecting His twelve apostles, a decision of immense strategic and spiritual significance, Jesus withdrew to a solitary mountain and spent the entire night in communion with God. This act underscores His complete dependence on divine wisdom and power, setting a foundational example for all believers on the necessity of deep spiritual preparation and discernment, especially before undertaking crucial tasks.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is strategically placed by Luke immediately following a series of escalating confrontations between Jesus and the religious authorities, particularly concerning the Sabbath (as seen in [Luke 6:1-11](/luke/6-1-11 "Luke 6:1-11 - Sabbath Controversies and Healing")). These conflicts highlight the growing tension and the pressing need for Jesus to establish a core group of disciples who would understand and carry forward His mission. The all-night prayer directly precedes the momentous selection of the twelve apostles (recorded in [Luke 6:13-16](/luke/6-13-16 "Luke 6:13-16 - The Selection of the Twelve Apostles")), who would become the foundational leaders of His burgeoning movement. Thus, the prayer serves as a crucial spiritual prelude to a decision that would shape the future of the church.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** In ancient Jewish culture, prayer was a central pillar of religious life, deeply ingrained in daily routines and significant events. Mountains, in particular, often held symbolic significance as places of divine encounter and revelation, reminiscent of Moses receiving the Law on Mount Sinai or Elijah's encounter with God on Mount Horeb. For a rabbi or spiritual leader, withdrawing for prayer was not unusual, but an all-night vigil indicated a matter of extraordinary importance. Jesus' action would have resonated with the cultural understanding of seeking divine counsel for weighty matters, while simultaneously elevating the practice to an unprecedented level of intensity and personal communion with God.
* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully encapsulates several recurring themes in Luke's Gospel and throughout Jesus' ministry. Firstly, it highlights **Jesus' profound dependence on God the Father**, even as the Son of God. Despite His divine nature, Jesus consistently models a life of reliance on the Father, frequently withdrawing to pray (as also seen in [Luke 5:16](/luke/5-16 "Luke 5:16 - Jesus Withdraws to Pray") and [Luke 9:28](/luke/9-28 "Luke 9:28 - The Transfiguration")). Secondly, it emphasizes **the primacy of prayer for discernment and major decisions**. Jesus teaches by example that significant undertakings, especially those with eternal implications, must be bathed in earnest, sustained prayer. Thirdly, the act of going "into a mountain" underscores the importance of **solitude for intimate communion with God**, away from the demands and distractions of ministry. Finally, this prayer serves as **preparation for ministry and leadership selection**, demonstrating that spiritual power and wisdom for leadership flow from deep engagement with God.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **continued all night (Greek, _dianyktereúō'_):** From G1273, this verb literally means "to sit up the whole night" or "to spend the night through." Its use here emphasizes the unbroken, intense, and prolonged nature of Jesus' prayer. It was not a brief petition but a sustained vigil, indicating the profound weight and importance Jesus placed on this time of communion with God. This word highlights the depth of His commitment and the earnestness of His seeking.
* **to pray (Greek, _proseúchomai'_):** From G4336, this verb means "to pray to God, i.e., supplicate, worship." It signifies a direct, intentional act of communication with the Divine. Coupled with "continued all night," it underscores that Jesus' entire night was dedicated to this sacred act of supplication and worship, focusing His will and mind completely on the Father.
* **mountain (Greek, _óros'_):** From G3735, referring to a "mountain" or "hill." In biblical contexts, mountains frequently serve as places of divine encounter, revelation, and spiritual retreat. By withdrawing to a mountain, Jesus sought a place of solitude and elevation, both physically and spiritually, facilitating uninterrupted communion with God away from the clamor of crowds and the demands of His public ministry.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And it came to pass in those days,"**: This introductory phrase, common in Luke's Gospel, serves as a transitional marker, linking this event to the ongoing narrative of Jesus' ministry. "In those days" suggests a period of intense activity and growing significance, setting the stage for a crucial development.
* **"that he went out into a mountain to pray,"**: This clause describes Jesus' intentional withdrawal from the public sphere. His choice of a "mountain" signifies a deliberate seeking of solitude and an elevated place, often associated with divine encounters in biblical tradition. The purpose of this withdrawal is explicitly stated: "to pray," indicating a focused and personal communion with God.
* **"and continued all night in prayer to God."**: This is the climactic detail of the verse, emphasizing the extraordinary nature of Jesus' prayer. The phrase "continued all night" (dianyktereúō) highlights the duration and intensity of His supplication. It was an unbroken vigil, demonstrating the profound depth of His dependence on God and the earnestness with which He sought divine guidance for the momentous decision of selecting His apostles.

#### Literary Devices
Luke employs several **literary devices** to convey the profound significance of this event. The use of **Foreshadowing** is evident, as Jesus' all-night prayer immediately precedes the crucial selection of the twelve apostles, signaling the immense importance of this upcoming decision and the spiritual weight Jesus placed upon it. The phrase "continued all night" employs **Emphasis** and perhaps a form of **Hyperbole** (though literally possible), underscoring the extraordinary duration and intensity of Jesus' communion with God. This highlights His complete devotion and the seriousness of His spiritual preparation. Furthermore, the "mountain" serves as potent **Symbolism**, representing a place of divine encounter, revelation, and spiritual elevation, where one can commune with God away from worldly distractions. Finally, Jesus' actions serve as a powerful **Modeling** for His disciples and for all believers, demonstrating the essential practice of deep, sustained prayer before significant undertakings.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Luke 6:12 profoundly underscores the theological truth of Jesus' full humanity and His perfect dependence on the Father, even as the divine Son. This prayer vigil is not a sign of weakness, but rather a demonstration of His perfect obedience and reliance on the Trinitarian relationship. It reveals that even the Son of God, in His incarnate state, found it essential to seek the Father's will and power for His ministry. This act establishes prayer as the primary means by which God's will is discerned and His power is released, not just for Jesus, but for all who follow Him. It challenges any notion of self-sufficiency in spiritual work, pointing instead to a life rooted in continuous, dependent communion with the Almighty. The selection of the apostles, a foundational act for the future of the Church, was thus saturated in divine counsel, ensuring its alignment with God's eternal purposes.

* [Matthew 26:36-46](/matthew/26-36-46 "Matthew 26:36-46 - Jesus Prays in Gethsemane") - Jesus' intense prayer in Gethsemane before His crucifixion, again demonstrating profound reliance on the Father in a moment of ultimate decision.
* [Colossians 4:2](/colossians/4-2 "Colossians 4:2 - Continue Steadfastly in Prayer") - Paul's exhortation to believers to "continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving," echoing Jesus' model of persistent prayer.
* [Proverbs 3:5-6](/proverbs/3-5-6 "Proverbs 3:5-6 - Trust in the Lord") - A wisdom passage encouraging complete trust in the Lord and acknowledging Him in all ways, promising that He will make our paths straight, a principle Jesus perfectly embodies through His prayer.

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Jesus' all-night prayer in Luke 6:12 offers a profound and challenging model for contemporary believers. In a world that often values speed, efficiency, and human ingenuity, Jesus demonstrates the paramount importance of intentional, sustained communion with God before undertaking significant endeavors. This passage compels us to examine our own prayer lives: Do we prioritize prayer as our first and most crucial step before major decisions, or do we relegate it to an afterthought? Are we willing to seek out solitude, to disconnect from distractions, and to persevere in prayer for extended periods when facing weighty choices or spiritual battles? Jesus' example reminds us that true wisdom, strength, and discernment for life's complexities and ministry's demands flow from a deep, dependent, and consistent reliance on our heavenly Father. It calls us to cultivate a spiritual discipline that mirrors the Son's devotion, trusting that God's guidance is worth every moment of earnest seeking.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does Jesus' all-night prayer challenge my own approach to prayer, especially before significant decisions in my life or ministry?**
* **What "mountains" (places of solitude and quiet) do I need to seek out to deepen my communion with God, free from daily distractions?**
* **In what areas of my life am I relying on my own strength, intellect, or resources rather than seeking God's guidance through persistent and devoted prayer?**

### FAQ
**Why did Jesus need to pray all night, if He is God?**

Answer: Jesus' all-night prayer is not an indication of weakness or a lack of divine knowledge, but rather a profound demonstration of His perfect humanity and His complete dependence on the Father within the Trinitarian relationship. As the incarnate Son, Jesus fully embraced His human limitations and responsibilities, including the need for spiritual sustenance and guidance. This intense prayer vigil served multiple purposes: it was an act of perfect obedience and submission to the Father's will; it was a model for His disciples and all future believers, showing the absolute necessity of prayer for discerning God's will and receiving power for ministry; and it was a spiritual battle, preparing Him for the immense spiritual opposition and the weighty decision of selecting the apostles who would carry His mission forward (see [Hebrews 5:7-9](/hebrews/5-7-9 "Hebrews 5:7-9 - Jesus Learned Obedience Through Suffering")). His prayer life underscores that true spiritual power and wisdom come from a deep, continuous, and dependent relationship with God.

**What is the significance of Jesus going "into a mountain" to pray?**

Answer: The "mountain" in biblical narrative often symbolizes a place of divine encounter, revelation, and spiritual elevation. Throughout Scripture, significant encounters between God and humanity occur on mountains (e.g., Moses on Mount Sinai in [Exodus 19](/exodus/19 "Exodus 19 - God Appears on Mount Sinai"), Elijah on Mount Horeb in [1 Kings 19](/1_kings/19 "1 Kings 19 - Elijah on Mount Horeb")). For Jesus, withdrawing to a mountain provided a necessary physical and spiritual separation from the crowds and the demands of His public ministry. This solitude facilitated uninterrupted, intimate communion with His Father, allowing for deep spiritual discernment and preparation for the monumental task of choosing His apostles. It underscores the principle that profound spiritual work often requires intentional removal from the clamor of the world to engage with God in a focused and undistracted manner.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Luke 6:12, with Jesus' all-night prayer before selecting His apostles, finds profound Christ-centered fulfillment by revealing the perfect humanity and divine purpose of the Son. This act of deep dependence on the Father foreshadows Jesus' ultimate obedience to the Father's will, which culminated in His atoning sacrifice on the cross. His prayer for the formation of His core leadership team is a foundational act in establishing the Church, His body, through which His redemptive work would continue. Just as He sought the Father's wisdom for this crucial decision, so too did He perfectly fulfill the Father's will in His life, death, and resurrection, securing for us access to the very presence of God. Through Christ, we are now invited into this same intimate communion with the Father, empowered by the Holy Spirit (as seen in [Ephesians 2:18](/ephesians/2-18 "Ephesians 2:18 - Access to the Father Through Christ")), and the Spirit intercedes for us when we do not know how to pray (as described in [Romans 8:26-27](/romans/8-26-27 "Romans 8:26-27 - The Spirit Intercedes for Us")). Jesus' prayer life, exemplified here and throughout the Gospels (e.g., [John 17](/john/17 "John 17 - Jesus' High Priestly Prayer")), serves as the perfect model for the New Covenant believer, demonstrating that our access to God and our ability to live out our calling flow directly from His completed work and His ongoing intercession as our great High Priest (as affirmed in [Hebrews 4:14-16](/hebrews/4-14-16 "Hebrews 4:14-16 - Jesus, Our Great High Priest")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Hebrews 5:7

Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;

Mark 6:46

And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray.

Mark 1:35

And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.

Matthew 14:23

And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.

Matthew 14:25

And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.

Mark 14:34

And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch.

Mark 14:36

And he said, Abba, Father, all things [are] possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.