John 13:18

The Announcement of Jesus’ Betrayal

13:18 “What I am saying does not refer to all of you. I know the ones I have chosen. But this is to fulfill the scripture, ¹  ‘The one who eats my bread ²  has turned against me.’ ³ 

John 13:26-27

13:26 Jesus replied, ⁴  “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread ⁵  after I have dipped it in the dish.” ⁶  Then he dipped the piece of bread in the dish ⁷  and gave it to Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son. 13:27 And after Judas ⁸  took the piece of bread, Satan entered into him. ⁹  Jesus said to him, ¹⁰  “What you are about to do, do quickly.”

¹ tn Grk “But so that the scripture may be fulfilled.”

² tn Or “The one who shares my food.”

³ tn Or “has become my enemy”; Grk “has lifted up his heel against me.” The phrase “to lift up one’s heel against someone” reads literally in the Hebrew of Ps 41 “has made his heel great against me.” There have been numerous interpretations of this phrase, but most likely it is an idiom meaning “has given me a great fall,” “has taken cruel advantage of me,” or “has walked out on me.” Whatever the exact meaning of the idiom, it clearly speaks of betrayal by a close associate. See E. F. F. Bishop, “‘He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me’ – Jn xiii.18 (Ps xli.9),” ExpTim 70 (1958-59): 331-33.

⁴ tn Grk “Jesus answered.”

⁵ sn The piece of bread was a broken-off piece of bread (not merely a crumb).

⁶ tn Grk “after I have dipped it.” The words “in the dish” are not in the Greek text, but the presence of a bowl or dish is implied.

⁷ tn The words “in the dish” are not in the Greek text, but the presence of a bowl or dish is implied.

⁸ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Judas) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

⁹ tn Grk “into that one”; the pronoun “he” is more natural English style here.

¹⁰ tn Grk “Then Jesus said to him.”