Luke 22:47-48

Betrayal and Arrest

22:47 While he was still speaking, suddenly a crowd appeared, 1  and the man named Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He walked up 2  to Jesus to kiss him. 3  22:48 But Jesus said to him, “Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?” 4 

1 tn Grk “While he was still speaking, behold, a crowd, and the one called Judas…was leading them.” The abrupt appearance of the crowd on the scene is indicated in the translation by “suddenly” and “appeared.”

2 tn Grk “drew near.”

3 tc Many mss (D Θ Ë13 700 pm as well as several versional mss) add here, “for this is the sign he gave to them: Whoever I kiss is [the one].” This addition is almost certainly not original, since most of the important mss lack it. It may be a copyist’s attempt to clarify the text, or the accidental inclusion of a marginal gloss.

4 sn Jesus’ comment about betraying the Son of Man with a kiss shows the hypocrisy and blindness of an attempt to cover up sin. On “misused kisses” in the Bible, see Gen 27:26-27; 2 Sam 15:5; Prov 7:13; 27:6; and 2 Sam 20:9.