2 Samuel 20:9-10

20:9 Joab said to Amasa, “How are you, my brother?” With his right hand Joab took hold of Amasa’s beard as if to greet him with a kiss. 20:10 Amasa did not protect himself from the knife in Joab’s other hand, and Joab ¹  stabbed him in the abdomen, causing Amasa’s ²  intestines to spill out on the ground. There was no need to stab him again; the first blow was fatal. ³  Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bicri.

Psalms 55:21

55:21 His words are as smooth as butter, ⁴ 

but he harbors animosity in his heart. ⁵ 

His words seem softer than oil,

but they are really like sharp swords. ⁶ 

Proverbs 27:6

27:6 Faithful ⁷  are the wounds of a friend,

but the kisses ⁸  of an enemy are excessive. ⁹ 

Matthew 26:48-50

26:48 (Now the betrayer ¹⁰  had given them a sign, saying, “The one I kiss is the man. ¹¹  Arrest him!”) ¹²  26:49 Immediately ¹³  he went up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi,” and kissed him. ¹⁴  26:50 Jesus ¹⁵  said to him, “Friend, do what you are here to do.” Then they came and took hold ¹⁶  of Jesus and arrested him.

Mark 14:44-46

14:44 (Now the betrayer ¹⁷  had given them a sign, saying, “The one I kiss is the man. Arrest him and lead him away under guard.”) ¹⁸  14:45 When Judas ¹⁹  arrived, he went up to Jesus ²⁰  immediately and said, “Rabbi!” and kissed ²¹  him. 14:46 Then they took hold of him ²²  and arrested him.

[20:10]  ¹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Joab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[20:10]  ² tn Heb “his”; the referent (Amasa) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[20:10]  ³ tn Heb “and he did not repeat concerning him, and he died.”

[55:21]  ⁴ tn Heb “the butter-like [words] of his mouth are smooth.” The noun מַחְמָאֹת (makhma’ot, “butter-like [words]”) occurs only here. Many prefer to emend the form to מֵחֶמְאָה (mekhem’ah, from [i.e., “than”] butter”), cf. NEB, NRSV “smoother than butter.” However, in this case “his mouth” does not agree in number with the plural verb חָלְקוּ (kholqu, “they are smooth”). Therefore some further propose an emendation of פִּיו (piv, “his mouth”) to פָּנָיו (panayv, “his face”). In any case, the point seems to that the psalmist’s former friend spoke kindly to him and gave the outward indications of friendship.

[55:21]  ⁵ tn Heb “and war [is in] his heart.”

[55:21]  ⁶ tn Heb “his words are softer than oil, but they are drawn swords.”

[27:6]  ⁷ tn The Niphal participle of אָמַן (’aman) means “faithful; reliable; sure; trustworthy.” The word indicates that the wounds from a friend “can be trusted” (so NIV, NCV) because they are meant to correct and not to destroy (e.g., 25:12; Deut 7:9; Job 12:20).

[27:6]  ⁸ sn “Kisses” probably represents a metonymy of adjunct; the term describes any expressions or indications of affection. But coming from an enemy, they will be insincere – as indicated by their excessive number.

[27:6]  ⁹ tn The form is נַעְתָּרוֹת (na’tarot), the Niphal participle of עָתַר (’atar, “to be abundant”). Contemporary translations render this rare form in a number of different ways: “deceitful” (NASB, NKJV); “profuse” (NRSV); “many” (NLT). But the idea of “excessive” or “numerous” fits very well. The kisses of an enemy cannot be trusted, no matter how often they are presented.

[26:48]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “the one who betrays him.”

[26:48]  ¹¹ tn Grk “The one I kiss is he.”

[26:48]  ¹² sn This remark is parenthetical within the narrative and has thus been placed in parentheses.

[26:49]  ¹³ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.

[26:49]  ¹⁴ sn Judas’ act of betrayal when he kissed Jesus is especially sinister when it is realized that it was common in the culture of the times for a disciple to kiss his master when greeting him.

[26:50]  ¹⁵ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[26:50]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “and put their hands on Jesus.”

[14:44]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “the one who betrays him.”

[14:44]  ¹⁸ sn This remark is parenthetical within the narrative and has thus been placed in parentheses.

[14:45]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Judas) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:45]  ²⁰ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:45]  ²¹ sn Judas’ act of betrayal when he kissed Jesus is especially sinister when it is realized that it was common in the culture of the times for a disciple to kiss his master when greeting him.

[14:46]  ²² tn Grk “put their hands on him.”