Luke 22:1-4

Judas’ Decision to Betray Jesus

22:1 Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, ¹  which is called the Passover, was approaching. 22:2 The ²  chief priests and the experts in the law ³  were trying to find some way ⁴  to execute ⁵  Jesus, ⁶  for they were afraid of the people. ⁷ 

22:3 Then ⁸  Satan ⁹  entered Judas, the one called Iscariot, who was one of the twelve. ¹⁰  22:4 He went away and discussed with the chief priests and officers of the temple guard ¹¹  how he might ¹²  betray Jesus, ¹³  handing him over to them. ¹⁴ 

[22:1]  ¹ sn The Feast of Unleavened Bread was a week long celebration that followed the day of Passover, so one name was used for both feasts (Exod 12:1-20; 23:15; 34:18; Deut 16:1-8).

[22:2]  ² tn Grk “And the.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[22:2]  ³ tn Or “and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 5:21.

[22:2]  ⁴ tn Grk “were seeking how.”

[22:2]  ⁵ tn The Greek verb here means “to get rid of by execution” (BDAG 64 s.v. ἀναιρέω 2; cf. also L&N 20.71, which states, “to get rid of someone by execution, often with legal or quasi-legal procedures”).

[22:2]  ⁶ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:2]  ⁷ sn The suggestion here is that Jesus was too popular to openly arrest him. The verb were trying is imperfect. It suggests, in this context, that they were always considering the opportunities.

[22:3]  ⁸ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[22:3]  ⁹ sn The cross is portrayed as part of the cosmic battle between Satan and God; see Luke 4:1-13; 11:14-23.

[22:3]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve.”

[22:4]  ¹¹ tn The full title στρατηγὸς τοῦ ἱεροῦ (strathgo" tou Jierou; “officer of the temple” or “captain of the temple guard”) is sometimes shortened to στρατηγός as here (L&N 37.91).

[22:4]  ¹² tn Luke uses this frequent indirect question to make his point (BDF §267.2).

[22:4]  ¹³ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:4]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “how he might hand him over to them,” in the sense of “betray him.”