Matthew 26:14-16

The Plan to Betray Jesus

26:14 Then one of the twelve, the one named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 26:15 and said, “What will you give me to betray him into your hands?” ¹  So they set out thirty silver coins for him. 26:16 From that time ²  on, Judas ³  began looking for an opportunity to betray him.

Luke 22:3-6

22:3 Then ⁴  Satan ⁵  entered Judas, the one called Iscariot, who was one of the twelve. ⁶  22:4 He went away and discussed with the chief priests and officers of the temple guard ⁷  how he might ⁸  betray Jesus, ⁹  handing him over to them. ¹⁰  22:5 They ¹¹  were delighted ¹²  and arranged to give him money. ¹³  22:6 So ¹⁴  Judas ¹⁵  agreed and began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus ¹⁶  when no crowd was present. ¹⁷ 

John 13:2

13:2 The evening meal ¹⁸  was in progress, and the devil had already put into the heart ¹⁹  of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, that he should betray ²⁰  Jesus. ²¹ 

John 13:30

13:30 Judas ²²  took the piece of bread and went out immediately. (Now it was night.) ²³ 

[26:15]  ¹ tn Grk “What will you give to me, and I will betray him to you?”

[26:16]  ² tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.

[26:16]  ³ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Judas) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:3]  ⁴ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[22:3]  ⁵ 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]  ⁶ tn Grk “Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve.”

[22:4]  ⁷ 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]  ⁸ tn Luke uses this frequent indirect question to make his point (BDF §267.2).

[22:4]  ⁹ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:4]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “how he might hand him over to them,” in the sense of “betray him.”

[22:5]  ¹¹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[22:5]  ¹² sn The leaders were delighted when Judas contacted them about betraying Jesus, because it gave them the opportunity they had been looking for, and they could later claim that Jesus had been betrayed by one of his own disciples.

[22:5]  ¹³ sn Matt 26:15 states the amount of money they gave Judas was thirty pieces of silver (see also Matt 27:3-4; Zech 11:12-13).

[22:6]  ¹⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the arrangement worked out in the preceding verse.

[22:6]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Judas) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:6]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “betray him to them”; the referent of the first pronoun (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:6]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “apart from the crowd.”

[13:2]  ¹⁸ tn Or “Supper.” To avoid possible confusion because of different regional English usage regarding the distinction between “dinner” and “supper” as an evening meal, the translation simply refers to “the evening meal.”

[13:2]  ¹⁹ sn At this point the devil had already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, that he should betray Jesus. C. K. Barrett (St. John, 365) thought this was a reference to the idea entering the devil’s own heart, but this does not seem likely. It is more probable that Judas’ heart is meant, since the use of the Greek article (rather than a possessive pronoun) is a typical idiom when a part of one’s own body is indicated. Judas’ name is withheld until the end of the sentence for dramatic effect (emphasis). This action must be read in light of 13:27, and appears to refer to a preliminary idea or plan.

[13:2]  ²⁰ tn Or “that he should hand over.”

[13:2]  ²¹ tn Grk “betray him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:30]  ²² tn Grk “That one”; the referent (Judas) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:30]  ²³ sn Now it was night is a parenthetical note by the author. The comment is more than just a time indicator, however. With the departure of Judas to set in motion the betrayal, arrest, trials, crucifixion, and death of Jesus, daytime is over and night has come (see John 9:5; 11:9-10; 12:35-36). Judas had become one of those who walked by night and stumbled, because the light was not in him (11:10).