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.

Matthew 27:3-5

Judas’ Suicide

27:3 Now when ⁴  Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus ⁵  had been condemned, he regretted what he had done and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders, 27:4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood!” But they said, “What is that to us? You take care of it yourself!” 27:5 So ⁶  Judas threw the silver coins into the temple and left. Then he went out and hanged himself.

John 6:70-71

6:70 Jesus replied, ⁷  “Didn’t I choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is the devil?” ⁸  6:71 (Now he said this about Judas son of Simon Iscariot, ⁹  for Judas, ¹⁰  one of the twelve, was going to betray him.) ¹¹ 

Acts 1:16-20

1:16 “Brothers, ¹²  the scripture had to be fulfilled that the Holy Spirit foretold through ¹³  David concerning Judas – who became the guide for those who arrested Jesus – 1:17 for he was counted as one of us and received a share in this ministry.” ¹⁴  1:18 (Now this man Judas ¹⁵  acquired a field with the reward of his unjust deed, ¹⁶  and falling headfirst ¹⁷  he burst open in the middle and all his intestines ¹⁸  gushed out. 1:19 This ¹⁹  became known to all who lived in Jerusalem, so that in their own language ²⁰  they called that field ²¹  Hakeldama, that is, “Field of Blood.”) 1:20 “For it is written in the book of Psalms, ‘Let his house become deserted, ²²  and let there be no one to live in it,’ ²³  and ‘Let another take his position of responsibility.’ ²⁴ 

Acts 1:25

1:25 to assume the task ²⁵  of this service ²⁶  and apostleship from which Judas turned aside ²⁷  to go to his own place.” ²⁸ 

[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.

[27:3]  ⁴ tn Grk “Then when.” Here τότε (tote) has been translated as “now” to indicate a somewhat parenthetical interlude in the sequence of events.

[27:3]  ⁵ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:5]  ⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the leaders’ response to Judas.

[6:70]  ⁷ tn Grk “Jesus answered them.”

[6:70]  ⁸ tn Although most translations render this last phrase as “one of you is a devil,” such a translation presupposes that there is more than one devil. This finds roots in the KJV in which the Greek word for demon was often translated “devil.” In fact, the KJV never uses the word “demon.” (Sixty-two of the 63 NT instances of δαιμόνιον [daimonion] are translated “devil” [in Acts 17:18 the plural has been translated “gods”]. This can get confusing in places where the singular “devil” is used: Is Satan or one of the demons in view [cf. Matt 9:33 (demon); 13:39 (devil); 17:18 (demon); Mark 7:26 (demon); Luke 4:2 (devil); etc.]?) Now regarding John 6:70, both the construction in Greek and the technical use of διάβολος (diabolos) indicate that the one devil is in view. To object to the translation “the devil” because it thus equates Judas with Satan does not take into consideration that Jesus often spoke figuratively (e.g., “destroy this temple” [John 2:19]; “he [John the Baptist] is Elijah” [Matt 11:14]), even equating Peter with the devil on one occasion (Mark 8:33). According to ExSyn 249, “A curious phenomenon has occurred in the English Bible with reference to one particular monadic noun, διάβολος. The KJV translates both διάβολος and δαιμόνιον as ‘devil.’ Thus in the AV translators’ minds, ‘devil’ was not a monadic noun. Modern translations have correctly rendered δαιμόνιον as ‘demon’ and have, for the most part, recognized that διάβολος is monadic (cf., e.g., 1 Pet 5:8; Rev 20:2). But in John 6:70 modern translations have fallen into the error of the King James translators. The KJV has ‘one of you is a devil.’ So does the RSV, NRSV, ASV, NIV, NKJV, and the JB [Jerusalem Bible]. Yet there is only one devil…The legacy of the KJV still lives on, then, even in places where it ought not.”

[6:71]  ⁹ sn At least six explanations for the name Iscariot have been proposed, but it is probably transliterated Hebrew with the meaning “man of Kerioth” (there are at least two villages that had that name). See D. A. Carson, John, 304.

[6:71]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “this one”; the referent (Judas) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[6:71]  ¹¹ sn This parenthetical statement by the author helps the reader understand Jesus’ statement one of you is the devil in the previous verse. This is the first mention of Judas in the Fourth Gospel, and he is immediately identified (as he is in the synoptic gospels, Matt 10:4, Mark 3:19, Luke 6:16) as the one who would betray Jesus.

[1:16]  ¹² tn Grk “Men brothers.” In light of the compound phrase ἄνδρες ἀδελφοί (andre" adelfoi, “Men brothers”) Peter’s words are best understood as directly addressed to the males present, possibly referring specifically to the twelve (really ten at this point – eleven minus the speaker, Peter) mentioned by name in v. 13.

[1:16]  ¹³ tn Grk “foretold by the mouth of.”

[1:17]  ¹⁴ tn Or “and was chosen to have a share in this ministry.” The term λαγχάνω (lancanw) here and in 2 Pet 1:1 can be understood as referring to the process of divine choice and thus be translated, “was chosen to have.”

[1:18]  ¹⁵ tn The referent of “this man” (Judas) was specified in the translation for clarity.

[1:18]  ¹⁶ tn Traditionally, “with the reward of his wickedness.”

[1:18]  ¹⁷ tn Traditionally, “falling headlong.”

[1:18]  ¹⁸ tn Or “all his bowels.”

[1:19]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “And this.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[1:19]  ²⁰ sn Their own language refers to Aramaic, the primary language spoken in Palestine in Jesus’ day.

[1:19]  ²¹ tn Grk “that field was called.” The passive voice has been converted to active in the translation in keeping with contemporary English style.

[1:20]  ²² tn Or “uninhabited” or “empty.”

[1:20]  ²³ sn A quotation from Ps 69:25.

[1:20]  ²⁴ tn Or “Let another take his office.”

[1:25]  ²⁵ tn Grk “to take the place.”

[1:25]  ²⁶ tn Or “of this ministry.”

[1:25]  ²⁷ tn Or “the task of this service and apostleship which Judas ceased to perform.”

[1:25]  ²⁸ sn To go to his own place. This may well be a euphemism for Judas’ judged fate. He separated himself from them, and thus separated he would remain.