Matius 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.

Matius 26:20-25

26:20 When ⁴  it was evening, he took his place at the table ⁵  with the twelve. ⁶  26:21 And while they were eating he said, “I tell you the truth, ⁷  one of you will betray me.” ⁸  26:22 They ⁹  became greatly distressed ¹⁰  and each one began to say to him, “Surely not I, Lord?” 26:23 He ¹¹  answered, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me ¹²  will betray me. 26:24 The Son of Man will go as it is written about him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would be better for him if he had never been born.” 26:25 Then ¹³  Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely not I, Rabbi?” Jesus ¹⁴  replied, “You have said it yourself.”

[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.

[26:20]  ⁴ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[26:20]  ⁵ tn Grk “he was reclining at table,” as 1st century middle eastern meals were not eaten while sitting at a table, but while reclining on one’s side on the floor with the head closest to the low table and the feet farthest away.

[26:20]  ⁶ tc Many witnesses, some of them important, have μαθητῶν (maqhtwn, “disciples”; א A L W Δ Θ 33 892 1241 1424 pm lat) or μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ (maqhtwn autou, “his disciples”; 0281 pc it) after δώδεκα (dwdeka, “twelve”). However, such clarifications are typical scribal expansions to the text. Further, the shorter reading (the one that ends with δώδεκα) has strong support in Ì^37vid,45vid B D K Γ Ë^1,13 565 579 700 pm. Thus both internally and externally the reading that ends the verse with “the twelve” is to be preferred.

[26:21]  ⁷ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[26:21]  ⁸ tn Or “will hand me over.”

[26:22]  ⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.

[26:22]  ¹⁰ tn The participle λυπούμενοι (lupoumenoi) has been translated as a finite verb to make the sequence of events clear in English.

[26:23]  ¹¹ tn Grk “answering, he said.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[26:23]  ¹² sn The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me. The point of Jesus’ comment here is not to identify the specific individual per se, but to indicate that it is one who was close to him – somebody whom no one would suspect. His comment serves to heighten the treachery of Judas’ betrayal.

[26:25]  ¹³ tn Grk “answering, Judas.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation. Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to reflect the sequence of events in the narrative.

[26:25]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.