Judas Iscariot

66After that, many of his followers turned back. They stopped walking with him.

From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

67So Jesus said to the twelve, his twelve closest followers, "Do you want to leave too?"

Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?

Note"The twelve" were twelve men Jesus chose to stay with him all the time.

68Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, who else could we go to? You have the words that give life that never ends.

Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

69We believe, and we are sure, that you are the Christ, the one God promised to send. You are the Son of the living God."

And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.

Note"Christ" is not a last name. It means "the chosen one." God had promised to send him.

70Jesus answered them, "I chose you twelve, didn't I? Yet one of you is a devil."

Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?

Note"Devil" here means an enemy, someone working against Jesus.

71He was talking about Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. Judas was one of the twelve. He was the one who would later hand Jesus over.

He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.

Note"Iscariot" probably means "the man from Kerioth." Kerioth was a town. The name told people which Judas this was.

1Six days before Passover, Jesus came to the town of Bethany. Lazarus lived there. He was the man Jesus had brought back to life.

Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.

NotePassover was a big holiday. Jewish families ate a special meal together. It helped them remember how God set their people free long ago.

2The people there made a dinner for Jesus. Martha served the food. Lazarus sat at the table with Jesus.

There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him.

NoteMartha, Mary, and Lazarus were a sister, a sister, and a brother. They were close friends of Jesus. At that time people did not sit up on chairs to eat. They leaned on low couches around a low table.

3Mary brought about a pint of sweet-smelling oil called nard. It cost a lot of money. She poured it on Jesus' feet. Then she wiped his feet with her hair. The whole house smelled like the oil.

Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.

NoteNard was a sweet-smelling oil. It was made from a plant that grew very far away. That is why it cost so much. People poured a little on a guest to honor him. Mary used a whole jar. Washing feet was a servant's job, so this was a very humble thing to do.

4Then one of Jesus' followers spoke up. It was Judas Iscariot. He was the one who would later hand Jesus over to his enemies.

Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray him,

NoteFollowers here means the disciples. Jesus had twelve close friends who went everywhere with him. Judas was one of them.

5He said, "Why wasn't this oil sold for three hundred silver coins? The money could have been given to poor people."

Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?

NoteOne silver coin paid a worker for one whole day of work. Three hundred coins was almost a whole year of pay.

6Judas did not say this because he cared about poor people. He said it because he was a thief. He carried the money bag, and he took money out of it.

This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.

7Jesus said, "Leave her alone. She saved this oil for the day I am buried.

Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this.

NoteWhen someone died, people rubbed sweet oil on the body. It was their way of showing love and saying goodbye.

8"Poor people will always be with you. But I will not always be here with you."

For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.

21After Jesus said this, he felt troubled inside. He told them plainly, "I tell you the truth. One of you is going to hand me over."

When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.

22His friends looked at each other. They did not know who he meant.

Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake.

23One of his friends was sitting right next to him, leaning close. This was the friend Jesus loved.

Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.

NotePeople did not sit on chairs to eat. They lay on cushions around a low table. So one friend's head rested close to the person next to him.

24So Simon Peter made a sign to him. He wanted him to ask Jesus who it was.

Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake.

25So that friend leaned back close to Jesus. He asked him, "Lord, who is it?"

He then lying on Jesus’ breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it?

26Jesus answered, "I will dip this piece of bread and give it to him. That is the one." Then he dipped the bread and gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.

Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.

NoteEveryone at the meal dipped bread into one shared bowl of sauce. Handing a dipped piece to someone was a kind and friendly thing to do.

27As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan went into him. Then Jesus said to him, "Do what you are going to do. Do it quickly."

And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.

NoteSatan is another name for the devil.

28No one at the table knew why Jesus said this to him.

Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto him.

29Judas kept the money bag for the group. So some of them thought Jesus wanted him to buy food for the feast. Others thought Jesus wanted him to give money to poor people.

For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor.

NoteJudas looked after the money for Jesus and his friends. The feast was Passover, and food had to be bought for it.

30Judas took the bread and went out right away. It was night.

He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night.

1Jesus finished speaking. Then he went out with his followers. They crossed a small stream called Cedron. A garden was there, and they went into it.

When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples.

NoteThe Cedron was a small stream in a valley just outside the city. The garden was a grove of olive trees. Jesus and his friends went there often.

2Judas was the one who planned to hand Jesus over. He knew this place, because Jesus often met there with his followers.

And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples.

NoteJudas was one of the twelve closest followers of Jesus. He had already agreed to show the leaders where to find him.

3Judas brought a group of soldiers and temple guards. The chief priests, the top leaders at the temple, and the Pharisees, a strict religious group, had sent them. They came with lanterns, torches, and weapons.

Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons.

NoteThe temple was the great building in Jerusalem where Jews worshiped God. Priests worked there, and guards kept order in it. The soldiers here were Roman soldiers, sent by the men who ruled the land.

4Jesus knew everything that was about to happen to him. He stepped toward them and asked, "Who are you looking for?"

Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye?

5They said, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus said, "I am he." Judas, who handed him over, was standing there with them.

They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them.

NoteNazareth was the small town where Jesus grew up. People were often named after their hometown.

6As soon as Jesus said, "I am he," they stepped back and fell to the ground.

As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.

7So Jesus asked them again, "Who are you looking for?" They said, "Jesus of Nazareth."

Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth.

8Jesus answered, "I already told you that I am he. So if you want me, let these men go."

Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way:

9This made his own words come true. He had said, "I have not lost one of the people you gave me."

That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none.

15About a hundred and twenty followers were gathered in those days. Peter stood up in the middle of them and spoke.

And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,)

NotePeter was one of Jesus's closest friends. He often spoke for the rest of the apostles.

16He said, "Brothers, the words in the Scriptures had to come true. Long ago the Holy Spirit spoke through David about Judas. Judas led the men who came and arrested Jesus."

Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.

NoteThe Scriptures are the holy books the Jewish people read. David was a king long ago. He wrote many songs and prayers to God. Judas was one of the twelve apostles. He showed Jesus's enemies where to find him.

17"Judas was counted as one of us. He shared in this work with us."

For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry.

18Judas was paid money for the wrong he did. That money bought a field. There he fell headfirst. His body broke open, and everything inside spilled out.

Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.

NoteThe King James says "all his bowels gushed out." Bowels means the parts inside a person's body.

19Everyone living in Jerusalem heard what happened. So in their own language they called that field Akeldama. That name means Field of Blood.

And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood.

NoteThe language people spoke every day in Jerusalem was called Aramaic. Akeldama is an Aramaic word.

20Peter said, "The book of Psalms says, 'Let his home be empty. Let no one live in it.' It also says, 'Let someone else take his job.'"

For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take.

NotePsalms is a book of songs and prayers in the Bible. The King James says "his bishoprick." That old word just means his job or his place.

21"So we must choose one of the men who were always with us. They stayed with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went about among us."

Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,

22He must have been with us from when John was baptizing until the day Jesus was taken up. He must help us tell people that Jesus came back to life.

Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.

23So they picked out two men. One was Joseph, called Barsabbas, who was also named Justus. The other was Matthias.

And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.

NotePeople often had more than one name back then. This man was called Joseph, and also Barsabbas, and also Justus.

24Then they prayed, "Lord, you know what is inside every person's heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen."

And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen,

25"Show us who should do this work as an apostle. Judas did wrong and left this place, and went to his own place."

That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.

26Then they drew lots to decide. The lot chose Matthias. So he was counted with the other eleven apostles.

And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

NoteDrawing lots was a bit like drawing straws. People used small stones or sticks to pick one person. They believed God decided which one came out. Eleven apostles were left after Judas was gone.