Limitless Word
Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
Matthew 27:3 · New King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB Then Judas, who betrayed him, when he saw that Jesus was condemned, felt remorse, and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
  • KJV Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
  • BSB When Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was filled with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders.
  • NASB Then when Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that He had been condemned, he felt remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
  • NLT When Judas, who had betrayed him, realized that Jesus had been condemned to die, he was filled with remorse. So he took the thirty pieces of silver back to the leading priests and the elders.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

Judas, seeing Jesus condemned, is seized with remorse and tries to return the thirty pieces of silver. His guilt overwhelms him too late.

Overview

Confronted with the result of his betrayal, Judas feels deep remorse and attempts to undo his crime by returning the blood money. His regret, however, is despair rather than saving repentance, lacking faith in Christ's mercy. The episode warns that mere remorse over sin's consequences, apart from turning to Christ, cannot save.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 12

  • 2 Cor 7:10For godly sorrow produces repentance to salvation, which brings no regret. But the sorrow of the world produces death.
  • Luke 22:47–48While he was still speaking, behold, a multitude, and he who was called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He came near to Jesus to kiss him.
  • Job 20:15–29He has swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again. God will cast them out of his belly.
  • Luke 22:2–6The chief priests and the scribes sought how they might put him to death, for they feared the people.
  • John 13:27After the piece of bread, then Satan entered into him. Then Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.”
  • Mark 14:43–46Immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, came — and with him a multitude with swords and clubs, from the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders.
  • Mark 14:10–11Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went away to the chief priests, that he might deliver him to them.
  • Matt 26:14–16Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests,
  • John 13:2During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him,
  • Job 20:5that the triumphing of the wicked is short, the joy of the godless but for a moment?
  • Matt 26:47–50While he was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and elders of the people.
  • John 18:3Judas then, having taken a detachment of soldiers and officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (10)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Matthew videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Matthew 27:3YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on MatthewMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'

How Matthew 27:3 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.