Illustration created for this project.

Judas Iscariot — the betrayer

The apostle who kept the common purse and betrayed Jesus to the authorities for thirty pieces of silver. His name, possibly meaning 'man of Kerioth,' marks him as perhaps the only Judean among the Galilean Twelve. He was later replaced by Matthias.

Role: Apostle (the betrayer)

Also known as: Judas, son of Simon Iscariot

Lived: 1st century AD

Belonged to: The Twelve Apostles, Israelites (Hebrews)

Born: Kerioth

Death: Died shortly after betraying Jesus (Matthew 27; Acts 1)

What we know — and how we know it

Bible — stated in scripture (with verse) · 1 Archaeology — physical evidence · 1

Life, role & deeds

BibleThe apostle who kept the common purse and betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver.

Matthew 26:14–16; John 13:29

Death & legacy

Bounty24 — Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons) ArchaeologyThe 'Field of Blood' (Akeldama) bought with his betrayal money is a real site on the southern slope of the Hinnom Valley, shown since antiquity.

Akeldama (Hakeldama), southern slope of the Hinnom Valley, Jerusalem; monumental burial caves excavated by G. Avni & Z. Greenhut, 'The Akeldama Tombs: Three Burial Caves in the Kidron Valley, Jerusalem', IAA Reports 1 (Israel Antiquities Authority, 1996); site-identification traditional, cf. Matt 27:7-8; Acts 1:19.

↳ Jerusalem

Where in scripture

Matthew John Acts

Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests,
Matthew 26:14 — Agrees to betray Jesus

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,
Matthew 27:3 — Remorse and death

Jesus therefore answered, “It is he to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it.” So when he had dipped the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.
John 13:26 — Identified at the Last Supper

Now this man obtained a field with the reward for his wickedness, and falling headlong, his body burst open, and all his intestines gushed out.
Acts 1:18 — His end

Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, a public-domain translation.

Matthew 26:14 Matthew 27:3 John 13:26 Acts 1:18

Family

In their own words — 12 recorded sayings

“And when all the vessels were full, she said to her son, Get me another vessel. And he said, There are no more. And the flow of oil was stopped.” — 2 Kings 4:6

“And he said to his father, My head, my head! And the father said to a servant, Take him in to his mother.” — 2 Kings 4:19

“Say to wisdom, You are my sister; let knowledge be named your special friend:” — Proverbs 7:4

“But when the disciples saw it they were angry, saying, To what purpose is this waste? For we might have got much money for this and given it to the poor.” — Matthew 26:8-9

“What will you give me, if I give him up to you? And the price was fixed at thirty bits of silver.” — Matthew 26:15

“Now the false one had given them a sign saying, The one to whom I give a kiss, that is he: take him. And straight away he came to Jesus and said, Master! and gave him a kiss.” — Matthew 26:48-49

“Saying, I have done wrong in giving into your hands an upright man. But they said, What is that to us? it is your business.” — Matthew 27:4

“But some of them were angry among themselves, saying, For what purpose has this oil been wasted? We might have got more than three hundred pence for it, and given the money to the poor. And they said things against her among themselves.” — Mark 14:4-5

…and 4 more recorded sayings.

Speaker attribution: Clear Bible MACULA (CC BY 4.0). Wording: Bible in Basic English (public domain).