New International Version
Matthew 27:4
4“I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.” “What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.”
Matthew 27:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that.
- English Standard Version (ESV)saying, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood." They said, "What is that to us? See to it yourself."
- New King James Version (NKJV)saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” And they said, “What is that to us? You see to it!”
- New Living Translation (NLT)“I have sinned,” he declared, “for I have betrayed an innocent man.” “What do we care?” they retorted. “That’s your problem.”
Context of Matthew 27:4
2So they bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate the governor. 3When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.” “What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.” 5So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself. 6The chief priests picked up the coins and said, “It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money.”
Read all of Matthew 27Matthew 27:4 word by word
λέγων· ἥμαρτον παραδοὺς αἷμα ἀθῷον. οἱ δὲ εἶπαν· τί πρὸς ἡμᾶς; σὺ ὄψῃ.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Sayingλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- I have sinnedἁμαρτάνωhamartanō · to sinG264
- in that I have betrayedπαραδίδωμιparadidōmi · to deliverG3860
- the innocentἀθῷοςathōos · innocentG121
- bloodαἷμαaima · bloodG129
- Andδέde · thenG1161
- theyὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- Whatτίςtis · which?G5101
- toπρόςpros · to/withG4314
- usἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- seeὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
- thouσύsu · youG4771
Cross-references for Matthew 27:4
- Genesis 42:21They said to one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that’s why this distress has come on us.”
- Exodus 9:27Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron. “This time I have sinned,” he said to them. “The Lord is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong.
- Exodus 10:16Pharaoh quickly summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “I have sinned against the Lord your God and against you.
- Exodus 12:31During the night Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Up! Leave my people, you and the Israelites! Go, worship the Lord as you have requested.
- 1 Samuel 15:24Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned. I violated the Lord’s command and your instructions. I was afraid of the men and so I gave in to them.
- 1 Kings 21:27When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and fasted. He lay in sackcloth and went around meekly.
- Romans 3:19Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.
- Matthew 27:19While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.”
- 2 Kings 24:4including the shedding of innocent blood. For he had filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and the Lord was not willing to forgive.
- Jeremiah 26:15Be assured, however, that if you put me to death, you will bring the guilt of innocent blood on yourselves and on this city and on those who live in it, for in truth the Lord has sent me to you to speak all these words in your hearing.”
- Jonah 1:14Then they cried out to the Lord, “Please, Lord, do not let us die for taking this man’s life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, Lord, have done as you pleased.”
- Luke 23:22For the third time he spoke to them: “Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have him punished and then release him.”
- John 19:7The Jewish leaders insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.”
- Acts 13:28Though they found no proper ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him executed.
- Hebrews 7:26Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.
- 1 Peter 1:19but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.
Commentaries on Matthew 27:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Innocent blood - , a Hebraism, for an innocent man. But instead of , innocent, two ancient MSS., Syriac, Vulgate, Sahidic, Armenian, and all the Itala; Origen, Cyprian, Lucifer, Ambrose, Leo, read , righteous, or just. What is that to us? - What is it? - A great deal. You should immediately go and reverse the sentence you have pronounced, and liberate the innocent person. But this would have been justice, and that would have been a stranger at their…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4I have sinned - I have been guilty. I have done wrong. In that I have betrayed the innocent blood - That is, in betraying an innocent being to death. Blood is put here for “life,” or for the “man.” The meaning is, that he knew and felt that Jesus was innocent. This confession is a remarkable proof that Jesus was innocent. Judas had been with him for three years. He had seen him in public and private; he had heard his public teaching and his private views…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4innocent blood: The innocence of Jesus is a key theme in the story of his suffering (see Matthew 23:35; 26:55–56, 59–60; 27:18–19, 24; see also Luke 23:47).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood--What a testimony this to Jesus! Judas had been with Him in all circumstances for three years; his post, as treasurer to Him and the Twelve (Joh 12:6), gave him peculiar opportunity of watching the spirit, disposition, and habits of his Master; while his covetous nature and thievish practices would incline him to dark and suspicious, rather than frank and generous, interpretations of all…Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 27:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Matthew 27
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Catena Aurea
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- John Lightfoot Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
New International Version — © NIV® 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica
Commentaries