judas

Judas, in the New Testament, most commonly refers to Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve Apostles who accompanied Jesus during his ministry. The name also appears for other individuals named Judas, including Judas the son of James (often called Jude or Thaddeus) and Judas of Galilee, a rebel mentioned in Acts 5:37. Judas Iscariot is the best-known of the NT figures, distinguished by his role as the betrayer of Jesus.

According to the Gospels, Judas served as the keeper of the apostles’ money bag and subsequently betrayed Jesus to the authorities in exchange for thirty pieces of silver. The betrayal is fulfilled when Judas identifies Jesus to the arresting soldiers by a kiss in the Garden of Gethsemane.

After realizing the consequences, Judas reportedly felt remorse. In Matthew 27:5, he returns the silver and then kills himself by hanging. The Book of Acts (1:18) states that Judas purchased a field with the betrayal money and died there, with the body bursting open. The two accounts are frequently noted as divergent, inviting scholarly discussion about the narrative.

In Christian tradition, Judas Iscariot is commonly understood as a traitor who enabled Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion. His name has become a literary and cultural symbol for treachery, and various later writings and traditions offer differing interpretations of his motives and fate. The other references to Judas in the New Testament (Judas, the son of James; Judas of Galilee) are distinct individuals and should not be confused with Judas Iscariot.