43And immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas came — one of the Twelve — and with him a crowd with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. [14:44] Now the one delivering him up had given them a signal, saying, "Whoever I kiss, he is the one — seize him and lead him away under guard." [14:45] And when he came, immediately he approached and said, "Rabbi!" — and kissed him intensely. [14:46] And they laid hands on him and seized him. [14:47] But one of those standing by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. [14:48] And Jesus answered and said to them, "Have you come out with swords and clubs to seize me as you would a violent insurgent? [14:49] Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But let the scriptures be fulfilled." [14:50] And they all left him and fled. [14:51] And a certain young man followed him, having wrapped a linen cloth around his naked body, and they seized him; [14:52] but he left the linen cloth behind and fled naked.
MRK 14:43-52
The Betrayal of Jesus
In the world it was spoken into
In the first-century Jewish context, the scene of Jesus’ betrayal would have been deeply jarring. Judas, one of the Twelve, arrives with a large (crowd) armed with swords and clubs, sent by the chief priests, scribes, and elders. This mob was not a neutral gathering but a disorderly, threatening force, reflecting the escalating tension between Jesus and the religious authorities. Judas’ use of a kiss as a sign of betrayal would have been particularly shocking. In Jewish culture, a kiss was a gesture of respect, affection, or greeting, often used between teacher and disciple. Its misuse here underscores the depth of Judas’ treachery. The armed crowd’s presence also evokes the Roman practice of suppressing insurrectionists , suggesting that Jesus was being treated as a political threat. The young man who flees naked (Mark 14:51-52) may symbolize the shame and chaos of the moment, as nakedness was associated with dishonor in Jewish and Greco-Roman contexts.
›See the receipts
How other translations render this
MRK 14:43
- KJV
- And immediately, while he yet spake, cometh Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.
- BSB
- While Jesus was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived, accompanied by a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests, scribes, and elders.
- Koinōnos
- And immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas came — one of the Twelve — and with him a crowd with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.
MRK 14:44
- KJV
- And he that betrayed him had given them a token, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he; take him, and lead him away safely.
- BSB
- Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The One I kiss is the man; arrest Him and lead Him away securely.”
- Koinōnos
- Now the one delivering him up had given them a signal, saying, "Whoever I kiss, he is the one — seize him and lead him away under guard.
MRK 14:45
- KJV
- And as soon as he was come, he goeth straightway to him, and saith, Master, master; and kissed him.
- BSB
- Going directly to Jesus, he said, “Rabbi!” and kissed Him.
- Koinōnos
- And when he came, immediately he approached and said, "Rabbi!" — and kissed him intensely.
MRK 14:46
- KJV
- And they laid their hands on him, and took him.
- BSB
- Then the men seized Jesus and arrested Him.
- Koinōnos
- And they laid hands on him and seized him.
MRK 14:47
- KJV
- And one of them that stood by drew a sword, and smote a servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.
- BSB
- And one of the bystanders drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.
- Koinōnos
- But one of those standing by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear.
MRK 14:48
- KJV
- And Jesus answered and said unto them, Are ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and with staves to take me?
- BSB
- Jesus asked the crowd, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as you would an outlaw?
- Koinōnos
- And Jesus answered and said to them, "Have you come out with swords and clubs to seize me as you would a violent insurgent?
MRK 14:49
- KJV
- I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye took me not: but the scriptures must be fulfilled.
- BSB
- Every day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest Me. But this has happened that the Scriptures would be fulfilled.”
- Koinōnos
- Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But let the scriptures be fulfilled.
MRK 14:50
- KJV
- And they all forsook him, and fled.
- BSB
- Then everyone deserted Him and fled.
- Koinōnos
- And they all left him and fled.
MRK 14:51
- KJV
- And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him:
- BSB
- One young man who had been following Jesus was wearing a linen cloth around his body. They caught hold of him,
- Koinōnos
- And a certain young man followed him, having wrapped a linen cloth around his naked body, and they seized him;
MRK 14:52
- KJV
- And he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked.
- BSB
- but he pulled free of the linen cloth and ran away naked.
- Koinōnos
- but he left the linen cloth behind and fled naked.
Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.
Where the historical framing draws from
- Josephus, WarsWars 2.19.2
- Josephus, WarsWars 2.13.5
- Josephus, WarsWars 2.13.5
›Josephus, Wars Wars 2.19.2
“went in a sudden and disorderly manner to the fight, with a great noise, and without any consideration had of the rest of the seventh day”
Cited to ground: This mob was not a neutral gathering but a disorderly, threatening force
›Josephus, Wars Wars 2.13.5
“if he could but once conquer the Roman garrison and the people, he intended to domineer over them by the assistance of those guards of his that were to break into the city with him.”
Cited to ground: The armed crowd’s presence also evokes the Roman practice of suppressing insurrectionists
›Josephus, Wars Wars 2.13.5
“But there was an Egyptian false prophet that did the Jews more mischief than the former; for he was a cheat, and pretended to be a prophet also”
Cited to ground: suggesting that Jesus was being treated as a political threat
Translator's notes
MRK 14:43
- Twelve,:The word translated 'crowd' here refers to a large, often unruly or undifferentiated mass of people, emphasizing their collective rather than individual identity.
MRK 14:44
- delivering up:The term translated 'delivering up' carries the sense of handing someone over to the authorities or to an enemy, often implying betrayal or a formal transfer of custody.
MRK 14:45
- Rabbi!:The word translated 'kissed' here is a strong form of the verb, meaning to kiss repeatedly or intensely, often as a sign of deep affection, reverence, or, in this context, a deceptive show of intimacy.
MRK 14:48
- a robber:The word translated 'robber' often referred to a bandit or brigand, but in this historical context, it could also imply a revolutionary or insurgent, someone engaged in violent rebellion against authority.