Luke 22:50

And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — The narrator records an event during the garden arrest, occurring immediately after the disciples ask whether they should use their swords. One of the men present acts on the sudden tension by striking the high priest’s servant.

The words — The Greek ἐπάταξεν (epataxen) literally means struck, describing the physical blow delivered to the servant. The phrase εἷς τις (heis tis) identifies the perpetrator only as an unnamed individual among the group.

The thread — This same confrontation appears in Matthew 26:51, Mark 14:47, and John 18:10, with the latter explicitly naming Simon Peter as the striker. All four accounts place the action at the moment the arrest party moves to seize Jesus.

Why it lands — The text reports a violent, impulsive act that escalates a holy confrontation. It asks the reader to observe how human resistance operates in the face of divine timing, setting the stage for Jesus’ rejection of the sword.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

καὶkaiAnd ἐπάταξενepataxenstruck εἷςheisone τιςtisa certain ἐξexof αὐτῶνautōnthem τοῦtouof the ἀρχιερέωςarchiereōshigh priest τὸνtonthe δοῦλονdoulonservant καὶkaiand ἀφεῖλενapheilencut off τὸtothe οὖςousear αὐτοῦautouof him τὸto<the>δεξιόν.dexionright.

King James Version

And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear.

Cross-references

John 18:10 Then Simon Peter drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.
Mark 14:47 And one of the bystanders drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.
Matthew 26:51 At this, one of Jesus’ companions drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.
Romans 12:19 Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.”
2 Corinthians 10:4 The weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the flesh. Instead, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.