Bible Strands
Mark 14:11
They were delighted to hear this, and they promised to give him money. So Judas began to look for an opportunity to betray Jesus.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The chief priests and scribes respond to Judas’s proposal with immediate delight and a financial agreement to receive Jesus into their custody. This exchange occurs after Judas approaches them to arrange the betrayal, just before the Passover preparations begin.
The words — The text records ἐχάρησαν (echarēsan), meaning they rejoiced or were delighted, and ἀργύριον (argurion), meaning money or silver. These terms document the emotional and material response to the proposed arrangement.
The thread — The narrative aligns with 1 Timothy 6:10 regarding the corruption of monetary desire, and parallels the prophetic confrontations over greed in 1 Kings 21:20 and 2 Kings 5:26. The pattern shows religious authorities trading their duty for financial incentive.
Why it lands — The passage requires a reader to observe how institutional leaders willingly exchange justice for silver. It presents a concrete warning against allowing financial gain to override moral and judicial responsibility.
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
King James Version
And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him.
Cross-references
- 1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. By craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.
- 1 Kings 21:20 When Elijah arrived, Ahab said to him, “So you have found me out, my enemy.” He replied, “I have found you out because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the LORD.
- 2 Kings 5:26 But Elisha questioned him, “Did not my spirit go with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to accept money and clothing, olive groves and vineyards, sheep and oxen, menservants and maidservants?
- Proverbs 1:10 My son, if sinners entice you, do not yield to them.
- Proverbs 28:21 To show partiality is not good, yet a man will do wrong for a piece of bread.
- Hosea 7:3 They delight the king with their evil, and the princes with their lies.
- Matthew 26:15 and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I hand Him over to you?” And they set out for him thirty pieces of silver.
- Luke 22:5 They were delighted and agreed to give him money.
- 2 Peter 2:14 Their eyes are full of adultery; their desire for sin is never satisfied; they seduce the unstable. They are accursed children with hearts trained in greed.
- Jude 1:11 Woe to them! They have traveled the path of Cain; they have rushed for profit into the error of Balaam; they have perished in Korah’s rebellion.