Bible Strands
Matthew 26:16
So from then on Judas looked for an opportunity to betray Jesus.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrative describes Judas’s actions immediately after receiving thirty pieces of silver from the chief priests, shifting the account from the Passover preparation to the active plotting against Jesus.
The words — ἐζήτει (ezētei) translates literally as "he was seeking" and εὐκαιρίαν (eukairian) as "an opportunity," highlighting a deliberate, ongoing search for a favorable moment.
The thread — The same sequence of secret negotiation and searching for a private moment appears in Mark 14:11 and Luke 22:6, where Judas similarly looks for a chance to hand Jesus over away from the crowd.
Why it lands — The text records a calculated decision to exploit a specific moment, requiring the reader to observe how deliberate choices precede consequential actions without adding moral commentary.
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 from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.
Cross-references
- 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.
- Luke 22:6 Judas consented, and began to look for an opportunity to betray Jesus to them in the absence of a crowd.