John 12 · Verse 6

John 12:6

This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.
John 12:6, King James Version

John 12:6 in other translations

BSBJudas did not say this because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief. As keeper of the money bag, he used to take from what was put into it.
WEBNow he said this, not because he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and having the money box, used to steal what was put into it.
ASVNow this he said, not because he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and having the bag took away what was put therein.
YLTand he said this, not because he was caring for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and what things were put in he was carrying.
DARBYBut he said this, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief and had the bag, and carried what was put into it.
BBE(He said this, not because he had any love for the poor; but because he was a thief, and, having the money-bag, took for himself what was put into it.)
WebsterThis he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bore what was put in it.

What does John 12:6 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 12:1-8

Joh 12:1-11. The Anointing at Bethany. (See on Mt 26:6-13). 1-8. six days before the passover--that is, on the sixth day before it; probably after sunset on Friday evening, or the commencement of the Jewish sabbath preceding the passover.

Read the full comment on John 12:1-8 →

Barnes' Notes
Verse 6. Had the bag. The word translated bag is compounded of two words, meaning "tongue," and "to keep or preserve." It was used to denote the bag in which musicians used to keep the tongues or reeds of their pipes when travelling. Hence it came to mean any bag or purse in which travellers put their money or their most precious articles. The disciples appear to have had such a bag or purse in common, in which they put whatever money they had, and which was designed especially for the poor, Lk 8:3, Mt 27:55, Acts 2:44. The keeping of this, it seems, was intrusted to Judas; and it is remarkable that the only one among them who appears to have been naturally avaricious should have received this appointment. It shows us that every man is tried according to his native propensity. This is the object of trial--to bring out man's native character; and every man will find opportunity to do evil according to his native disposition, if he is inclined to it.

And bare, &c. The word translated bare means literally to carry as a burden. Then it means to carry away, as in Jn 20:15: "If thou hast borne him hence." Hence it means to carry away as a thief does, and this is evidently its meaning here. It has this sense often in classic writers. Judas was a thief, and stole what was put into the bag. The money he desired to be intrusted to him, that he might secretly enrich himself. It is clear, however, that the disciples did not at this time know that this was his character, or they would have remonstrated against him. They learned it afterward. We may learn here,

1st. That it is not a new thing for members of the church to be covetous. Judas was so before them.

2nd. That such members will be those who complain of the great waste in spreading the gospel.

3rd. That this deadly, mean, and grovelling passion will work all evil in a church. It brought down the curse of God on the children of Israel in the case of Achan (Josh 7:1), and it betrayed our Lord to death. It has often since brought blighting on the church; and many a time it has betrayed the cause of Christ, and drowned men in destruction and perdition, 1Timm 6:9.

(d) "he was a thief" 2Kgs 5:20-27, Ps 50:18 (e) "had the bag" Jn 13:29

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 6 Not that He cared for the poor - There should be a particular emphasis laid on the word he, as the evangelist studies to show the most determined detestation to his conduct. And bare what was put therein - Or rather, as some eminent critics contend, And stole what was put in it. This seems the proper meaning of εβαϚαζεν; and in this sense it is used, Joh 20:15 : If thou hast Stolen him away - ει συ εβαϚασας αυτον. In the same sense the word is used by Josephus, Ant. b. xii. c. 5, s 4; where speaking of the pillage of the temple by Antiochus, he says, Τα σκευη του Θεου βαϚασαι, He carried off, or Stole, also the vessels of the Lord. See also Ant. b. viii. c. 2, s. 2, where the harlot says before Solomon, concerning her child, βαϚασασα δε τουμον εκ των γονατων προς αὑτην μεταφερει - She Stole away my child out of my bosom, and removed it to herself. And Ibid. b. ix. c. 4, s. 5, speaking of the ten lepers that went into the Syrian camp, he says, finding the Syrians fled, They entered into the camp, and ate, and drank; and, having Stolen away (εβαϚασαν) garments, and much gold, they hid them without the camp. See the objections to this translation answered by Kypke, and the translation itself vindicated. See also Pearce in loc., Wakefield, Toup. Em. ad Suid. p. iii. p. 203. If stealing were not intended by the evangelist, the word itself must be considered as superfluous; for, when we are told that he had the bag, we need not be informed that he had what was in it. But the apostle says he was a thief; and because he was a thief, and had the common purse in his power, therefore he stole as much as he conveniently could, without subjecting himself to detection. And, as he saw that the death of Christ was at hand, he wished to secure a provision for himself, before he left the company of the apostles. I see that several copies of the old Itala version understood the word in this sense, and therefore have translated the word by auferebat, exportabat - took away, carried away. Jerome, who professed to mend this version, has in this place (as well as in many others) marred is, by rendering εβαϚαζεν, by portabat. The γλωσσοκομον, which we translate bag, meant originally the little box, or sheath, in which the tongues or reeds used for pipes were carried; and thus it is interpreted by Pollux in his Onomasticon; and this is agreeable to the etymology of the word. The Greek word is used in Hebrew letters by the Talmudists to signify a purse, scrip, chest, coffer, etc. As our Lord and his disciples lived on charity, a bag or scrip was provided to carry those pious donations by which they were supported. And Judas was steward and treasurer to this holy company.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 12:1-11

Christ had formerly blamed Martha for being troubled with much serving. But she did not leave off serving, as some, who when found fault with for going too far in one way, peevishly run too far another way; she still served, but within hearing of Christ's gracious words. Mary gave a token of love to Christ, who had given real tokens of his love to her and her family. God's Anointed should be our Anointed. Has God…

Read the full comment on John 12:1-11 →

John 12:6 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

εἶπενeipenHe saidG2036
δὲdehoweverG1161
τοῦτοtoutothisG3778
οὐχouchnotG3756
ὅτιhotibecauseG3754
περὶperiforG4012
τῶνtōntheG3588
πτωχῶνptōchōnpoorG4434
ἔμελενemelenhe was caringG3199
αὐτῷ,autōto him,G846
ἀλλ᾽all᾽butG235
ὅτιhotibecauseG3754
κλέπτηςkleptēsa thiefG2812
ἦνēnhe wasG1510
καὶkaiandG2532
τὸtotheG3588
γλωσσόκομονglōssokomonmoney bagG1101
ἔχωνechōnhavingG2192
τὰtathatG3588
βαλλόμεναballomenabeing put into [it]G906
ἐβάσταζεν.¶ebastazenhe was pilfering.G941

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for John 12:6

  • John 13:29

    For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor.

  • Psalms 50:16-20

    But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth? Seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee. When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers. Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit. …

  • James 2:6

    But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?

  • James 2:2

    For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;

  • 2 Kings 5:20-27

    But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the Lord liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him. So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running after him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him, and said, Is all well? And he said, All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments. And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bare them before him. …

  • Galatians 2:10

    Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do.

  • 1 Corinthians 6:10

    Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

  • Ezra 8:24-34

    Then I separated twelve of the chief of the priests, Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them, And weighed unto them the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, even the offering of the house of our God, which the king, and his counsellors, and his lords, and all Israel there present, had offered: I even weighed unto their hand six hundred and fifty talents of silver, and silver vessels an hundred talents, and of gold an hundred talents; Also twenty basons of gold, of a thousand drams; and two vessels of fine copper, precious as gold. …

  • Psalms 14:1

    To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.

  • Proverbs 29:7

    The righteous considereth the cause of the poor: but the wicked regardeth not to know it.

  • 2 Kings 12:14-15

    But they gave that to the workmen, and repaired therewith the house of the Lord. Moreover they reckoned not with the men, into whose hand they delivered the money to be bestowed on workmen: for they dealt faithfully.

  • Ezekiel 33:31

    And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
not.
10:13; Ps 14:1; Pr 29:7; Eze 33:31; Ga 2:10; Jas 2:2,6
because.
10:8-10; 2Ki 5:20-27; Ps 50:16-20; Mt 21:13; 1Co 6:10
the bag.
13:29; 2Ki 12:14,15; Ezr 8:24-34; 2Co 8:19-21; 1Th 5:22

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • John 12:5

    Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?

  • John 12:6

    This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.

  • John 12:7

    Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this.

Read all of John 12

John 12:6 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Mas dijo esto, no por el cuidado que él tenía de los pobres; sino porque era ladrón, y tenía la bolsa, y traía lo que se echaba en ella.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Or il dit cela, non pas qu’il se soit soucié des pauvres, mais parce qu’il était voleur, et qu’il avait la bourse et portait ce qu’on y mettait.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Er sagte dies aber, nicht weil er für die Armen besorgt war, sondern weil er ein Dieb war und die Kasse hatte und trug, was eingelegt wurde.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Dixit autem hoc, non quia de egenis pertinebat ad eum, sed quia fur erat, et loculos habens, ea quæ mittebantur, portabat.