John 13 · Verse 2

John 13:2

And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him;
John 13:2, King James Version

John 13:2 in other translations

BSBThe evening meal was underway, and the devil had already put into the heart of Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.
WEBDuring supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him,
ASVAnd during supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him,
YLTAnd supper being come, the devil already having put it into the heart of Judas of Simon, Iscariot, that he may deliver him up,
DARBYAnd during supper, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon, Iscariote, that he should deliver him up,
BBESo while a meal was going on, the Evil One having now put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to be false to him,
WebsterAnd supper being ended (the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him;)

What does John 13:2 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
2. supper being ended--rather, "being prepared," "being served," or, "going on"; for that it was not "ended" is plain from Joh 13:26. the devil having now--or, "already." put into the heart of Judas ... to betray him--referring to the agreement he had already made with the chief priests (Lu 22:3-6).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 2. Supper being ended. This translation expresses too much. The original means while they were at supper; and that this is the meaning is clear from the fact that we find them still eating after this. The Arabic and Persic translations give it this meaning. The Latin Vulgate renders it like the English.

The devil. The leader or prince of evil spirits.

Having now put it into the heart. Literally, having cast it into the heart. Comp. Eph 6:16: "The fiery darts of the wicked." See Acts 5:3, Lk 22:3. The meaning of this passage is that Satan inclined the mind of Judas to do this, or he tempted him to betray his Master. We know not precisely how this was done, but we know that it was by means of his avarice. Satan could tempt no one unless there was some inclination of the mind, some natural or depraved propensity that he could make use of. He presents objects in alluring forms fitted to that propensity, and under the influence of a strong or a corrupt inclination the soul yields to sin. In the case of Judas it was the love of money; and it was necessary to present to him only the possibility of obtaining money, and it found him ready for any crime.

(d) "the devil" Lk 22:3,53, Jn 6:70

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 2 And supper being ended - Rather, δειπνου γενομενου, while supper was preparing. To support this new translation of the words, it may be remarked that, from Joh 13:26, Joh 13:30, it appears that the supper was not then ended: nay, it is probable that it was not then begun; because the washing of feet (Joh 13:5) was usually practised by the Jews before they entered upon their meals, as may be gathered from Luk 7:44, and from the reason of the custom. I think that John wrote, not γενομενου, but γινομενου, as in BL. Cant. and Origen, which latter reading is approved by several eminent critics, and should be translated as above. By the supper I suppose to be meant, not only the eating of it, but the preparing and dressing of it, and doing all things necessary previously to the eating of it. The devil had, before this time of the supper, put it into Judas's heart to betray his Master. See Mat 26:14, etc.; Mar 14:10, Mar 14:11; and Luk 22:3, etc. See also Bishop Pearce, from whose judicious commentary the preceding notes are principally taken. Calmet observes that John, designing only to supply what was omitted by the other evangelists, passes over all the transactions of the Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, before the passion, and at once goes from Monday evening to Thursday evening. It is remarkable that St. John says nothing about the institution of the holy sacrament, which Matthew, Mat 26:26, etc., Mark, Mar 14:22, etc., and Luke, Luk 22:19, etc., describe so particularly. No other reason can be assigned for this than that he found it completely done by the others, and that he only designed to supply their defects. The devil having now put it into the heart - Judas formed his plot six days before this, on occasion of what happened at the house of Simon the leper: see Mat 26:14. Calmet.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 13:1-17

Our Lord Jesus has a people in the world that are his own; he has purchased them, and paid dear for them, and he has set them apart for himself; they devote themselves to him as a peculiar people. Those whom Christ loves, he loves to the end. Nothing can separate a true believer from the love of Christ. We know not when our hour will come, therefore what we have to do in constant preparation for it, ought never to…

Read the full comment on John 13:1-17 →

John 13:2 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.

καὶkaiAndG2532
δείπνουdeipnousupperG1173
γινομένου,ginomenoutaking place,G1096
τοῦtoutheG3588
διαβόλουdiaboloudevilG1228
ἤδηēdēalreadyG2235
βεβληκότοςbeblēkotoshaving putG906
εἰςeisintoG1519
τὴνtēntheG3588
καρδίανkardianheartG2588
ἵναinathatG2443
παραδοῖparadoihe may betrayG3860
αὐτὸνautonHimG846
ἸούδαςIoudasJudasG2455
ΣίμωνοςSimōnos[son] of SimonG4613
Ἰσκαριώτου,IskariōtouIscariotG2469

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

Cross references for John 13:2

  • James 1:13-17

    Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not err, my beloved brethren. …

  • Acts 5:3

    But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?

  • John 6:70-71

    Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.

  • John 13:26-27

    Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.

  • Luke 22:31

    And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:

  • Luke 22:3

    Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve.

  • 2 Corinthians 8:16

    But thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you.

  • Ephesians 2:3

    Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

  • Revelation 17:17

    For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.

  • Ezra 7:27

    Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers, which hath put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to beautify the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem:

  • Nehemiah 2:12

    And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me; neither told I any man what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem: neither was there any beast with me, save the beast that I rode upon.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
supper.
4,26
the devil.
27; 6:70; Lu 22:3,31; Ac 5:3; Eph 2:3
put.
Ezr 7:27; Ne 2:12; 2Co 8:16; Jas 1:13-17; Re 17:17

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

Context

  • John 13:1

    Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.

  • John 13:2

    And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him;

  • John 13:3

    Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;

Read all of John 13

John 13:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y la cena acabada, como el diablo ya había metido en el corazón de Judas, hijo de Simón Iscariote, que le entregase,
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et pendant qu’ils étaient à souper, le diable ayant déjà mis dans le cœur de Judas Iscariote, fils de Simon, de le livrer, –
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und während des Abendessens, als der Teufel schon dem Judas, Simons Sohn, dem Iskariot, es ins Herz gegeben hatte, daß er ihn überliefere,
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et cœna facta, cum diabolus jam misisset in cor ut traderet eum Judas Simonis Iscariotæ: