John 13 · Verse 27

John 13:27

And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.
John 13:27, King James Version

John 13:27 in other translations

BSBAnd when Judas had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Then Jesus said to Judas, “What you are about to do, do quickly.”
WEBAfter the piece of bread, then Satan entered into him. Then Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.”
ASVAnd after the sop, then entered Satan into him. Jesus therefore saith unto him, What thou doest, do quickly.
YLTAnd after the morsel, then the Adversary entered into that one, Jesus, therefore, saith to him, ‘What thou dost--do quickly;'
DARBYAnd, after the morsel, then entered Satan into him. Jesus therefore says to him, What thou doest, do quickly.
BBEAnd when Judas took the bread Satan went into him. Then Jesus said to him, Do quickly what you have to do.
WebsterAnd after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus to him, What thou doest, do quickly.

What does John 13:27 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 13:27-30
27-30. after the sop Satan entered into him--Very solemn are these brief hints of the successive steps by which Judas reached the climax of his guilt. "The devil had already put it into his heart to betray his Lord." Yet who can tell what struggles he went through ere he brought himself to carry that suggestion into effect? Even after this, however, his compunctions were not at an end. With the thirty pieces of silver already in his possession, he seems still to have quailed--and can we wonder? When Jesus stooped to wash his feet, it may be the last struggle was reaching its crisis. But that word of the Psalm, about "one that ate of his bread who would lift up his heel against Him" (Psa 41:9) probably all but turned the dread scale, and the still more explicit announcement, that one of those sitting with Him at the table should betray Him, would beget the thought, "I am detected; it is now too late to draw back." At that moment the sop is given; offer of friendship is once more made--and how affectingly! But already "Satan has entered into him," and though the Saviour's act might seem enough to recall him even yet, hell is now in his bosom, and he says within himself, "The die is cast; now let me go through with it"; fear, begone!" (See on Mt 12:43). Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly--that is, Why linger here? Thy presence is a restraint, and thy work stands still; thou hast the wages of iniquity, go work for it!

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 27. After the sop. After he had taken and probably eaten it. By this Judas saw that Jesus knew his design, and that he could not conceal his plan. He saw, also, that the other disciples would be acquainted with it; and, aroused by sudden anger, or with the apprehension that he should lose his reward, or that Jesus might escape, he resolved on executing his plan at once.

Satan entered into him. The devil had before this put it into his heart to betray Jesus (Jn 13:2), but he now excited him to a more decided purpose. See Lk 22:3, Acts 5:3. "Why hath Satan filled thine heart," &c.

What thou doest, do quickly. This showed to Judas that Jesus was acquainted with his design. He did not command him to betray him, but he left him to his own purpose. He had used means enough to reclaim him and lead him to a holy life, and now he brought him to a decision. He gave him to understand that he was acquainted with his plan, and submitted it to the conscience of Judas to do quickly what he would do. If he relented, he called on him to do it at once. If he could still pursue his wicked plan, could go forward when he was conscious that the Saviour knew his design, he was to do it at once. God adopts all means to bring men to a decision. He calls upon them to act decisively, firmly, immediately. He does not allow them the privilege to deliberate about wicked deeds, but calls on them to act at once, and to show whether they will obey or disobey him; whether they will serve him, or whether they will betray his cause. He knows all their plans, as Jesus did that of Judas, and he calls on men to act under the full conviction that he knows all their soul. Sin thus is a vast evil. When men can sin knowing that God sees it all, it shows that the heart is fully set in them to do evil, and that there is nothing that will restrain them.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 27 Satan entered into him - He had entered into him before, and now he enters again, to strengthen him in his purpose of delivering up his Master. But the morsel was not the cause of this entering in; the giving of it only marks the time in which the devil confirmed Judas in his traitorous purpose. Some have thought that this morsel was the sacrament of the Lord's Supper: but this is an utter mistake. That thou doest, do quickly - As if he had said: "Thou art past all counsel; thou hast filled up the measure of thy iniquity, and hast wholly abandoned thyself to Satan; I will not force thee to turn from thy purpose, and without this thou wilt not. Thy designs are all known to me; what thou art determined to do, and I to permit, do directly; delay not, I am ready."

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 13:18-30

Our Lord had often spoken of his own sufferings and death, without such trouble of spirit as he now discovered when he spake of Judas. The sins of Christians are the grief of Christ. We are not to confine our attention to Judas. The prophecy of his treachery may apply to all who partake of God's mercies, and meet them with ingratitude. See the infidel, who only looks at the Scriptures with a desire to do away their…

Read the full comment on John 13:18-30 →

John 13:27 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
μετὰmetaafterG3326
τὸtotheG3588
ψωμίον,psōmionmorsel,G5596
τότεtotethenG5119
εἰσῆλθενeisēlthenenteredG1525
εἰςeisintoG1519
ἐκεῖνονekeinonhimG1565
ὁho<the>G3588
σατανᾶς.¶satanasSatan.G4567
ΛέγειLegeiSaysG3004
οὖνounthereforeG3767
αὐτῷautōto himG846
ὁho<the>G3588
Ἰησοῦς·IēsousJesus;G2424
ὃhoWhatG3739
ποιεῖς,poieisyou enact,G4160
ποίησονpoiēsondo enactG4160
τάχιον.tachionquicker.G5032

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

Cross references for John 13:27

  • Luke 22:3

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

  • John 13:2

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

  • 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?

  • Matthew 12:45

    Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

  • Proverbs 1:16

    For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.

  • Ecclesiastes 9:3

    This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

  • James 1:13-15

    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.

  • Jeremiah 2:24-25

    A wild ass used to the wilderness, that snuffeth up the wind at her pleasure; in her occasion who can turn her away? all they that seek her will not weary themselves; in her month they shall find her. Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst: but thou saidst, There is no hope: no; for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go.

  • Daniel 2:15

    He answered and said to Arioch the king’s captain, Why is the decree so hasty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel.

  • Mark 6:25

    And she came in straightway with haste unto the king, and asked, saying, I will that thou give me by and by in a charger the head of John the Baptist.

  • Psalms 109:6

    Set thou a wicked man over him: and let Satan stand at his right hand.

  • 1 Kings 18:27

    And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Satan.
2; Ps 109:6; Mt 12:45; Lu 8:32,33; 22:3; Ac 5:3
That.
1Ki 18:27; Pr 1:16; Ec 9:3; Jer 2:24,25; Da 2:15; Mr 6:25
Jas 1:13-15

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

Context

  • John 13:26

    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.

  • John 13:27

    And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.

  • John 13:28

    Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto him.

Read all of John 13

John 13:27 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y tras el bocado Satanás entró en él. Entonces Jesús le dice: Lo que haces, haz lo más presto.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et après le morceau, alors Satan entra en lui. Jésus donc lui dit: Ce que tu fais, fais-le promptement.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und nach dem Bissen fuhr alsdann der Satan in ihn. Jesus spricht nun zu ihm: Was du tust, tue schnell.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et post buccellam, introivit in eum Satanas. Et dixit ei Jesus: Quod facis, fac citius.