Matthew 26 · Verse 4

Matthew 26:4

And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him.
Matthew 26:4, King James Version

Matthew 26:4 in other translations

BSBand they conspired to arrest Jesus covertly and kill Him.
WEBThey took counsel together that they might take Jesus by deceit and kill him.
ASVand they took counsel together that they might take Jesus by subtlety, and kill him.
YLTand they consulted together that they might take Jesus by guile, and kill him,
DARBYand took counsel together in order that they might seize Jesus by subtlety and kill him;
BBEAnd they made designs together to take Jesus by some trick, and put him to death.
WebsterAnd consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him.

What does Matthew 26:4 mean?

Barnes' Notes
Verse 4. By subtilty. By guile, deceit, or in some secret manner, so that the people would not know it. Jesus was regarded by the people as a distinguished prophet, and by most of them probably, as the Messiah; and the sanhedrim did not dare to take him away openly, lest the people should rise and rescue him. They were probably aware that he had gone out to Bethany, or to some of the places adjacent to the city; and as he passed his nights there, and not in the city, there was need of guile to ascertain the place where he remained, and to take him.

(v) "And consulted" Ps 2:2

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 4 And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty - The providence of God frustrated their artful machinations; and that event which they wished to conduct with the greatest privacy and silence was transacted with all possible celebrity, amidst the thousands who resorted to Jerusalem, at this season, for the keeping of the passover. It was, doubtless, of the very first importance that the crucifixion of Christ, which was preparatory to the most essential achievement of Christianity, viz. his resurrection from the grave, should be exhibited before many witnesses, and in the most open manner, that infidelity might not attempt, in future, to invalidate the evidences of the Christian religion, by alleging that these things were done in a corner. See Wakefield in loco.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 26:1-5

Our Lord had often told of his sufferings as at a distance, now he speaks of them as at hand. At the same time the Jewish council consulted how they might put him to death secretly. But it pleased God to defeat their intention. Jesus, the true paschal Lamb, was to be sacrificed for us at that very time, and his death and resurrection rendered public.

Read the full comment on Matthew 26:1-5 →

Matthew 26:4 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
συνεβουλεύσαντοsunebouleusantothey plotted togetherG4823
ἵναinain order thatG2443
τὸνton<the>G3588
ἸησοῦνIēsounJesusG2424
δόλῳdolōby guileG1388
κρατήσωσινkratēsōsinthey may seizeG2902
καὶkaiandG2532
ἀποκτείνωσιν.apokteinōsinmay kill.G615

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

Cross references for Matthew 26:4

  • Matthew 12:14

    Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him.

  • Acts 13:10

    And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?

  • Psalms 2:2

    The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying,

  • Genesis 3:1

    Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

  • Matthew 23:33

    Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

  • Acts 7:19

    The same dealt subtilly with our kindred, and evil entreated our fathers, so that they cast out their young children, to the end they might not live.

  • 2 Corinthians 11:3

    But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
consulted.
Ps 2:2
by.
23:33; Ge 3:1; Ac 7:19; 13:10; 2Co 11:3

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

Context

  • Matthew 26:3

    Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas,

  • Matthew 26:4

    And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him.

  • Matthew 26:5

    But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people.

Read all of Matthew 26

Matthew 26:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y tuvieron consejo para prender por engaño á Jesús, y matarle.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		et tinrent conseil ensemble pour se saisir de Jésus par ruse et le faire mourir;
German
Elberfelder 1871		und ratschlagten miteinander, auf daß sie Jesum mit List griffen und töteten.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		et consilium fecerunt ut Jesum dolo tenerent, et occiderent.