Matthew 26 · Verse 50

Matthew 26:50

And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.

Matthew 26:50, King James Version

Matthew 26:50 in other translations

BSB	“Friend,” Jesus replied, “do what you came for.” Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus, and arrested Him.
WEB	Jesus said to him, “Friend, why are you here?” Then they came and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.
ASV	And Jesus said unto him, Friend, do that for which thou art come. Then they came and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.
YLT	and Jesus said to him, ‘Comrade, for what art thou present?' Then having come near, they laid hands on Jesus, and took hold on him.
DARBY	But Jesus said to him, My friend, for what purpose art thou come? Then coming up they laid hands upon Jesus and seized him.
BBE	And Jesus said to him, Friend, do that for which you have come. Then they came and put hands on Jesus, and took him.
Webster	And Jesus said to him, Friend, Why art thou come? Then they came, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.

What does Matthew 26:50 mean?

Barnes' Notes

Verse 50. And Jesus said unto him, Friend. It seems strange to us that Jesus should give the endeared name friend to a man that he knew was his enemy, and that was about to betray him. It should be remarked, however, that this is the fault of our language, not of the original. In the Greek there are two words which our translators have rendered friend: one implying affection and regard, the other not. One is properly rendered friend, the other expresses more nearly what we mean by companion. It is this latter word which is given to the disaffected labourer in the vineyard: "Friend, I do thee no wrong," (Mt 20:13) to the guest which had not on the wedding garment, in the parable of the marriage feast, (Mt 22:12) and to Judas in this place.

Wherefore art thou come? This was said, not because he was ignorant why he had come, but probably to fill the mind of Judas with the consciousness of his crime, and by a striking question to compel him to think of what he was doing.

(u) "Friend" Ps 41:9, 55:13

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 50 Jesus said - Friend - Rather, companion, εταιρε, (not Friend), wherefore, rather, against whom (εφ' ὃ, the reading of all the best MSS.) art thou come? How must these words have cut his very soul, if he had any sensibility left! Surely, thou, who hast so long been my companion, art not come against me, thy Lord, Teacher and Friend! What is the human heart not capable of, when abandoned by God, and influenced by Satan and the love of money! Laid hands on Jesus - But not before they had felt that proof of his sovereign power by which they had all been struck down to the earth, Joh 18:6. It is strange that, after this, they should dare to approach him; but the Scriptures must be fulfilled.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 26:47-56

No enemies are so much to be abhorred as those professed disciples that betray Christ with a kiss. God has no need of our services, much less of our sins, to bring about his purposes. Though Christ was crucified through weakness, it was voluntary weakness; he submitted to death. If he had not been willing to suffer, they could not conquer him. It was a great sin for those who had left all to follow Jesus; now to…

Read the full comment on Matthew 26:47-56 →

Matthew 26:50 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.

ὉHo<the>G3588

δὲdeAndG1161

ἸησοῦςIēsousJesusG2424

εἶπενeipensaidG2036

αὐτῷ·autōto him;G846

ἑταῖρε,hetaireFriend,G2083

ἐφ᾽eph᾽[do] forG1909

ὃhowhatG3739

πάρει.pareiyou are come.G3918

τότεtoteThenG5119

προσελθόντεςproselthonteshaving come to [him]G4334

ἐπέβαλονepebalonthey laidG1911

τὰςtas<the>G3588

χεῖραςcheirashandsG5495

ἐπὶepionG1909

τὸνton<the>G3588

ἸησοῦνIēsounJesusG2424

καὶkaiandG2532

ἐκράτησανekratēsanseizedG2902

αὐτόν.autonHim.G846

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

Cross references for Matthew 26:50

Matthew 20:13
But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?
Matthew 22:12
And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
Psalms 41:9
Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.
Luke 22:48
But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?
2 Samuel 16:17
And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? why wentest thou not with thy friend?
Psalms 55:13-14
But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance. We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Friend.Rather, "Companion, [hetairos ,] against whom ([eph ho] the reading of all the best MSS.) art thou come?"
20:13; 2Sa 16:17; Ps 41:9; 55:13,14; Lu 22:48

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

Context

Matthew 26:49
And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him.
Matthew 26:50
And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.
Matthew 26:51
And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest’s, and smote off his ear.

Read all of Matthew 26

Matthew 26:50 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y Jesús le dijo: Amigo, ¿á qué vienes? Entonces llegaron, y echaron mano á Jesús, y le prendieron.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et Jésus lui dit: Ami, pourquoi es-tu venu? Alors, s’étant approchés, ils mirent les mains sur Jésus et se saisirent de lui.
German Elberfelder 1871	Jesus aber sprach zu ihm: Freund, wozu bist du gekommen! Dann traten sie herzu und legten die Hände an Jesum und griffen ihn.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Dixitque illi Jesus: Amice, ad quid venisti? Tunc accesserunt, et manus injecerunt in Jesum, et tenuerunt eum.