TRV
Translation
King James Version
The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born.
KJV (with Strong's)
G3303 The Son G5207 of man G444 goeth G5217 as G2531 it is written G1125 of G4012 him G846: but G1161 woe G3759 unto that G1565 man G444 by G1223 whom G3739 the Son G5207 of man G444 is betrayed G3860! it had been G2258 good G2570 for that G1565 man G846 if G1487 he G444 had G1080 not G3756 been born G1080.
Complete Jewish Bible
The Son of Man will die just as the Tanakh says he will; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for him had he never been born!"
Berean Standard Bible
The Son of Man will go just as it is written about Him, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed. It would be better for him if he had not been born.”
American Standard Version
The Son of man goeth, even as it is written of him: but woe unto that man through whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had not been born.
World English Bible Messianic
The Son of Man goes, even as it is written of him, but woe to that man through whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would be better for that man if he had not been born.”
Geneva Bible (1599)
Surely the Sonne of man goeth his way, as it is written of him: but woe be to that man, by whom the Sonne of man is betrayed: it had bene good for that man, if hee had neuer bene borne.
Young's Literal Translation
the Son of Man doth indeed go, as it hath been written concerning him, but woe to that man through whom the Son of Man is delivered up! good it were for him if that man had not been born.'
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Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers . Public domain.
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Origen of AlexandriaAD 253
COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 83
According to all appearances, Jesus departed and was about to suffer on the cross. In reality, however, he both departed and remained in the world with his disciples, keeping them in the faith, for they would not have been able to abide in his faith, especially once they saw him dead, if he had not been guarding their hearts invisibly. Christ didn't say "woe to that man by whom he is betrayed" but "woe to that man through whom he is betrayed," showing that Judas was only the means of his betrayal, whereas the agent of his betrayal was another, that is, the devil. The woe, however, is not only for Judas but for every betrayer of Christ, for whoever betrays one of Christ's disciples betrays Christ himself. Even though he is betrayed by the devil, nevertheless woe to those through whom his betrayal comes.
Origen of Alexandria (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 253
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
He said not, By whom the Son of Man is betrayed, but through whom, (John 13:2.) pointing out another, to with the Devil, as the author of His betrayal, Judas as the minister. But woe also to all betrayers of Christ! and such is every one who betrays a disciple of Christ.
John ChrysostomAD 407
Homily on the Gospel of Matthew 81
"The Son of Man goeth, as it is written of Him, but woe to the man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It had been good for that man if he had not been born."
And these things again He said, both to restore the disciples, that they might not think the thing was a sign of weakness, and to amend the traitor.
"But woe unto that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born." See again in His rebukes His unspeakable meekness. For not even here with invective, but more in the way of compassion, doth He apply what He saith, but in a disguised way again.
But some one will say, Yet if it was written that He was to suffer these things, wherefore is Judas blamed, for he did the things that were written? But not with this intent, but from wickedness. For if thou inquire not concerning the motive, thou wilt deliver even the devil from the charges against him. But these things are not, they are not so. For both the one and the other are deserving of countless punishments, although the world was saved. For neither did the treason of Judas work out salvation for us, but the wisdom of Christ, and the good contrivance of His fair skill, using the wickednesses of others for our advantage.
"What then," one may say, "though Judas had not betrayed Him, would not another have betrayed Him?" And what has this to do with the question? "Because if Christ must needs be crucified, it must be by the means of some one, and if by some one, surely by such a person as this. But if all had been good, the dispensation in our behalf had been impeded." Not so. For the All wise knows how He shall bring about our benefits, even had this happened. For His wisdom is rich in contrivance, and incomprehensible. So for this reason, that no one might suppose that Judas had become a minister of the dispensation, He declares the wretchedness of the man.
John ChrysostomAD 407
Homily on the Gospel of Matthew 81
"Now when the even was come, He sat down with the twelve disciples." Oh the shamelessness of Judas! For he too was present there, and came to partake both of the mysteries, and of the meal, and is convicted at the very table, when although he had been a wild beast, he would have become tame.
For this cause the evangelist also signifies, that while they are eating, Christ speaks of His betrayal, that both by the time and by the table he might show the wickedness of the traitor.
For when the disciples had done, as Jesus had appointed them, "when the even was come, He sat down with the twelve. And as they did eat, He said," we are told, "Verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me." And before the supper, He had even washed his feet. And see how He spares the traitor. For He said not, such a one shall betray me; but, "one of you," so as again to give him power of repentance by concealment. And He chooseth to alarm all, for the sake of saving this man. Of you, the twelve, saith He, that are everywhere present with me, whose feet I washed, to whom I promised so many things.
Intolerable sorrow thereupon seized that holy company. And John indeed saith, they "were in doubt, and looked one upon another," and each of them asked in fear concerning himself, although conscious to themselves of no such thing. But this evangelist saith, that "being exceeding sorrowful, they began every one of them to say unto Him, Is it I, Lord?"
Mark at what time He discovered him. It was when it was His will to deliver the rest from this trouble, for they were even dead with the fear, wherefore also they were instant with their questions. But not only as desiring to deliver them from their distress He did this, but also as willing to amend the traitor. For since after having often heard it generally, he continued incorrigible, being past feeling, He being minded to make him feel more, takes off his mask.
For when being sorrowful they began to say, "Is it I, Lord?" He answered and said, "He that dippeth with me in the dish, the same shall betray me. The Son of Man goeth, as it is written of Him, but woe to the man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It had been good for that man if he had not been born."
Now some say that he was so bold as not to honor his Master, but to dip with Him: but to me Christ seems to have done this too, to shame him the more, and bring him over to a better disposition. For this act again has something more in it.
But these things we ought not to pass by at random, but they should be infixed in our minds, and wrath would find no place at any time.
For who, bearing in mind that supper, and the traitor sitting at meat with the Saviour of all, and Him who was to be betrayed thus meekly reasoning, would not put away all venom of wrath and anger? See at any rate how meekly He conducts Himself towards him, "The Son of Man goeth, as it is written of Him."
And these things again He said, both to restore the disciples, that they might not think the thing was a sign of weakness, and to amend the traitor.
"But woe unto that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born." See again in His rebukes His unspeakable meekness. For not even here with invective, but more in the way of compassion, doth He apply what He saith, but in a disguised way again; and yet not his former senselessness only, but his subsequent shamelessness was deserving of the utmost indignation. For after this conviction he saith, "Is it I, Lord?" Oh insensibility! He inquires, when conscious to himself of such things. For the evangelist too, marvelling at his boldness, saith this. What then saith the most mild and gentle Jesus? "Thou sayest." And yet He might have said, O thou unholy, thou all unholy one; accursed, and profane; so long a time in travail with mischief, who hast gone thy way, and made satanical compacts, and hast agreed to receive money, and hast been convicted by me too, dost thou yet dare to ask? But none of these things did He say; but how? "Thou sayest?" fixing for us bounds and rules of long suffering.
But some one will say, Yet if it was written that He was to suffer these things, wherefore is Judas blamed, for he did the things that were written? But not with this intent, but from wickedness. For if thou inquire not concerning the motive, thou wilt deliver even the devil from the charges against him. But these things are not, they are not so. For both the one and the other are deserving of countless punishments, although the world was saved. For neither did the treason of Judas work out salvation for us, but the wisdom of Christ, and the good contrivance of His fair skill, using the wickednesses of others for our advantage.
John Chrysostom (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 407
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
The Evangelist relates how as they sat at meat, Jesus declares Judas' treachery, that the wickedness of the betrayer may be more apparent from the season and the circumstances.
I rather think that Christ did this out of regard for him, and to bring him to a better mind.
This He said to comfort His disciples, that they might not think that it was through weakness that He suffered; and at the same time for the correction of His betrayer. And notwithstanding His Passion had been foretold, Judas is still guilty; and not his betrayal wrought our salvation, but God's providence, which used the sins of others to our profit.
Though the Lord could have said, Hast thou covenanted to receive silver, and darest to ask Me this? But Jesus, most merciful, said nothing of all this, therein laying down for us rules and landmarks of endurance of evil. He saith unto him, Thou hast said.
Jerome (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 420
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
The Lord had above foretold His Passion, He now foretels who is to be the traitor; thus giving him place of repentance, when he should see that his thoughts and the secret designs of his heart were known.
Judas acts in every thing to remove all suspicion of his treachery.
O wonderful endurance of the Lord, He had said before, One of you shall betray me. The traitor perseveres in his wickedness; He designates him more particularly, yet not by name. For Judas, while the rest were sorrowful, and withdrew their hands, and bid away the food from their mouths, with the same hardihood and recklessness which led him to betray Him, reached forth his hand into the dish with his Master, passing off his audacity as a good conscience.
Judas, not withheld by either the first or second warning, perseveres in his treachery; the Lord's long-suffering nourishes his audacity. Now then his punishment is foretold, that denunciations of wrath may correct where good feeling has no power.
We are not to infer from this that man has a being before birth; for it cannot be well with any man till he has a being; it simply implies that it is better not to be, than to be in evil.
His question feigns either great respect, or a hypocritical incredulousness. The rest who were not to betray Him, said only Lord; the actual traitor addresses Him as Master, as though it were some excuse that he denied Him as Lord, and betrayed a Master only.
JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Matthew
(Verse 24.) Woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. Neither at first nor at second exposure to treachery does he retract his step, but the patience of the Lord nurtures his impudence, and in the day of wrath he accumulates wrath for himself (Rom. II). Punishment is predicted, so that those whom shame did not conquer, may be corrected by proclaimed punishments. But what follows:
It would have been good for him if that man had not been born: He is not to be considered as having existed before he was born, because no one can be well off unless they have existed: but it was simply stated that it is much better not to exist than to exist badly.
JeromeAD 420
COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 4.26.25
The others were grieved and very much saddened as they questioned Christ: “Surely, Lord, you don’t mean me?” Lest he seem to betray himself by keeping silent, he too, whose conscience was troubling him and who had boldly placed his hand in the dish, questioned him: “Surely, teacher, you don’t mean me?” To this he added lip homage and a show of incredulity. The others, who were not traitors, said, “Surely, Lord, you don’t mean me?” He who was the traitor did not call him Lord but teacher, as if to have an excuse, upon rejecting the Lord, for having betrayed at most a teacher. “Jesus answered, ‘You have said so.’ ” The traitor was put to shame by the same response Christ would later give to Pilate.
Augustine of Hippo (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 430
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
(Quaest. Ev. i. 40.) And if it be contended that there is a life before this life, that will prove that not only not for Judas, but for none other is it good to have been born. Can it mean, that it were better for him not to have been born to the Devil, namely, for sin? Or does it mean that it had been good for him not to have been born to Christ at his calling, that he should now become apostate?
Leo the Great (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 461
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
(Serm. 58.3.) He shows that the conscience of His betrayer was known to Him, not meeting his wickedness with a harsh and open rebuke, that penitence might find a readier way to one who had not been disgraced by public dismissal.
Remigius of Rheims (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 533
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
With the twelve, it is said, for Judas was personally among them, though he had ceased to be so in merit.
And it is beautifully said, When even was come, because it was in the evening that the Lamb was wont to be slain.
It belongs to human nature to come and go, Divine nature remains ever the same. So because His human nature could suffer and die, therefore of the Son of Man it is well said that he goeth. He says plainly, As it is written of him, for all that He suffered had been foretold by the Prophets.
Woe also to all who draw near to Christ's table with an evil and defiled conscience! who though they do not deliver Christ to the Jews to be crucified, deliver Him to their own sinful members to be taken. He adds, to give more emphasis, Good were it for that man if he had never been born.
Which may be understood thus; Thou sayest it, and thou sayest what is true; or, Thou hast said this, not I; leaving him room for repentance so long as his villainy was not publicly exposed.
Rabanus Maurus (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 856
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
For this reason also, because in Christ's Passion, wherein the true sun hasted to his setting, eternal refreshment was made ready for all believers.
What Matthew calls 'paropsis,' Mark calls 'catinus.' The 'paropsis' is a square dish for meat, 'catinus,' an earthen vessel for containing fluids; this then might be a square earthen vessel.
This might have been so said by Judas, and answered by the Lord as not to be overheard by the rest.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Matthew 26:24 captures Jesus's solemn declaration during the Last Supper concerning His impending betrayal. He affirms that His suffering and death align with divine prophecy, yet simultaneously pronounces a severe "woe" upon His betrayer, Judas Iscariot. The chilling pronouncement that it would have been better for that man never to have been born underscores the profound culpability and dire eternal consequences awaiting the one who would hand over the Son of Man to His enemies.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Matthew 26:24 employs several potent literary devices to convey its profound message. Foreshadowing is evident as Jesus explicitly predicts His betrayal and its devastating consequences, setting the stage for the unfolding events of His arrest, trial, and crucifixion. The phrase "as it is written of him" also serves as an appeal to Prophecy Fulfillment, aligning current events with ancient divine declarations, thereby affirming Jesus's messianic identity and the divine orchestration of His mission. Most strikingly, the final clause, "it had been good for that man if he had not been born," utilizes Hyperbole. This extreme exaggeration is not meant to be taken literally as a desire for non-existence, but rather to emphasize the unparalleled severity and eternal nature of the judgment awaiting the betrayer. It underscores the ultimate tragedy of a life lived in opposition to God, leading to a state of being so miserable that even never having existed would be a mercy. This hyperbole functions as a stark warning, highlighting the immense spiritual stakes involved in one's response to Christ.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Matthew 26:24 stands as a profound theological statement on the intersection of divine sovereignty and human responsibility. While Jesus's suffering and death were undeniably part of God's redemptive plan, "as it is written," this divine decree did not absolve Judas of his moral culpability. The "woe" pronounced upon him underscores that his betrayal was a conscious, wicked act of his own free will, for which he would face dire eternal consequences. This tension highlights a core biblical truth: God's perfect plan unfolds, yet human beings remain morally accountable for their choices, particularly in their response to Christ. The verse also implicitly connects to the concept of the ultimate value of a human soul, suggesting that for some, the eternal state is so dreadful that it negates the very gift of life.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Matthew 26:24 serves as a sobering reminder of the profound consequences of our choices, especially concerning our allegiance to Christ. It challenges us to examine the authenticity of our faith and the depth of our commitment. While we may not betray Jesus in the dramatic way Judas did, any act of unfaithfulness, compromise with sin, or deliberate rejection of His truth carries spiritual weight. This verse calls us to consider the eternal implications of our decisions and to live lives marked by genuine devotion and obedience. It underscores the immense value of faithfulness and the severe judgment for those who knowingly turn away from the light. Ultimately, it compels us to cling to Christ, recognizing that true life and blessing are found only in Him, and that separation from Him leads to an unimaginable "woe."
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Did God force Judas to betray Jesus?
Answer: No, the Bible consistently presents Judas's betrayal as his own deliberate choice, for which he is held fully accountable. While Jesus's death was part of God's sovereign plan and prophesied in Scripture, God did not coerce Judas. Instead, Judas acted out of his own free will, driven by greed (John 12:6) and perhaps disillusionment with Jesus's messianic mission. God's foreknowledge of an event does not equate to His causing it to happen in a way that negates human responsibility. The "woe" pronounced upon Judas in Matthew 26:24 clearly indicates his culpability.
What does "it had been good for that man if he had not been born" truly mean?
Answer: This is one of the most chilling and severe pronouncements in the Bible. It is a hyperbolic expression indicating that the eternal state and suffering awaiting Judas would be so utterly terrible and without hope that non-existence would have been preferable. It does not suggest that God wished Judas had never existed, but rather emphasizes the extreme, irreversible, and horrific nature of the judgment he would face. It underscores the eternal damnation for those who fundamentally reject and betray the Son of God, a fate far worse than any earthly suffering or even death.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Matthew 26:24, though a pronouncement of woe, ultimately points to the profound Christ-centered fulfillment of God's redemptive plan. The "Son of Man" who "goeth as it is written of him" is Jesus, the promised Messiah whose suffering and death were not accidental but divinely ordained to accomplish salvation. His betrayal, far from derailing God's purposes, was an integral, albeit tragic, part of the script written in eternity and foretold by the prophets (Isaiah 53:5-6). Jesus willingly embraced this path, knowing the cost, because it was the only way to reconcile humanity to God. His ultimate triumph over sin and death through the cross and resurrection (Romans 5:8, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4) transforms the "woe" of betrayal into the glory of redemption for all who believe. Thus, even in the darkest moment of betrayal, Jesus remains the sovereign Lord, fulfilling His mission to be the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29), securing an eternal "good" for those who trust in Him, in stark contrast to the betrayer's tragic end.