He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night.

JOHN 13:30KJV
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John 13:30 (KJV)

What does John 13:30 mean?

John 13:30 describes how Judas, after receiving a piece of bread from Jesus during the Last Supper, immediately left the gathering, and the verse notes that it was night. This moment marks Judas’s decision to betray Jesus, setting the events of the crucifixion in motion.

In this scene, Jesus is with His disciples, and He has just identified Judas as the one who will betray Him by giving him the "sop" (a piece of dipped bread). The verse highlights Judas’s quick departure and the detail that it was night, which adds a sense of urgency and darkness to the unfolding events. The mention of night may also hint at the spiritual darkness of what Judas is about to do.

The Greek behind John 13:30

  • "εὐθέως" (eutheōs, G2112) means "immediately" or "at once." The use of this word shows that Judas did not hesitate after receiving the bread; his actions were swift and deliberate.
  • "νύξ" (nyx, G3571) means "night." The mention of night is more than just a time marker; in John’s Gospel, night often symbolizes spiritual darkness or evil, which adds a deeper layer to Judas’s departure.

Why John 13:30 matters

  • John 13:30 clarifies that Judas’s betrayal was a conscious and immediate choice, not something he drifted into by accident.
  • The detail that "it was night" connects this moment to the theme of darkness in John’s Gospel, emphasizing the seriousness and spiritual weight of Judas’s actions.
  • This verse sets the stage for the events that follow, showing a clear turning point in the narrative where Jesus’s path to the cross becomes inevitable.

Where else these words appear

“sop” Greek G5596 · used in 3 verses

  • 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.

“night” Greek G3571 · used in 62 verses

  • Matthew 2:14 When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:
  • Luke 21:37 And in the day time he was teaching in the temple; and at night he went out, and abode in the mount that is called the mount of Olives.
  • Acts 27:23 For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,

“immediately” Greek G2112 · used in 80 verses

  • Matthew 4:20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.
  • Mark 2:12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.
  • Mark 14:43 And immediately, while he yet spake, cometh Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.