Mark 14:10 (KJV)

What does Mark 14:10 mean?

Mark 14:10 describes how Judas Iscariot, who was one of Jesus’ twelve closest followers, went to the chief priests with the intention of betraying Jesus to them. This verse marks the moment when Judas actively seeks out Jesus’ enemies to arrange his betrayal.

In the setting of Mark 14:10, Jesus and his disciples are in Jerusalem during the days leading up to Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion. The verse highlights Judas’s personal decision to approach the religious leaders, who were already looking for a way to arrest Jesus quietly. This action sets in motion the events that will lead to Jesus’ arrest later in the chapter.

The Greek behind Mark 14:10

• Ἰσκαριώτης (Iskariōtēs): This is the Greek form of "Iscariot," identifying Judas specifically among the twelve. The name distinguishes him from other men named Judas and signals his unique role in the narrative.
• παραδιδόναι (paradidonai): This word is often translated as "to betray," but it literally means "to hand over" or "to deliver up." The Greek here carries the sense of turning someone over to authorities, which gives a concrete picture of Judas’s action.

Why Mark 14:10 matters

• Mark 14:10 clarifies that Judas’s betrayal was a deliberate choice; he was not tricked or forced but went on his own initiative to the chief priests.
• The verse connects Judas’s actions directly to the religious leaders’ plans, showing that the betrayal was coordinated with those already seeking Jesus’ death.
• This moment is a turning point in the Gospel narrative, shifting from growing opposition to Jesus toward the final events of his arrest and crucifixion.