And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Judas doesn't just throw the silver in the temple; the text suggests he hurled it into the sanctuary, the holiest part accessible only to priests. This desperate act highlights his acute awareness of defilement and his agonizing realization that this "blood money" is utterly worthless to him now.
And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage interrupts the narrative of Jesus' trial before Pilate to describe the immediate aftermath of Judas's betrayal. Having handed Jesus over, Judas is overwhelmed by remorse upon hearing of Jesus' condemnation. He tries to return the blood money to the chief priests, but they reject him, leading Judas to throw the silver back into the temple and take his own life.
Judas throws the silver back into the Temple, the very place where he found his betrayal of Jesus validated. Why this shocking act?
Matthew places Judas's act of returning the blood money in the Temple. This isn't just a random location; it's the sacred heart of Jewish worship.
A Sacred Space Desecrated
Commentators suggest Judas may have thrown the money into the 'holy place' itself, a space reserved only for priests. This action is incredibly significant:
This act highlights that Judas's remorse is not about seeking God's forgiveness, but about a desperate attempt to escape the crushing burden of his guilt.
Judas repents, he confesses his sin, and he even tries to undo his action. Yet, his end is destruction. What's missing?
Matthew tells us Judas 'repented' and confessed, 'I have sinned.' This sounds like the beginning of turning things around, doesn't it? But the outcome is tragic.
Ask a follow-up
The Difference Between Regret and Repentance
Judas's story is a solemn warning: sorrow over sin is not enough if it doesn't lead to faith in Christ's atoning work.
The way Judas died is described with stark, brutal detail. What does this violent end signify?
Matthew's account of Judas hanging himself, combined with Luke's description of his gruesome death (bursting open), paints a disturbing picture.
The Wages of Betrayal
Judas's fate is a stark reminder that while God is merciful, His justice is also real, and the price of profound betrayal is immense.
Understand the original words
naos · Greek Noun
The central place of worship for Israel and the dwelling place of God’s presence on earth; it was considered the most sacred location in the Jewish world.
The details surrounding Judas's death, including his act of returning the silver and his subsequent suicide, highlight the stark contrast between his despairing remorse and true repentance, and serve as a somber fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy.
c. 30 AD
Judas betrays Jesus
Judas Iscariot, one of Jesus' twelve disciples, betrays Jesus to the Jewish authorities for 30 pieces of silver. This act leads directly to Jesus' arrest and trial.
c. 30 AD
Jesus is condemned
Jesus is tried by the Jewish council and then by the Roman governor Pontius Pilate, who ultimately condemns him to crucifixion.
c. 30 AD— this verse
Judas's remorse and death
Overwhelmed by guilt after Jesus' condemnation, Judas attempts to return the silver and confesses his sin before the chief priests and elders. When they reject him, he goes away and hangs himself.
c. 30 AD
The chief priests buy the potter's field
Using the 30 pieces of silver returned by Judas, the chief priests purchase a field from a potter. This field becomes known as the "Field of Blood" and serves as a burial place for strangers.
c. 30 AD
Jesus is crucified
Jesus is crucified by the Romans at Golgotha, fulfilling prophecies and completing his atoning sacrifice for humanity.
c. 30 AD
Peter recounts Judas's death
In the book of Acts, Peter describes Judas's violent death, stating he fell headlong, burst open, and his bowels spilled out, offering a complementary, though seemingly different, account of Judas's demise.
This passage directly prophesies the selling of the shepherd for thirty pieces of silver and the money being cast into the potter's house, directly fulfilling the events described in Matthew 27:3-10.
2 Samuel 17:23This verse describes Ahithophel, a betrayer who gave treacherous counsel, hanging himself, paralleling the tragic end of Judas.
Acts 1:18-19Peter's account of Judas' death describes him falling headlong and bursting open, offering a different but complementary perspective on the violent end of the betrayer.
Hebrews 12:17This verse speaks of Esau, who, after selling his birthright for a single meal, found no place for repentance even though he sought it with tears, highlighting the irreversible nature of rejecting God's grace, similar to Judas's despair.
vincentMatthew 27:5: "And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself."
In the templeBut the best reading is εἰς τὸν ναόν, into the sanctuary. He cast the pieces over the barrier of the enclosure which surrounded the sanctuary, or temple proper, and within which only the priests were allowed, and therefore into the sanctuary.
barnesMatthew 27:5: "And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself."
And he cast down ... - This was an evidence of his remorse of conscience for his crime. His ill-gotten gain now did him no good. It would not produce relief to his agonized mind. He "attempted," therefore, to obtain relief by throwing back the price of treason; but he attempted it in vain. The consciousness of guilt was fastened to his soul; and Judas found, as all will find, that to…
Judas doesn't just throw the silver in the temple; the text suggests he hurled it into the sanctuary, the holiest part accessible only to priests. This desperate act highlights his acute awareness of defilement and his agonizing realization that this "blood money" is utterly worthless to him now.
This passage interrupts the narrative of Jesus' trial before Pilate to describe the immediate aftermath of Judas's betrayal. Having handed Jesus over, Judas is overwhelmed by remorse upon hearing of Jesus' condemnation. He tries to return the blood money to the chief priests, but they reject him, leading Judas to throw the silver back into the temple and take his own life.
This passage interrupts the narrative of Jesus' trial before Pilate to describe the immediate aftermath of Judas's betrayal. Having handed Jesus over, Judas is overwhelmed by remorse upon hearing of Jesus' condemnation. He tries to return the blood money to the chief priests, but they reject him, leading Judas to throw the silver back into the temple and take his own life.
"And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself." — Judas doesn't just throw the silver in the temple; the text suggests he hurled it into the sanctuary, the holiest part accessible only to priests. This desperate act highlights his acute awarenes…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026