Paragraph 1:18–19

1:18a–19c

It is difficult to determine if Peter spoke 1:18a–19c or if Luke wrote 1:18a–19c as extra information about Judas in the middle of Peter’s speech. The Greek does not use quote marks. There are two interpretations:

(1) It is not a part of Peter’s speech. Luke wrote 1:18a–19c as extra information. There should be a quote mark at the end of 1:17 to indicate that Luke interrupts Peter’s speech. For example:

17…he had been chosen to have a part in our work.”

(18With the money… (Good News Translation)

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, Good News Translation, New Revised Standard Version, New American Standard Bible, NET Bible, New Living Translation (2004), Revised English Bible, New Century Version, English Standard Version)

(2) It is a part of Peter’s speech. Peter continued speaking. There should not be a quote mark at the end of 1:17. For example:

17…and sharing our ministry. 18As you know, he bought… (New Jerusalem Bible)

(Revised Standard Version, New Jerusalem Bible, King James Version, Contemporary English Version, God’s Word, New American Bible, Revised Edition)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), because Peter would not need to explain this to his audience, because they probably knew about it already. Plus, Luke wrote “their” in 1:19b, but Peter would use “our.”

Since 1:18a–19c is extra information about Judas, many English versions put parentheses around these verses.

Some English versions also put these verses in a separate paragraph to help indicate that this information is not a part of Peter’s speech. Consider how to indicate 1:18a–19c as extra information about Judas.

1:18a

Now: Luke used the word Now to indicate a change from Peter’s speech to the extra information about Judas.

Another way some versions choose to show a change in the story in English is to avoid using a conjunction. Consider how to indicate a change in the story in your language.

with the reward for his wickedness Judas bought a field: The Greek is literally “This one acquired/bought a field out of a reward of unrighteousness.” The phrase “This one” probably implies a lack of respect for Judas.

Judas betrayed Jesus, and the priests gave money to Judas for doing that. That money was his reward. Later Judas threw the money into the temple area. The priests bought the field using Judas’s money. The priests probably used Judas’s name as the owner of the field since the money was his. Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
This person/guy received a field from the money given to him for his unrighteous deed
-or-
this man Judas acquired a field with the reward of his unjust deed (NET Bible)

Judas bought a field: Luke probably wrote Judas bought a field here to keep the focus on Judas rather than referring to the whole story about the money. You may want to explain in a footnote. Here is an example footnote:

The priests bought the field using Judas’s money (Matthew 27:5–7). So the field would belong to Judas. Luke probably wrote “Judas bought a field” because he was telling the story about Judas and wanted to keep it short and not tell that whole story.

1:18b

there he fell headlong: The word headlong indicates that Judas fell head first and probably face downward. The fact that his body burst open probably indicates that he fell from a height, rather than something like tripping as he walked. Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

Falling headfirst there (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
where he fell headfirst to his death (God’s Word)

there: The Berean Standard Bible adds this word. The Greek probably implies that Judas died at that field.

all his intestines spilled out: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as intestines refers to all the organs in the area of the belly. For example:

all his internal organs came out (God’s Word)
-or-
all his insides came out (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
all his guts poured out

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