John 13 30

John 13:30 kjv

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

John 13:30 nkjv

Having received the piece of bread, he then went out immediately. And it was night.

John 13:30 niv

As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night.

John 13:30 esv

So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.

John 13:30 nlt

So Judas left at once, going out into the night.

John 13 verses

John 13 30 Meaning

John 13:30 marks a decisive moment in Jesus' final Passover meal, signaling the irreparable separation of Judas Iscariot from Christ and His disciples. Having received the symbolic morsel from Jesus, an act which signified intimacy but, in Judas's case, confirmed his betrayal and allowed Satan full entry, he departed swiftly. The concluding phrase, "and it was night," functions as a dual observation: a literal description of the time, and a profound symbolic commentary on the spiritual darkness that Judas embraced and that was about to envelop the world through the impending crucifixion of the Son of God. This departure initiates the final phase of Jesus' Passion.

John 13 30 Context

This verse is set during Jesus' final Passover meal with His disciples, shortly after He washes their feet, demonstrating humble servitude and mutual love. The atmosphere is solemn, moving from teaching to the stark reality of impending betrayal and suffering. Jesus reveals that one of them will betray Him, causing distress among the disciples. To identify the betrayer without directly naming him to all, Jesus dips a piece of bread and gives it to Judas, confirming the identity to those nearest and simultaneously marking the precise moment of Judas's irreversible choice and the full indwelling of Satan (John 13:26-27). Verse 30 directly follows this, signifying the dramatic culmination of Judas's rejection of Christ and the initiation of Jesus' Passion. It represents a pivot from intimacy and teaching to the unfolding drama of redemption through suffering.

John 13 30 Word analysis

• Then (οὖν, oun): This Greek particle functions as a strong connective, meaning "therefore" or "so then." It indicates a logical consequence or progression, tying Judas's departure directly to the previous events – specifically, receiving the morsel and Satan's entry. It underscores the decisive nature of the moment.
• having received (λαβών, labōn): This aorist active participle means "having taken" or "having accepted." It emphasizes Judas's active participation in this final, climactic exchange. He willingly took the morsel, demonstrating his conscious choice to proceed with his betrayal even after Jesus' revelation.
• the piece of bread (τὸ ψωμίον, to psōmion): This refers to the morsel that Jesus had dipped and offered to Judas. In Jewish custom, dipping and sharing bread often symbolized intimacy and friendship. In this context, it is chillingly inverted, serving as the identifying sign for the betrayer. It's not the bread of Communion but a prearranged signal that becomes the catalyst for Satan's complete entry and Judas's subsequent action.
• he immediately (εὐθύς, euthys): The Greek word "immediately" stresses the swiftness and lack of hesitation in Judas's departure. There was no wavering, no pause for reconsideration or remorse at this point. This haste underlines the decisive, unreserved nature of his surrender to the darkness he had chosen, now fully empowered by Satan.
• went out (ἐξῆλθεν, exēlthen): This simply means "he went out" or "he exited." Literally, he left the room where Jesus and the other disciples were gathered. Symbolically, this act of "going out" carries profound significance: he went out from the presence of the Light of the World, from the communion of believers, and from the path of life. It signifies his complete and final separation into the spiritual darkness.
• and it was (ἦν, ēn): The imperfect tense of "to be" signifies a state or condition existing at that moment.
• night (νύξ, nyx): On one level, this is a literal temporal statement, indicating the time of day. On a deeper, profound symbolic level (characteristic of John's Gospel), "night" represents the triumph of spiritual darkness, evil, and ignorance. It marks the hour of Satan's perceived victory (cf. Luke 22:53), the domain in which deeds of darkness are carried out. It foreshadows the events of the arrest, trial, and crucifixion which occur under the cloak of night or its impending spiritual equivalent.

Words-group analysis:

• "having received the piece of bread, he immediately went out": This phrase captures the immediate consequence of the "sign." It shows Judas's decisive and irreversible commitment to the path of betrayal. The speed highlights his spiritual state—no hesitation, only a prompt execution of the deed Satan had put into his heart. It emphasizes the direct link between Jesus' act (giving the morsel) and Judas's subsequent action, fulfilling Jesus' word.
• "and it was night": This short concluding phrase serves as a powerful Johannine literary device. It encapsulates the deep spiritual implications of Judas's departure. The physical darkness of the evening parallels the moral and spiritual darkness that has now fully consumed Judas's heart and is about to unfold in the world through the Passion of Christ. It speaks to the hour when the powers of darkness seemed to hold sway against the Light of the world.

John 13 30 Bonus section

• The immediacy (euthys) of Judas's departure starkly contrasts with Peter's lingering presence after his denials (Luke 22:62), highlighting the difference between a falling that leads to repentance and an abandonment that leads to destruction. While both were predicted to fail by Jesus, their responses to their failures separated their eternal destinies.
• John 13:30 powerfully signifies a divine appointment. While Judas freely chose to betray, his actions fit perfectly within God's predetermined plan for salvation, ensuring the fulfillment of Scripture (Ps 41:9; John 13:18) and the appointed "hour" (John 12:23; 17:1) of Christ's glorification through suffering.
• With Judas's exit, a palpable shift occurs in the atmosphere of the upper room. Jesus can now speak more openly and intimately with His faithful eleven, transitioning to the core of His new covenant teaching regarding love, abiding, the Holy Spirit, and the journey to the Father. The "night" for the world outside became the moment of deeper communion for the faithful few with the Lord.

John 13 30 Commentary

John 13:30 serves as a succinct yet monumentally significant verse, marking the irrevocable separation of Judas Iscariot from Christ and the initiation of the redemptive drama. The moment Judas received the psōmion, the dipped morsel, was the catalyst: not a moment of decision for Judas, but the execution of a decision long made (John 6:70-71) and now empowered by Satan (John 13:2, 27). His "immediate" departure emphasizes the unhesitating finality of his choice, showcasing a soul fully yielded to the power of evil, leaving no room for repentance. The profound concluding statement, "and it was night," functions as John's thematic stamp on the event. Beyond being a literal descriptor, it embodies the culmination of spiritual darkness: Judas, now a vessel of the prince of darkness, fully departs the physical and spiritual presence of the Light of the World. This withdrawal allows Jesus to shift His focus to His loyal disciples, ushering in the profound intimacy of the Upper Room Discourse (John 14-17), where He imparts final teachings, comfort, and the promise of the Holy Spirit, now free from the contaminating presence of the betrayer. It sets the stage for the Passion, where light battles darkness for the soul of humanity.