Matthew 27 6

Matthew 27:6 kjv

And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood.

Matthew 27:6 nkjv

But the chief priests took the silver pieces and said, "It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, because they are the price of blood."

Matthew 27:6 niv

The chief priests picked up the coins and said, "It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money."

Matthew 27:6 esv

But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, "It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is blood money."

Matthew 27:6 nlt

The leading priests picked up the coins. "It wouldn't be right to put this money in the Temple treasury," they said, "since it was payment for murder."

Matthew 27 verses

Matthew 27 6 Meaning

The chief priests, recognizing that the thirty pieces of silver Judas returned were tainted by innocent blood, declared it unlawful to deposit such funds into the Temple treasury. This decision reflected their adherence to ceremonial purity laws, despite their own profound guilt in orchestrating the very act that made the money "blood money."

Matthew 27 6 Context

Matthew 27:6 is situated immediately after Judas Iscariot's desperate act of remorse where he returns the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, acknowledging Jesus's innocence and his own sin of betraying "innocent blood." The broader chapter context details the final stages of Jesus's condemnation by Pilate, His scourging, and His journey to crucifixion. The religious leaders, having achieved their goal of Jesus's condemnation, now face the ethical dilemma of handling the money used for His betrayal. Historically, Jewish law placed strict regulations on funds offered to the Temple, particularly those derived from unholy or unethical sources. The "treasury" (κορβανᾶν - korbanan) referred to a specific part of the Temple where monetary gifts and donations for its maintenance and sacrifices were kept, signifying its sacred nature. Their decision reflects an attempt to maintain ceremonial purity and adherence to external religious codes, despite their recent actions of orchestrating an innocent man's death. This starkly highlights their profound hypocrisy and selective piety.

Matthew 27 6 Word analysis

• But: Greek: de (δὲ). Indicates a transition or slight contrast. It shifts the focus from Judas's despair to the chief priests' practical concern regarding the returned money.

• the chief priests: Greek: hoi archiereis (οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς). Refers to the highest-ranking Jewish religious officials, including the high priest (Caiaphas), former high priests, and members of the leading priestly families. They wielded significant power in the Sanhedrin and Temple affairs, prioritizing ritual law and tradition.

• took: Greek: labontes (λαβόντες), a participle from lambanō. Implies they physically received or took possession of the silver. They were willing to use it for betrayal but not to place it in the holy treasury.

• the silver pieces: Greek: ta argyria (τὰ ἀργύρια). Specifically the thirty pieces of silver, the predetermined price for Jesus's betrayal. This amount symbolically links to the price of a slave (Exo 21:32) and the prophetic fulfillment in Zech 11:12-13.

• and said: Greek: kai eipan (καὶ εἶπαν). Signifies their collective deliberation and declaration.

• 'It is not lawful: Greek: Ouk exestin (Οὐκ ἔξεστιν). A strong prohibition meaning "it is not permitted," "it is not right," or "it is unlawful." It refers to their interpretation of Mosaic Law and halakhic tradition, emphasizing a ritual, not moral, concern.

• to put them: Greek: balein (βαλεῖν), from ballō, meaning to throw, cast, or deposit. In this context, to deposit funds.

• into the treasury: Greek: eis ton korbanan (εἰς τὸν κορβανᾶν). Korbanan (κορβανᾶν) is a transliteration of the Hebrew/Aramaic term qorban (קרבן), meaning an offering or something dedicated to God. It referred to the Temple treasury or the chamber where consecrated offerings were placed. Its sanctity meant it should not be defiled by unclean money.

• because: Greek: epei (ἐπεί). Provides the reason or justification for their declaration.

• it is blood money.': Greek: timē haimatos estin (τιμὴ αἵματος ἐστιν). Literally "price of blood" or "value of blood." It signifies money obtained as a result of shedding innocent blood or causing a death. Such funds were ritually defiling and considered unacceptable for Temple use according to their strict interpretation of the Law (referencing Deut 23:18, which prohibited the "hire of a harlot or the wages of a dog" being brought into the house of the Lord, expanded to include other illicit gains). This statement implicitly acknowledges Jesus's innocence, aligning with Judas's confession, though the priests never truly admit it aloud or repent.

• "chief priests took the silver pieces": Highlights their involvement in the conspiracy. They received and facilitated the betrayal, thus directly handling the money tainted by their own actions.

• "'It is not lawful to put them into the treasury'": Reveals their selective adherence to the Law. They were meticulous about the ceremonial purity of Temple funds while simultaneously violating far more fundamental moral laws regarding justice, innocent life, and truth.

• "'because it is blood money.'": This phrase is profoundly ironic and serves as a direct indictment of their guilt. They recognize the money's defilement due to shedding innocent blood, yet they are the very agents responsible for the bloodshed. Their legalistic scruple inadvertently confirms the wickedness of their own deed.

Matthew 27 6 Bonus section

The concept of "blood money" in Jewish law, while not always explicitly defined in terms of money used for betrayal, resonated with prohibitions against "unclean" money being dedicated to the Temple (like the "hire of a harlot" in Deut 23:18). This demonstrates the priests extending legalistic interpretation to a case involving a human life. Their self-serving righteousness here inadvertently confirms the prophecy from Zechariah 11:13 regarding the betrayal price thrown to the potter, even though they were only trying to find a lawful disposal for the defiled money (Matt 27:7-10). The very action intended to cleanse the Temple treasury resulted in a further fulfillment of scripture, highlighting God's sovereign hand at work despite human wickedness. Their meticulous adherence to a minor legal point tragically overshadowed their utter failure on the grandest moral issue imaginable – condemning the Son of God.

Matthew 27 6 Commentary

Matthew 27:6 presents a striking image of spiritual blindness and profound hypocrisy among the chief priests. Having meticulously plotted Jesus's death and even paid for His betrayal, they are now confronted with the "blood money" returned by Judas. Their immediate concern is not the grievous moral wrong they committed, nor the injustice meted out to an innocent man, but rather the ritual impurity of the silver pieces. Their declaration, "It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, because it is blood money," epitomizes a religious formalism that prioritizes outward conformity to ceremonial law over internal righteousness and true justice. They are punctilious about the 'korbanan' being undefiled by ill-gotten gains, yet their own hands are literally covered in innocent blood through their machinations. This reveals a fatal flaw in their religious understanding: the elevation of ritual purity to such an extent that it eclipses the weightier matters of the Law—justice, mercy, and faithfulness. Their decision to avoid contaminating the Temple offerings with "blood money" serves as a powerful indictment against them, unknowingly acknowledging the horrific nature of their deed, while simultaneously revealing their inability to repent. This moment underscores the profound gap between external religiosity and genuine, Spirit-led obedience to God's heart.