Judas Iscariot, Jesus' betrayer, possibly from the village of Kerioth, the only Judaean disciple among the Twelve, and, according to the Gospel of St. John, their treasurer. Judas went to the chief priests and offered to betray Jesus, for which he was paid the sum of 30 pieces of silver. After the Last Supper he led an armed band to Gethsemane and there identified Jesus to the soldiers by kissing him. Later, according to the Gospel of St. Matthew, he repented of this act of betrayal and killed himself. The blood money went to buy a potter's field, Aceldama.

(died circa AD 30) Disciple who betrayed Jesus. He was one of the original 12 disciples. Judas made a deal with the Jewish authorities to betray Jesus into their custody; in return for 30 pieces of silver, he brought the armed guard to the Garden of Gethsemane and identified Jesus with a kiss. He later regretted his deed and committed suicide; according to Matthew 27, he returned the money to the priests before hanging himself. His surname may mean “man of Kerioth,” or it may link him to the Sicarii, a band of radical Jewish terrorists.

Learn more about Judas Iscariot with a free trial on Britannica.com.