Matthew 26:4
New International Version
and they schemed to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him.

New Living Translation
plotting how to capture Jesus secretly and kill him.

English Standard Version
and plotted together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him.

Berean Standard Bible
and they conspired to arrest Jesus covertly and kill Him.

Berean Literal Bible
and they plotted together, in order that they might seize Jesus by guile and kill Him.

King James Bible
And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him.

New King James Version
and plotted to take Jesus by trickery and kill Him.

New American Standard Bible
and they plotted together to arrest Jesus covertly and kill Him.

NASB 1995
and they plotted together to seize Jesus by stealth and kill Him.

NASB 1977
and they plotted together to seize Jesus by stealth, and kill Him.

Legacy Standard Bible
and they plotted together to seize Jesus by stealth and kill Him.

Amplified Bible
and plotted together to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill Him.

Christian Standard Bible
and they conspired to arrest Jesus in a treacherous way and kill him.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
and they conspired to arrest Jesus in a treacherous way and kill Him.”

American Standard Version
and they took counsel together that they might take Jesus by subtlety, and kill him.

Contemporary English Version
They planned how they could sneak around and have Jesus arrested and put to death.

English Revised Version
and they took counsel together that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
They made plans to arrest Jesus in an underhanded way and to kill him.

Good News Translation
and made plans to arrest Jesus secretly and put him to death.

International Standard Version
They conspired to arrest Jesus by treachery and to kill him.

Majority Standard Bible
and they conspired to arrest Jesus covertly and kill Him.

NET Bible
They planned to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him.

New Heart English Bible
They took counsel together that they might take Jesus by deceit, and kill him.

Webster's Bible Translation
And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him.

Weymouth New Testament
and consulted how to get Jesus into their power by stratagem and put Him to death.

World English Bible
They took counsel together that they might take Jesus by deceit and kill him.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and they consulted together that they might take Jesus by guile, and kill [Him],

Berean Literal Bible
and they plotted together, in order that they might seize Jesus by guile and kill Him.

Young's Literal Translation
and they consulted together that they might take Jesus by guile, and kill him,

Smith's Literal Translation
And they counselled together, that they might obtain Jesus by stratagem, and might kill.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And they consulted together, that by subtilty they might apprehend Jesus, and put him to death.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And they took counsel so that by deceitfulness they might take hold of Jesus and kill him.

New American Bible
and they consulted together to arrest Jesus by treachery and put him to death.

New Revised Standard Version
and they conspired to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And they took counsel concerning Jesus, to arrest him by a snare and kill him.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And they held a council about Yeshua, so that they might seize him by deceit and murder him.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
And they consulted together that they might take Jesus by craft and kill him.

Godbey New Testament
And they immediately passed the verdict that they would take Jesus by stratagem, and kill Him.

Haweis New Testament
And they consulted together, how they might seize Jesus by guile, and put him to death.

Mace New Testament
and consulted how to seize Jesus by surprize, and take away his life.

Weymouth New Testament
and consulted how to get Jesus into their power by stratagem and put Him to death.

Worrell New Testament
and they consulted together that they might take Jesus by guile and kill Him.

Worsley New Testament
and were consulting how they might take Jesus by treachery and put Him to death.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Plot to Kill Jesus
3At that time the chief priests and elders of the people assembled in the courtyard of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, 4and they conspired to arrest Jesus covertly and kill Him. 5“But not during the feast,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.”…

Cross References
John 11:53
So from that day on they plotted to kill Him.

Mark 14:1-2
Now the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were two days away, and the chief priests and scribes were looking for a covert way to arrest Jesus and kill Him. / “But not during the feast,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.”

Luke 22:2
and the chief priests and scribes were looking for a way to put Jesus to death, for they feared the people.

John 5:18
Because of this, the Jews tried all the harder to kill Him. Not only was He breaking the Sabbath, but He was even calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.

John 7:1
After this, Jesus traveled throughout Galilee. He did not want to travel in Judea, because the Jews there were trying to kill Him.

John 7:19
Has not Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps it. Why are you trying to kill Me?”

John 8:37
I know you are Abraham’s descendants, but you are trying to kill Me because My word has no place within you.

John 8:40
But now you are trying to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham never did such a thing.

John 11:47-48
Then the chief priests and Pharisees convened the Sanhedrin and said, “What are we to do? This man is performing many signs. / If we let Him go on like this, everyone will believe in Him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”

Acts 5:33
When the Council members heard this, they were enraged, and they resolved to put the apostles to death.

Acts 9:23
After many days had passed, the Jews conspired to kill him,

Acts 23:12-15
When daylight came, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. / More than forty of them were involved in this plot. / They went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have bound ourselves with a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul. ...

Psalm 2:1-2
Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? / The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together, against the LORD and against His Anointed One:

Psalm 31:13
For I hear the slander of many; there is terror on every side. They conspire against me and plot to take my life.

Psalm 37:12
The wicked scheme against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them,


Treasury of Scripture

And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtlety, and kill him.

consulted.

Psalm 2:2
The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,

by.

Matthew 23:33
Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

Genesis 3:1
Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

Acts 7:19
The same dealt subtilly with our kindred, and evil entreated our fathers, so that they cast out their young children, to the end they might not live.

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Arrest Consulted Counsel Death Deceit Designs Guile Jesus Kill Order Plotted Power Seize Sly Stealth Stratagem Subtilty Subtlety Together Trick Way
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Arrest Consulted Counsel Death Deceit Designs Guile Jesus Kill Order Plotted Power Seize Sly Stealth Stratagem Subtilty Subtlety Together Trick Way
Matthew 26
1. Jesus foretells his own death.
3. The rulers conspire against him.
6. The woman anoints his feet.
14. Judas bargains to betray him.
17. Jesus eats the Passover;
26. institutes his holy supper;
30. foretells the desertion of his disciples, and Peter's denial;
36. prays in the garden;
47. and being betrayed by a kiss,
57. is carried to Caiaphas,
69. and denied by Peter.














and they conspired
The phrase "and they conspired" indicates a deliberate and secretive plan. The Greek word used here is "συμβούλιον" (symboulion), which implies a council or consultation. This reflects the calculated and premeditated nature of the religious leaders' actions. Historically, the Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council, often met to discuss matters of religious and civil importance. Their conspiracy against Jesus highlights the growing tension between Jesus' teachings and the established religious order. This act of conspiracy is a stark reminder of the spiritual blindness and hardness of heart that can occur when power and tradition are threatened by truth.

to arrest Jesus
The intention "to arrest Jesus" shows the leaders' desire to physically seize Him. The Greek word "κρατέω" (krateo) means to take hold of or to seize. This reflects their intent to exert control over Jesus, who had become a significant threat to their authority. Jesus' arrest was not merely a legal action but a fulfillment of the prophetic scriptures that foretold the Messiah's suffering. This moment underscores the paradox of Jesus' mission: He came to set people free, yet He was bound and arrested as part of God's redemptive plan.

covertly
The word "covertly" suggests secrecy and deceit. The Greek term "δόλος" (dolos) implies cunning or craftiness. The religious leaders sought to avoid public uproar, as Jesus was popular among the people. This clandestine approach reveals their fear of losing influence and the lengths they would go to maintain their status. It also highlights the contrast between the darkness of their intentions and the light of Jesus' truth and love. In a broader spiritual sense, this reflects the ongoing battle between light and darkness, truth and deception.

and kill Him
The phrase "and kill Him" is the culmination of their conspiracy. The Greek word "ἀποκτείνω" (apokteino) means to kill or destroy. This was not just a plan to silence Jesus but to eliminate Him entirely. Historically, this reflects the ultimate rejection of Jesus as the Messiah by the religious leaders. However, from a theological perspective, this act of violence was part of God's sovereign plan for salvation. Jesus' death was not the end but the means through which redemption and reconciliation with God were made possible. This phrase serves as a sobering reminder of the cost of sin and the depth of God's love, as Jesus willingly laid down His life for humanity.

(4) That they might take Jesus by subtilty.--The plan implied in these words and in those that follow ("not on the feast day") would seem to have been hastened in its accomplishment by the unexpected treachery of Judas. They had intended to wait till the feast was over, but the temptation thus offered was too great to be resisted, and they accordingly stepped out of the limits which their caution had suggested, and were content to run the risk even of an "uproar among the people" within the twenty-four hours of the Paschal Feast.

Verse 4. - By subtilty. They had decided to put Jesus to death; the question was how to get possession of his Person when there would be no attempt at a rescue, nor any tumult in his favour. The original is literally, They took counsel in order that they might take, etc. They seem scarcely to have reckoned on any legal trial; once they had him quietly in their hands, they would find means to dispose of him.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

they conspired
συνεβουλεύσαντο (synebouleusanto)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 4823: From sun and bouleuo; to give advice jointly, i.e. Recommend, deliberate or determine.

to
ἵνα (hina)
Conjunction
Strong's 2443: In order that, so that. Probably from the same as the former part of heautou; in order that.

arrest
κρατήσωσιν (kratēsōsin)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 2902: From kratos; to use strength, i.e. Seize or retain.

Jesus
Ἰησοῦν (Iēsoun)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2424: Of Hebrew origin; Jesus, the name of our Lord and two other Israelites.

covertly
δόλῳ (dolō)
Noun - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 1388: Deceit, guile, treachery. From an obsolete primary verb, dello; a trick, i.e. wile.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

kill [Him].
ἀποκτείνωσιν (apokteinōsin)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 615: To put to death, kill; fig: I abolish. From apo and kteino; to kill outright; figuratively, to destroy.


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NT Gospels: Matthew 26:4 They took counsel together that they might (Matt. Mat Mt)
Matthew 26:3
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