The theme of betrayal is prevalent in the Bible, a poignant reminder of both human fallibility and divine grace. Stories of betrayal unfold from Genesis to the Gospels, chronicling the complex dynamics of trust, broken promises, and redemption. Whether it is Judas Iscariot’s infamous act against Jesus or the deceit among brothers, these narratives offer profound lessons about loyalty, repentance, and forgiveness.
Here, we explore significant Bible verses about betrayal, accompanied by related cross-references to help deepen our understanding of this critical topic.
Bible Verses about Betrayal
1. Matthew 26:14-16 – Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus
“Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests and asked, ‘What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?’ So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.” – Matthew 26:14-16
Cross-References
Mark 14:10-11 – “Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them.”
Luke 22:3-6 – “Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve.”
2. John 13:21 – Jesus Predicts His Betrayal
“After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, ‘Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me.’” – John 13:21
Cross-References
Luke 22:21 – “But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table.”
3. Psalm 41:9 – The Betrayal of a Friend
“Even my close friend, someone I trusted, one who shared my bread, has turned against me.” – Psalm 41:9
Cross-References
Matthew 26:23 – “Jesus replied, ‘The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me.'”
Mark 14:20 – “‘It is one of the twelve,’ he replied, ‘one who dips bread into the bowl with me.'”
4. Proverbs 25:9 – Don’t Betray Others’ Confidence
“If you take your neighbor to court, do not betray another’s confidence,” – Proverbs 25:9
Cross-References
Proverbs 20:19 – “A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid anyone who talks too much.”
Matthew 18:15 – “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you.”
Leviticus 19:16 – “Do not go about spreading slander among your people.”
5. 2 Samuel 15:31 – David Prayed About Betrayal
“Now David had been told, ‘Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.’ So David prayed, ‘Lord, turn Ahithophel’s counsel into foolishness.’” – 2 Samuel 15:31
Cross-References
Psalm 55:12-14 – “If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it.”
2 Samuel 16:21-23 – “Ahithophel answered, ‘Sleep with your father’s concubines whom he left to take care of the palace.'”
1 Chronicles 27:33 – “Ahithophel was the king’s counselor.”
6. Matthew 27:3 – Judas Betrayed Jesus
“When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders.” – Matthew 27:3
Cross-References
Matthew 27:5 – “So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.”
Acts 1:18 – “With the payment he received for his wickedness, Judas bought a field.”
Zechariah 11:12-13 – “I told them, ‘If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it.'”
7. Genesis 37:18 – Joseph’s Brothers’ Betrayal
“But they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him.” – Genesis 37:18
Cross-References
Genesis 37:28 – “So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver.”
Acts 7:9 – “Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt.”
Genesis 50:20 – “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good.”
8. Mark 14:44 – The Sign of Betrayal
“Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: ‘The one I kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard.'” – Mark 14:44
Cross-References
Matthew 26:48 – “Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them.”
John 18:3 – “So Judas came to the garden, guiding a detachment of soldiers.”
9. Acts 7:52 – Betrayal of the Prophets
“Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him.” – Acts 7:52
Cross-References
Matthew 23:37 – “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you.”
Matthew 21:35 – “The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third.”
Luke 11:47 – “Woe to you, because you build tombs for the prophets, and it was your ancestors who killed them.”
10. Jeremiah 9:4 – A World Full of Betrayal
“Beware of your friends; do not trust anyone in your clan. For every one of them is a deceiver, and every friend a slanderer.” – Jeremiah 9:4
Cross-References
Micah 7:5 – “Do not trust a neighbor; put no confidence in a friend.”
11. Luke 22:47-48 – Judas Betrays Jesus with a Kiss
“While he was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, but Jesus asked him, ‘Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?’” – Luke 22:47-48
Cross-References
Matthew 26:49 – “Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, ‘Greetings, Rabbi!’ and kissed him.”
Mark 14:45 – “Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, ‘Rabbi!’ and kissed him.”
John 18:4-5 – “Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them.”
12. Psalm 55:12-13 – Betrayed by a Close Friend
“If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it; if a foe were rising against me, I could hide. But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend.” – Psalm 55:12-13
Cross-References
13. Ezekiel 21:23 – A False Oath of Betrayal
“It will seem like a false omen to those who have sworn allegiance to him, but he will remind them of their guilt and take them captive.” – Ezekiel 21:23
Cross-References
Ezekiel 17:19 – “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: As surely as I live, I will repay him for despising my oath and breaking my covenant.”
Jeremiah 34:18 – “Those who have violated my covenant and have not fulfilled the terms of the covenant.”
14. Micah 7:6 – Betrayal Within Families
“For a son dishonors his father, a daughter rises up against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law— a man’s enemies are the members of his own household.” – Micah 7:6
Cross-References
Matthew 10:36 – “a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.”
Luke 12:53 – “They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother.”
Mark 13:12 – “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child.”
15. Lamentations 1:2 – Forsaken by Love
“Bitterly she weeps at night, tears are on her cheeks. Among all her lovers there is no one to comfort her; all her friends have betrayed her; they have become her enemies.” – Lamentations 1:2
Cross-References
Job 19:13-14 – “He has alienated my family from me; my acquaintances are completely estranged from me.”
Jeremiah 30:14 – “All your allies have forgotten you; they care nothing for you.”
16. Judas 20 – Loss of Trust
“But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit,” – Jude 1:20
Cross-References
Psalm 101:6-7 – “My eyes will be on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me.”
2 Timothy 3:4 – “treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.”
Proverbs 17:17 – “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.”
17. Job 19:19 – Turned Against by Friends
“All my intimate friends detest me; those I love have turned against me.” – Job 19:19
Cross-References
Psalm 38:11 – “My friends and companions avoid me because of my wounds; my neighbors stay far away.”
18. Psalm 69:20 – Betrayed by Comrades
“Scorn has broken my heart and has left me helpless; I looked for sympathy, but there was none, for comforters, but I found none.” – Psalm 69:20
Cross-References
Psalm 35:12-14 – “They repay me evil for good and leave me like one bereaved.”
19. Isaiah 33:1 – Treachery and Woe
“Woe to you, destroyer, you who have not been destroyed! Woe to you, betrayer, you who have not been betrayed! When you stop destroying, you will be destroyed; when you stop betraying, you will be betrayed.” – Isaiah 33:1
Cross-References
Proverbs 21:18 – “The wicked become a ransom for the righteous, and the unfaithful for the upright.”
Jeremiah 12:8 – “She has spoken against me; therefore, I hate her.”
Psalm 7:14-16 – “Whoever is pregnant with evil conceives trouble and gives birth to disillusionment.”
20. Mark 14:18 – Betrayed at the Table
“While they were reclining at the table eating, he said, ‘Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me—one who is eating with me.’” – Mark 14:18
Cross-References
21. Matthew 26:21 – One Will Betray Me
“And while they were eating, he said, ‘Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.’” – Matthew 26:21
Cross-References
John 13:18 – “I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen.”
22. Genesis 27:35 – Deceived and Betrayed
“But he said, ‘Your brother came deceitfully and took your blessing.’” – Genesis 27:35
Cross-References
Genesis 27:41 – “Esau held a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing his father had given him.”
Genesis 25:33-34 – “But Jacob said, ‘Swear to me first.’ So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob.”
Hosea 12:3 – “In the womb he grasped his brother’s heel; as a man, he struggled with God.”
23. Proverbs 18:24 – Unreliable Friends
“One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” – Proverbs 18:24
Cross-References
Job 6:14 – “Anyone who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty.”
Ecclesiastes 4:10 – “If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.”
24. Romans 16:17-18 – Beware of Deceivers
“I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.” – Romans 16:17-18
Cross-References
2 Peter 2:1 – “But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you.”
Galatians 1:6-7 – “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ.”
Matthew 7:15 – “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.”
25. Proverbs 27:6 – Wounds of a Friend
“Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.” – Proverbs 27:6
Cross-References
Psalm 141:5 – “Let a righteous man strike me—that is a kindness; let him rebuke me—that is oil on my head.”
Proverbs 27:9 – “Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of a friend springs from their heartfelt advice.”
2 Corinthians 2:4 – “For I wrote you out of great distress and anguish of heart and with many tears.”
26. John 12:4-6 – Judas’ Motives
“But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, ‘Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.’ He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.” – John 12:4-6
Cross-References
Matthew 26:8-9 – “When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. ‘Why this waste?’ they asked.”
Mark 14:4-5 – “Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, ‘Why this waste of perfume?'”
John 13:29 – “Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the festival.”
27. Judges 16:17 – Samson’s Betrayal
“So he told her everything. ‘No razor has ever been used on my head,’ he said, ‘because I have been a Nazirite dedicated to God from my mother’s womb. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as any other man.’” – Judges 16:17
Cross-References
Judges 16:5 – “The rulers of the Philistines went to her and said, ‘See if you can lure him into showing you the secret of his great strength.'”
Judges 16:18 – “When Delilah saw that he had told her everything, she sent word to the rulers of the Philistines.”
Numbers 6:5 – “‘During the entire period of their Nazirite vow, no razor may be used on their head.'”
28. Matthew 10:21 – Family Betrayal
“Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death.” – Matthew 10:21
Cross-References
Luke 21:16 – “You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death.”
29. 1 Samuel 18:11 – Saul’s Deceit
“And he hurled it, saying to himself, ‘I’ll pin David to the wall.’ But David eluded him twice.” – 1 Samuel 18:11
Cross-References
1 Samuel 19:1 – “Saul told his son Jonathan and all the attendants to kill David.”
1 Samuel 19:10 – “Saul tried to pin him to the wall with his spear, but David eluded him.”
Psalm 59:3 – “See how they lie in wait for me! Fierce men conspire against me for no offense or sin of mine, LORD.”
30. Daniel 11:32 – Corrupt Deceit
“With flattery he will corrupt those who have violated the covenant, but the people who know their God will firmly resist him.” – Daniel 11:32
Cross-References
2 Timothy 3:13 – “while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.”
Acts 20:30 – “Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.”
Romans 16:18 – “For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites.”
31. Zechariah 13:6 – Wounds of Betrayal
“If someone asks, ‘What are these wounds on your body?’ they will answer, ‘The wounds I was given at the house of my friends.’” – Zechariah 13:6
Cross-References
Obadiah 1:7 – “All your allies will force you to the border; your friends will deceive and overpower you.”
32. Genesis 3:13 – The First Betrayal
“Then the Lord God said to the woman, ‘What is this you have done?’ The woman said, ‘The serpent deceived me, and I ate.’” – Genesis 3:13
Cross-References
1 Timothy 2:14 – “And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner.”
2 Corinthians 11:3 – “But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning.”
Numbers 30:6 – “If she marries after she makes a vow or after her lips utter a rash promise by which she obligates herself.”
While you’re here, why not explore our latest article on: Bible verses about Slander and Gossip (With Cross-Reference)
Final Thought
In the Bible, betrayal is a recurring and profoundly human theme, encompassing a wide array of narratives filled with emotions and consequences. These selected verses remind us of the fragility of human loyalties and the unwelcome reality of deceit. Betrayal leads to isolation and suffering, whether it is Joseph being sold by his brothers, Jesus betrayed by Judas, or the people of God turning away from their Creator through sin. Yet, within these stories, there are also lessons about the resilience of faith and the possibility of redemption.
The narratives encourage believers to look beyond betrayal toward forgiveness and reconciliation, just as Christ offered redemption not only for His betrayers but also for all humanity. They serve as a reminder of the importance of vigilance, understanding, and strong moral principles, while encouraging us to be the true friend that “sticks closer than a brother”. Ultimately, through God’s grace and guidance, we can overcome the sting of betrayal by fostering trust, love, and faithfulness in our relationships.