Matthew 26:31

“Then Jesus says to them, “You will all fall away because of me on this night, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’”
Matthew 26:31 · direct translation from the Greek

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With the Greek beneath

ThenΤότεJesusὁ Ἰησοῦςsaysλέγειto them,αὐτοῖς“Youὑμεῖςwill allΠάντεςfall awayσκανδαλισθήσεσθεbecause ofἐνmeἐμοὶonἐνthisταύτῃnight,τῇ νυκτὶforγάρit is written,γέγραπται‘I will strikeΠατάξωthe shepherd,τὸν ποιμέναandκαὶthe sheepτὰ πρόβαταof the flockτῆς ποίμνηςwill be scattered.’διασκορπισθήσονται

Quotation · Zechariah 13:7

Go to Zechariah 13:7

Jesus quotes Zechariah 13:7: “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.” In the Hebrew it is an order (“strike”); in Matthew, “I will strike.”

Formula: γέγραπται “it is written” (Matthew 26:31)

See the original texts

Greek of the New Testament: Τότε λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς Πάντες ὑμεῖς σκανδαλισθήσεσθε ἐν ἐμοὶ ἐν τῇ νυκτὶ ταύτῃ γέγραπται γάρ Πατάξω τὸν ποιμένα καὶ διασκορπισθήσονται τὰ πρόβατα τῆς ποίμνης

Hebrew (Masoretic text): חֶרֶב עוּרִי עַל רֹעִי וְעַל גֶּבֶר עֲמִיתִי נְאֻם יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת הַךְ אֶת הָרֹעֶה וּתְפוּצֶיןָ הַצֹּאן וַהֲשִׁבֹתִי יָדִי עַל הַצֹּעֲרִים

Septuagint (Zechariah 13:7 in the Septuagint numbering): Ῥομφαία, ἐξεγέρθητι ἐπὶ τοὺς ποιμένας μου καὶ ἐπ᾿ ἄνδρα πολίτην μου, λέγει Κύριος ΙΙαντοκράτωρ· πατάξατε τοὺς ποιμένας καὶ ἐκσπάσατε τὰ πρόβατα, καὶ ἐπάξω τὴν χεῖρά μου ἐπὶ τοὺς μικρούς.

In the Septuagint verse that most resembles it, at most 2 consecutive words match the Greek of the NT. The transcription has reading errors, so a match may not show.

Septuagint, Swete’s text, First1KGreek transcription (with reading errors), CC BY-SA 4.0

Matthew 26:31, word by word

ThenΤότεTote

then

Then, at that time.

Where else “Tote” appears

JesusἸησοῦςIēsous

Jesus

Jesus, the Greek form of the Hebrew Yehoshua (Joshua), which means "YHWH saves". It is the name the angel told Joseph to give him (Matthew 1:21).

Where else “Iēsous” appears

saysλέγειlegei

say

To express something in words to others.

Where else “legei” appears

fall awayσκανδαλισθήσεσθεskandalisthēsesthe

take offense

To trip up, drift away, or be offended.

Where else “skandalisthēsesthe” appears

nightνυκτὶnykti

night

Night. "By night".

Where else “nykti” appears

it is writtenγέγραπταιgegraptai

it is written

So the Bible says; a passage is quoted.

Where else “gegraptai” appears

‘I will strikeΠατάξωPataxō

strike

Strike, hit; strike down.

Where else “Pataxō” appears

the shepherdποιμέναpoimena

shepherd of souls

Jesus, the good shepherd, or those who lead believers.

Where else “poimena” appears

the sheepπρόβαταprobata

flock

The people a shepherd cares for, God's people.

Where else “probata” appears

of the flockποίμνηςpoimnēs

flock

Flock.

Where else “poimnēs” appears

will be scattered.’διασκορπισθήσονταιdiaskorpisthēsontai

scatter

To strew people, sheep or grain.

Where else “diaskorpisthēsontai” appears

Translation note

Zechariah 13:7. The Hebrew says “Strike the shepherd,” an order from God to the sword; here God himself does it, in the first person: “I will strike.”

Parallel passages

Other books that tell the same thing or quote these words.

Peter's denial foretold

Mark 14:27-31 Luke 22:31-34 John 13:36-38

See them side by side

Matthew 26:31-35

³¹Then Jesus says to them, “You will all fall away because of me on this night, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ ³²But after I have been raised, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.” ³³But Peter answered him, “If all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” ³⁴Jesus said to him, “Truly I tell you that on this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” ³⁵Peter says to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will never deny you.” And all the disciples said likewise.

Mark 14:27-31

²⁷And Jesus says to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ ²⁸But after I have been raised, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.” ²⁹But Peter said to him, “Even if all fall away, yet not I.” ³⁰And Jesus says to him, “Truly I tell you that you today, this night, before the rooster crows twice, will deny me three times.” ³¹But he kept saying emphatically, “If I must die with you, I will never deny you.” And all were also saying the same.

Luke 22:31-34

³¹Simon, Simon, look, Satan has demanded to have you, to sift you like wheat; ³²but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail; and you, when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” ³³And he said to him, “Lord, with you I am ready to go both to prison and to death.” ³⁴And he said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know me.”

John 13:36-38

³⁶Simon Peter says to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered, “Where I am going, you cannot follow me now, but you will follow later.” ³⁷Peter says to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” ³⁸Jesus answers, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I tell you, the rooster will not crow until you have denied me three times.”

Quotation · Zechariah 13:7

Jesus quotes Zechariah 13:7: “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.” In the Hebrew it is an order (“strike”); in Matthew, “I will strike.”

See them side by side

Matthew 26:31

³¹Then Jesus says to them, “You will all fall away because of me on this night, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’

Zechariah 13:7

⁷Sword, awake against my shepherd, and against the man who is my neighbor, declares YHWH Tsevaot. Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered; and I will turn my hand against the little ones.

The context

30And after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

31 · This verse (above)

32But after I have been raised, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.”

Read all of Matthew 26

To study Matthew 26 in a group

1. What it says
What did the woman do with the jar of perfume, and what did Jesus say about it (vv. 7, 10–13)?
2. What it means
What does Jesus say about his blood as he gives the cup to the disciples (vv. 27–28)?
3. How I live it
Peter said he would never deny him, and then did (vv. 33–35, 69–75). How can you start over after failing someone?

How to use it