Devine Scripture

Matthew 27:6

What does Matthew 27:6 mean?

A plain-English look at Matthew 27:6 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Matthew 27:6 means

The chief priests take up the returned money and declare it unlawful to put the silver into the temple treasury since it is ‘the price of blood.’ Their legal concern masks moral hypocrisy: though they are responsible for the events that led to Jesus’ death, they treat the money ceremonially, avoiding direct culpability. This also reveals their concern with ritual purity and propriety rather than justice, prompting them to find a way to use the money for a purpose that avoids contaminating sacred funds.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

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

KJV

King James Version · 1611

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.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

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

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And the chief priests took the silver and said, It is not right to put it in the Temple store for it is the price of blood.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

And the chief priests having taken the silverlings, said, `It is not lawful to put them to the treasury, seeing it is the price of blood;'

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

But the chief priests having taken the pieces of silver, said: It is not lawful to put them into the corbona, because it is the price of blood.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

And the chief priests took the pieces of silver and said, It is not lawful to cast them into the Corban, since it is [the] price of blood.

Context

Coming after Judas’ suicide and the discarded silver, this verse shows the priests dealing with the immediate problem of tainted money. It sets up their purchase of the potter’s field (vv. 7–8) and situates their actions within ritual law and self-justifying maneuvering, highlighting their spiritual blindness and hypocrisy before the crucifixion scene intensifies.

v.5And he cast down the pieces of silver into the sanctuary, and departed; and he went away and hanged himself.

v.6This passage

v.7And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Isaiah 61:8

    For I, Jehovah, love justice, I hate robbery with iniquity; and I will give them their recompense in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.

  • Deuteronomy 23:18

    Thou shalt not bring the hire of a harlot, or the wages of a dog, into the house of Jehovah thy God for any vow: for even both these are an abomination unto Jehovah thy God.

  • Luke 6:7

    And the scribes and the Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath; that they might find how to accuse him.

  • John 18:28

    They lead Jesus therefore from Caiaphas into the Prætorium: and it was early; and they themselves entered not into the Prætorium, that they might not be defiled, but might eat the passover.

  • Matthew 23:24

    Ye blind guides, that strain out the gnat, and swallow the camel!

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