Jesus the Christ, p 592; “Judas Iscariot] brought his guilty life to a close
by a revolting suicide and his spirit went to the awful fate reserved for the sons of perdition.” — James E. Talmage
Doctrinal New Testament Commentary 1:765; “[Judas] was probably not a son of perdition in the sense of one who is damned forever, but in the sense that he was a son or follower of Satan in this life.” — Bruce R. McConkie See also, Mortal Messiah 4:112-13
The Improvement Era – Volume 21 – Page 737; “Not knowing that Judas did commit the unpardonable sin; nor that he was a ‘son of perdition without hope’ who will die the second death, nor what knowledge he possessed by which he was able to commit so great a sin, I prefer, until I know better, to take the merciful view that he may be numbered among those for whom the blessed Master prayed, ‘Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.’” — Joseph F. Smith – July 1918
Matthew 26:24-25; “The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born. 25 Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.”
While theologians the world over have debated whether or not Judas Iscariot went to hell or was saved, I don’t know how any other interpretation can be had based on our biblical passage today.
Because of that passage along with others like John 17:11-12, it’s quite clear what became of Judas.
John 17:11-12; “And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. 12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.”
Interesting to note in all this is Jesus’ comment in referring to King David’s prophecy of His betrayal. He was referring to Psalm 41:9 –
“Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.”
Our question today is this: if LDS prophets and authorities are filled with knowing the truth because no one else in the entire world is capable, why are they disagreeing with each other?
More importantly, why are the majority of them giving false interpretations of scripture? Jesus clearly said in John 17:12 that Judas was the son of perdition!
Jesus very clearly states that Judas “was the son of peredition” and the meaning is right there.
It’s important to not only get a meaning from another version of the Bible in modern English, use a study guide (non-Mormon), and study the Bible with fellow Christians if you have newly left Mormonism.
Here are the two passages of this event in KJV and in ESV.
About 40 years ago, before ESV was available, we used KJV. I asked our pastor about v. 3 where Judas…”repented himself”… if it meant that Judas indeed repented as we know this meaning. He said, NO, that Judas was not sorry that he did this but sorry for himself.
With the ESV, the words are in modern English and the meaning is not obscured, “…he changed his mind…”
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Matthew 27 King James Version (KJV)
27 When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death:
2 And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor.
3 Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
4 Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that.
5 And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.
6 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.
7 And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in.
8 Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day.
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Matthew 27 English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus Delivered to Pilate
27 When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. 2 And they bound him and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate the governor.
Judas Hangs Himself
3 Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus[a] was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders,
4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.”
5 And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself.
6 But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is blood money.”
7 So they took counsel and bought with them the potter’s field as a burial place for strangers.
8 Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day.