What the Bible says
“Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.”
John 6:70–71 (KJV)
“I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.”
John 13:18 (KJV)
“Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.”
Psalm 41:9 (KJV)
Chosen after a night of prayer
Luke tells us Jesus spent the whole night in prayer before naming the twelve (Luke 6:12–16), and Judas Iscariot was on that list. Later Jesus said openly that he knew whom he had chosen. Nothing about Judas surprised him.
The scripture had to be fulfilled
The Psalms spoke of the Messiah being betrayed by a trusted friend who shared his bread. Jesus did not avoid that suffering; he chose it. The betrayal led to the cross, and the cross was the reason he came.
Every chance to turn
Judas heard every sermon, saw every miracle and was trusted with the money bag, from which John says he stole (John 12:6). Even at the last supper Jesus washed his feet and handed him the bread. Judas was not a puppet. He was loved, warned and given room to repent — and he chose silver. His story is a sober warning that being close to Jesus is not the same as following him.
Common questions
Did Jesus know Judas would betray him?
Yes. John 6:64 says Jesus knew from the beginning who would betray him, and John 13:18 shows he chose Judas knowingly.
Was Judas forced to betray Jesus?
No. Scripture foretold the betrayal, but Judas acted from his own heart — John notes he was already stealing from the common purse.