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John 6 · a question people ask

"Didn’t I choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?" (6:70). Did Jesus know about Judas when he chose him?

In the text

Here is what John says. "For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who didn’t believe, and who it was who would betray him" (6:64). After Simon Peter's answer, Jesus answered them, "Didn’t I choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?" (6:70), and John adds, "Now he spoke of Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, for it was he who would betray him, being one of the twelve" (6:71). John doesn't say what "from the beginning" reaches back to, and this chapter doesn't tell when or how the twelve were chosen. These notes add nothing to John's words, and say nothing more about Judas than the chapter does.

The verses

“But there are some of you who don’t believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who didn’t believe, and who it was who would betray him.”
John 6:64 · World English Bible
“Jesus answered them, “Didn’t I choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?” Now he spoke of Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, for it was he who would betray him, being one of the twelve.”
John 6:70-71 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of John 6

John 6: The bread of life

In John's telling it is Jesus who first asks where bread could be bought, and John says, "He said this to test him" (6:5-6). And the ones who "went back and walked no more with him" were "many of his disciples" (6:66); when Jesus asked the twelve, Simon Peter answered, "Lord, to whom would we go?" (6:68).

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Last reviewed October 1, 2026. Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions