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Nonetheless:

Judas Iscariot, Son of Perdition

The word perdition has a particular meaning of importance in regard to Judas’ name. Perdition defined: utter destruction, eternal damnation, a final and irrevocable spiritual ruin, a state of destruction, the state of the wicked one, and finally, it is defined as hell itself. There is no wiggle room here with the word perdition and so we can now ask “What was the fate of Judas Iscariot, the man who betrayed Jesus?” He was called the “son of perdition” by Jesus in John 17:12 where Christ said “While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of perdition (or destruction…they are the same thing), that the Scripture might be fulfilled.” The son of perdition and the son of destruction are referred to by this same name by Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 “Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction.” The “son of destruction” is literally translated “the son of perdition” but this chapter is speaking about someone totally different than Judas. Even so, every time the term “perdition” is associated with a person it is a term of one who is doomed to destruction, condemnation, and total depravity from which there is no state of repentance possible.

Judas Didn’t Repent

When Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver, he was very remorseful and deeply regretted what he had done, yet there is no record of him asking for forgiveness or of his repenting. He could have gone back to Jesus or the disciples and repented and he could have also asked for God’s forgiveness. There is record of either of these in the Bible. Some translations of Matthew 27:3 say that Judas repented but the better translations say “Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders.” Now repentance is a change of mind, yes, but it is much more than that. It is a change of direction. Judas could have turned to Jesus or the disciples but instead he returned to the chief priests and elders. Interestingly, Judas Iscariot means “Judah from Kerioth” and Kerioth means “betrayer.”