61. A Big Mistake

After the priests paid Judas thirty pieces of silver, they left Judas alone to think about what he had done. Although he was now a rich man, Judas was not happy about how he had gotten his money.

The morning after Jesus was taken prisoner, Judas learned that the priests were planning to have Jesus killed. He felt very badly because he had not wanted Jesus to be harmed. Maybe if he returned the money to the priests they would let Jesus go.

Judas took the silver and ran back to the temple.

"I have made a big mistake," Judas said to the priests. "I have turned in an innocent man."

"Who cares what about you think?" they said.

So Judas dropped the money on the table and left. Later the priests discovered Judas had hanged himself. They knew then they could not keep the money Judas left them.

They used the silver to buy a piece of land where strangers could be buried. People called it the Field of Blood, because Judas died for it.

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