After Judas realizes that Jesus was a condemned man because of his betrayal, the Scripture says that he was remorseful. He brings back the thirty pieces of silver that the chief priests had agreed to give him to capture Jesus. He hands the money to them and says that he had betrayed innocent blood. They say to Judas that was of no concern to them. Judas throws down the pieces of silver, walks away, and then goes out and hangs himself.
The question is often asked whether or not Judas was saved after his remorse, admission of his sin, and return of the silver. We don’t see in Scripture that he ever asked the Lord for forgiveness. Was his remorse just guilt and not true repentance? There are two key passages that give us the answer regarding Judas.
Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. (John 17:12) Judas is referred to here as the son of perdition (damnation). He also is described as the only one of the twelve disciples that was lost.
24 The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.” (Matt. 26:24)
This statement by Jesus makes it clear that Judas would have been better off never to have been born than to betray His Lord and suffer the consequences of eternal punishment.
We don’t know for certain what Judas’ sinful motivations were in his betrayal. Some think Judas just wanted to force Jesus to use His mighty miracle working power to restore Israel’s kingdom with Jesus ruling it. Perhaps the money was only a side benefit. In any event, Judas betrayed the Lord and will be judged by Christ one day for that betrayal.