Judas was about to reply, but the soldiers interrupted, and would not let him speak.

These four disciples were James the Less, Philip, Thomas, and Nathaniel; the last named, who was a son of the aged Simeon, had with a few others joined the eight Apostles at Gethsemani, being perhaps sent by the friends of Jesus to know what was going on, or possibly simply incited by curiosity and anxiety.

The other disciples were wandering to and fro, on the look out, and ready to fly at a moment's notice.
Jesus walked up to the soldiers and said in a firm and clear voice, 'Whom seek ye ?' The soldiers answered, 'Jesus of Nazareth.' Jesus said to them, 'I am he.' Scarcely had he pronounced these words than they all fell to the ground, as if struck with apoplexy.

Judas, who stood by them, was much alarmed, and as he appeared desirous of approaching, Jesus held out his hand and said: 'Friend, whereto art thou come ?' Judas stammered forth something about business which had brought him.

Jesus answered in few words, the sense of which was: 'It were better for thee that thou hadst never been born;' however, I cannot remember the words exactly.