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Acts 1:19
ESV And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)
NIV Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)
NASB And it became known to all the residents of Jerusalem; as a result that field was called Hakeldama in their own language, that is, Field of Blood.)
CSB This became known to all the residents of Jerusalem, so that in their own language that field is called Hakeldama (that is, Field of Blood).
NLT The news of his death spread to all the people of Jerusalem, and they gave the place the Aramaic name Akeldama, which means 'Field of Blood.')
KJV And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood.
NKJV And it became known to all those dwelling in Jerusalem; so that field is called in their own language, Akel Dama, that is, Field of Blood.)

What does Acts 1:19 mean?

In the middle of Peter's account of Judas' death, Luke adds details for Theophilus (Acts 1:1). First, he more fully describes what happened to Judas. While Matthew merely mentioned Judas hanged himself (Matthew 27:3–10), Luke adds that Judas' corpse fell and the impact burst open his gut, spilling out his intestines (Acts 1:18). Now, Luke includes the Greek name of the field, which the Jews in Jerusalem would have known by the Aramaic.

It's unclear what Judas thought was going to happen when he betrayed Jesus to the chief priests and elders of the Sanhedrin, the ruling Jewish council. He received his payment, thirty pieces of silver, ahead of time (Matthew 26:14–16), and waited for a dark, quiet moment when he knew where Jesus would not be surrounded by a crowd. The Sanhedrin had intended to wait until after the week-long Feast of Unleavened Bread, which directly followed the Passover. They knew that Jesus had many followers, or at least fans, in Jerusalem who could riot (Matthew 26:3–5).

But they were not as in control of the situation as they thought. At the Last Supper, Jesus directed Judas, now possessed by Satan, to start the process (John 13:27). Late that night, Judas gathered guards and servants of the chief priests and elders and took them to the Mount of Olives where he knew Jesus and the disciples would be relatively removed from the crowds (Luke 21:37).

This was all according to Judas' plan…at first. We don't know what changed Judas' perspective. After Judas realized that Pilate had sentenced Jesus to death, Judas was horrified. We don't know if he thought Jesus would "just" be beaten. Perhaps Judas expected Jesus to once again escape as He had done before (Luke 4:28–30; John 8:59; 10:39). Perhaps Satan, who had possessed him at the Last Supper, finally left, leaving Judas' mind clearer. Some interpreters suggest Judas thought the arrest would force Jesus to take up arms against His enemies.

Whatever happened in Judas' mind and heart, he tried to return the silver, but was denied. While he hanged himself, the chief priests used the money to buy a field and called it Akeldama. Somewhat fittingly, they used it for a cemetery.
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