John 11:45–57

⁴⁵Many therefore of the Jews who came to Mary and saw what he had done, believed on him; ⁴⁶but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. ⁴⁷The chief priests, therefore, and the Pharisees gathered a council, and said, What do we? for this man does many signs. ⁴⁸If we let him thus alone, all will believe on him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation. ⁴⁹But a certain one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, Ye know nothing ⁵⁰nor consider that it is profitable for you that one man die for the people, and not that the whole nation perish. ⁵¹But this he did not say of himself; but, being high priest that year, prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation; ⁵²and not for the nation only, but that he should also gather together into one the children of God who were scattered abroad. ⁵³From that day therefore they took counsel that they might kill him. ⁵⁴Jesus therefore walked no longer openly among the Jews, but went away thence into the country near the desert, to a city called Ephraim, and there he sojourned with the disciples. ⁵⁵But the passover of the Jews was near, and many went up to Jerusalem out of the country before the passover, that they might purify themselves. ⁵⁶They sought therefore Jesus, and said among themselves, standing in the temple, What do ye think? that he will not come to the feast? ⁵⁷Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given commandment that if any one knew where he was, he should make it known, that they might take him.