John 11:45–57

The Plot to Kill Jesus

⁴⁵ⁿMany of the Jews therefore, ^owho had come with Mary and ^phad seen what he did, believed in him, ⁴⁶but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. ⁴⁷So the chief priests and the Pharisees ^qgathered ^rthe council and said, ^s“What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. ⁴⁸If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and ^tthe Romans will come and take away both our ^uplace and our nation.” ⁴⁹But one of them, ^vCaiaphas, ^wwho was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. ⁵⁰Nor do you understand that ^xit is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” ⁵¹He did not say this of his own accord, but ^ybeing high priest that year ^zhe prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, ⁵²and ^anot for the nation only, but also ^bto gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. ⁵³So from that day on they ^cmade plans to put him to death.

⁵⁴Jesus therefore ^dno longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, and there he stayed with the disciples.

⁵⁵Now ^ethe Passover of the Jews was at hand, and ^fmany went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover ^gto purify themselves. ^56hThey were looking for⁶ Jesus and saying to one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think? That he will not come to the feast at all?” ⁵⁷Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where he was, he should let them know, so that they might arrest him.