45 aTherefore many of the Jews bwho came to Mary, and csaw what He had done, believed in Him.

46 But some of them went to the aPharisees and told them the things which Jesus had done.

Conspiracy to Kill Jesus

47 Therefore athe chief priests and the Pharisees bconvened a ccouncil, and were saying, “What are we doing? For this man is performing many 1dsigns.

48 “If we let Him go on like this, all men will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our aplace and our nation.”

49 But one of them, aCaiaphas, bwho was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all,

50 nor do you take into account that ait is expedient for you that one man die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish.”

51 Now he did not say this 1on his own initiative, but abeing high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation,

52 and not for the nation only, but in order that He might also agather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.

53 So from that day on they aplanned together to kill Him.

54 Therefore Jesus ano longer continued to walk publicly among the Jews, but went away from there to the country near the wilderness, into a city called bEphraim; and there He stayed with the disciples.

55 Now athe Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up to Jerusalem out of the country before the Passover bto purify themselves.

56 So they awere seeking for Jesus, and were saying to one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think; that He will not come to the feast at all?”

57 Now athe chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where He was, he was to report it, so that they might seize Him.