^11:45Then many of the people,⁹¹ who had come with Mary and had seen the things Jesus⁹² did, believed in him. ^11:46But some of them went to the Pharisees⁹³ and reported to them⁹⁴ what Jesus had done. ^11:47So the chief priests and the Pharisees⁹⁵ called the council⁹⁶ together and said, “What are we doing? For this man is performing many miraculous signs. ^11:48If we allow him to go on in this way,⁹⁷ everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away our sanctuary⁹⁸ and our nation.”

^11:49Then one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said,⁹⁹ “You know nothing at all! ^11:50You do not realize¹⁰⁰ that it is more to your advantage to have one man¹⁰¹ die for the people than for the whole nation to perish.”¹⁰²^11:51(Now he did not say this on his own,¹⁰³ but because he was high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the Jewish nation,¹⁰⁴^11:52and not for the Jewish nation¹⁰⁵ only,¹⁰⁶ but to gather together¹⁰⁷ into one the children of God who are scattered.)¹⁰⁸^11:53So from that day they planned together to kill him.

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Footnotes

91 Or “the Judeans”; Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the friends, acquaintances, and relatives of Lazarus or his sisters who had come to mourn, since the Jewish religious authorities are specifically mentioned as a separate group in John 11:46–47. See also the notes on the phrase “the Jewish leaders” in v. and “the Jewish people of the region” in v. , as well as the notes on the word “people” in vv. , and the phrase “people who had come to mourn” in v. .
92 Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
93 See the note on Pharisees in .
94 Grk “told them.”
95 The phrase “chief priests and Pharisees” is a comprehensive name for the groups represented in the ruling council (the Sanhedrin) as in John 7:45; 18:3; Acts 5:22, 26.
96 Or “Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews). The συνέδριον (sunedrion) which they gathered was probably an informal meeting rather than the official Sanhedrin. This is the only occurrence of the word συνέδριον in the Gospel of John, and the only anarthrous singular use in the NT. There are other plural anarthrous uses which have the general meaning “councils.” The fact that Caiaphas in 11:49 is referred to as “one of them” supports the unofficial nature of the meeting; in the official Sanhedrin he, being high priest that year, would have presided over the assembly. Thus it appears that an informal council was called to discuss what to do about Jesus and his activities.
97 Grk “If we let him do thus.”
98 Or “holy place”; Grk “our place” (a reference to the temple in Jerusalem).
99 Grk “said to them.” The indirect object αὐτοῖς (autois) has not been translated for stylistic reasons.
100 Or “you are not considering.”
101 Although it is possible to argue that ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos) should be translated “person” here since it is not necessarily masculinity that is in view in Caiaphas’ statement, “man” was retained in the translation because in 11:47 “this man” (οὗτος ὁ ἄνθρωπος, outos ho anthrōpos) has as its referent a specific individual, Jesus, and it was felt this connection should be maintained.
102 In his own mind Caiaphas was no doubt giving voice to a common-sense statement of political expediency. Yet he was unconsciously echoing a saying of Jesus himself (cf. Mark 10:45). Caiaphas was right; the death of Jesus would save the nation from destruction. Yet Caiaphas could not suspect that Jesus would die, not in place of the political nation Israel, but on behalf of the true people of God; and he would save them, not from physical destruction, but from eternal destruction (cf. 3:16–17). The understanding of Caiaphas’ words in a sense that Caiaphas could not possibly have imagined at the time he uttered them serves as a clear example of the way in which the author understood that words and actions could be invested retrospectively with a meaning not consciously intended or understood by those present at the time.
103 Grk “say this from himself.”
104 The word “Jewish” is not in the Greek text, but is clearly implied by the context (so also ; “the Jewish people”).
105 See the note on the word “nation” in the previous verse.
106 The author in his comment expands the prophecy to include the Gentiles (not for the Jewish nation only), a confirmation that the Fourth Gospel was directed, at least partly, to a Gentile audience. There are echoes of Pauline concepts here (particularly Eph 2:11–22) in the stress on the unity of Jew and Gentile.
107 Grk “that he might gather together.”
108 This is a parenthetical note by the author.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. So from that day on they made plans to put him to death.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin.

“What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.”

Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all! You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”

He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one. So from that day on they plotted to take his life.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Therefore, many of the Jews who came to Mary and saw what he did believed in him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.

So the chief priests and the Pharisees convened the Sanhedrin and were saying, “What are we going to do since this man is doing many signs? If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”

One of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all! You’re not considering that it is to your advantage that one man should die for the people rather than the whole nation perish.” He did not say this on his own, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but also to unite the scattered children of God. So from that day on they plotted to kill him.

NLTNew Living Translation

Many of the people who were with Mary believed in Jesus when they saw this happen. But some went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. Then the leading priests and Pharisees called the high council together. “What are we going to do?” they asked each other. “This man certainly performs many miraculous signs. If we allow him to go on like this, soon everyone will believe in him. Then the Roman army will come and destroy both our Temple and our nation.”

Caiaphas, who was high priest at that time, said, “You don’t know what you’re talking about! You don’t realize that it’s better for you that one man should die for the people than for the whole nation to be destroyed.”

He did not say this on his own; as high priest at that time he was led to prophesy that Jesus would die for the entire nation. And not only for that nation, but to bring together and unite all the children of God scattered around the world.

So from that time on, the Jewish leaders began to plot Jesus’ death.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Then many of the Jews who had come with Mary and saw the things which he did believed in him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them the things which Jesus had done. So the chief priests and the Pharisees called together the Sanhedrin and said, “What are we doing? For this man is performing many signs! If we allow him to go on in this way, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”

But a certain one of them, Caiaphas (who was high priest in that year), said to them, “You do not know anything at all! Nor do you consider that it is profitable for you that one man should die for the people, and the whole nation not perish.” (Now he did not say this from himself, but being high priest in that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but also that the children of God who are scattered would be gathered into one.) So from that day they resolved that they should kill him.

KJV 1900King James Version

Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him. But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done. Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles. If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation. And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad. Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.

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