The Response of the Jewish Leaders

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

11:49 Then one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said,99 “You know nothing at all! 11:50 You 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 11:52 and not for the Jewish nation105 only,106 but to gather together107 into one the children of God who are scattered.)108 11:53 So from that day they planned together to kill him.

11:54 Thus Jesus no longer went109 around publicly110 among the Judeans,111 but went away from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim,112 and stayed there with his disciples. 11:55 Now the Jewish feast of Passover113 was near, and many people went up to Jerusalem114 from the rural areas before the Passover to cleanse themselves ritually.115 11:56 Thus they were looking for Jesus,116 and saying to one another as they stood in the temple courts,117 “What do you think? That he won’t come to the feast?” 11:57 (Now the chief priests and the Pharisees118 had given orders that anyone who knew where Jesus119 was should report it, so that they could arrest120 him.)121