The Plot to Kill Jesus

45 Therefore many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them [fn]what Jesus had done. 47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees convened a meeting of the Sanhedrin and said, “What are we going to do? For this man is doing many signs. 48 If we allow him to continue like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away our holy place and our nation.” 49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You do not know anything, 50 nor do you consider that it is better for [fn]us to have one man die for the people than to have the whole nation perish.” 51 (He said this not of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, 52 and not only for the nation, but also to gather into one the children of God scattered abroad.) 53 So from that day they plotted [fn]together to kill him.

54 Therefore Jesus no longer went around openly among the Jews. Instead, he departed from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, where he [fn]spent time with [fn]his disciples.

55 Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many people went up to Jerusalem from the countryside to purify themselves before the Passover. 56 They were looking for Jesus and saying to one another as they stood in the temple courts, “What do you think? That he will not come to the feast at all?” 57 (Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given [fn]an order that if anyone knew where Jesus was, he should report it, so that they might arrest him.)