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38 So Jesus, again deeply moved within [to the point of anger], approached the tomb. It was a cave, and a boulder was lying against it [to cover the entrance]. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there will be an offensive odor, for he has been dead four days! [It is hopeless!]” 40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you believe [in Me], you will see the glory of God [the expression of His excellence]?” 41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus raised His eyes [toward heaven] and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 I knew that You always hear Me and listen to Me; but I have said this because of the people standing around, so that they may believe that You have sent Me [and that You have made Me Your representative].” 43 When He had said this, He shouted with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 Out came the man who had been dead, his hands and feet tightly wrapped in burial cloths (linen strips), and with a [burial] cloth wrapped around his face. Jesus said to them, “Unwrap him and release him.”

45 So then, many of the Jews who had come to [be with] Mary and who were eyewitnesses to what Jesus had done, believed in Him. 46 But some of them went back to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.

Conspiracy to Kill Jesus

47 So the chief priests and Pharisees convened a council [of the leaders in Israel], and said, “What are we doing? For this man performs many signs (attesting miracles). 48 If we let Him go on like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our [holy] place (the temple) and our nation.” 49 But one of them, [a]Caiaphas, who was the high priest that year [the year of Christ’s crucifixion], said to them, “You know nothing at all! 50 Nor do you understand that it is expedient and politically advantageous for you that one man die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish.” 51 Now he did not say this [simply] on his own initiative; but being the high priest that year, he [was unknowingly used by God and] prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation,(A) 52 and not only for the nation, but also for the purpose of gathering together into one body the children of God who have been scattered abroad.(B) 53 So from that day on they planned together to kill Him.

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Footnotes

  1. John 11:49 High priest from a.d. 18-36. Annas, his father-in-law, was officially high priest only from a.d. 7-14, but he exercised great influence and power during the term of Caiaphas.

Jesus Raises Lazarus From the Dead

38 Jesus, once more deeply moved,(A) came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance.(B) 39 “Take away the stone,” he said.

“But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”(C)

40 Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe,(D) you will see the glory of God?”(E)

41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up(F) and said, “Father,(G) I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here,(H) that they may believe that you sent me.”(I)

43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”(J) 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen,(K) and a cloth around his face.(L)

Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”

The Plot to Kill Jesus

45 Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary,(M) and had seen what Jesus did,(N) believed in him.(O) 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees(P) called a meeting(Q) of the Sanhedrin.(R)

“What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many signs.(S) 48 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.”

49 Then one of them, named Caiaphas,(T) who was high priest that year,(U) spoke up, “You know nothing at all! 50 You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”(V)

51 He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, 52 and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one.(W) 53 So from that day on they plotted to take his life.(X)

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