⁴⁵ Therefore many of the Jews who came to Mary and saw what Jesus did believed in him. ⁴⁶ But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things which Jesus had done. ⁴⁷ The chief priests therefore and the Pharisees gathered a council, and said, “What are we doing? For this man does many signs. ⁴⁸ If we leave him alone like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”

⁴⁹ But a certain one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, ⁵⁰ nor do you consider that it is advantageous for us that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish.” ⁵¹ Now he didn’t say this of himself, but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, ⁵² and not for the nation only, but that he might also gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. ⁵³ So from that day forward they took counsel that they might put him to death. ⁵⁴ Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews, but departed from there into the country near the wilderness, to a city called Ephraim. He stayed there with his disciples.

⁵⁵ Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand. Many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves. ⁵⁶ Then they sought for Jesus and spoke with one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think—that he isn’t coming to the feast at all?” ⁵⁷ Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had commanded that if anyone knew where he was, he should report it, that they might seize him.