¹⁴ But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.^(A)

God’s Chosen Servant

¹⁵ Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. A large crowd followed him, and he healed all who were ill.^{(B) 16} He warned them not to tell others about him.^(C)

Crowds Follow Jesus^(A)

⁷ Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed.^(B)

⁴⁷ Then the chief priests and the Pharisees^(A) called a meeting^(B) of the Sanhedrin.^(C)

“What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many signs.^{(D) 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,^(E) who was high priest that year,^(F) 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.”^(G)

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.^{(H) 53} So from that day on they plotted to take his life.^(I)

⁵⁴ Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the people of Judea.^(J) Instead he withdrew to a region near the wilderness, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples.