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And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all,
John 11:49 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB But a certain one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all,
  • BSB But one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all!
  • NKJV And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all,
  • NASB But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all,
  • NLT Caiaphas, who was high priest at that time, said, “You don’t know what you’re talking about!

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

Caiaphas, the high priest, rebukes the council for their indecision. His blunt words introduce a fateful counsel.

Overview

Caiaphas, holding the highest religious office that year, dismisses the others' hesitation with contempt. His intervention shifts the council toward a decisive plan against Jesus. Though spoken cynically, his next words will be shown to carry a deeper, prophetic truth beyond his intent.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 11

  • John 11:51And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation;
  • John 18:13–14And led him away to Annas first; for he was father in law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year.
  • Prov 26:12Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him.
  • Matt 26:3Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas,
  • Acts 4:6And Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem.
  • Luke 3:2Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.
  • 1 Cor 1:20Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
  • Isa 5:20–23Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
  • 1 Cor 3:18–19Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.
  • John 7:48–49Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him?
  • 1 Cor 2:6Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (3)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — John videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on John 11:49YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on JohnMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

John declares him plainly: the eternal Word made flesh, the Lamb of God, the great 'I AM' — bread, light, door, shepherd, way, truth, life, resurrection — that you may believe and have life in his name.

How John 11:49 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.