You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”
Parallel translations
- WEB 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.”
- KJV Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.
- NKJV nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish.”
- NASB nor are you taking into account that it is in your best interest that one man die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish instead.”
- NLT You don’t realize that it’s better for you that one man should die for the people than for the whole nation to be destroyed.”
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 argues it is better that one man die than that the whole nation perish. He speaks more truly than he knows.
Overview
Caiaphas proposes sacrificing Jesus as a political expedient to protect the nation. His cold calculation unwittingly states the heart of the gospel, that one would die in the place of many. John will clarify that God overruled his words to express the substitutionary death of Christ for his people.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- John 18:14Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it would be better if one man died for the people.
- Luke 24:46And He told them, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day,
- Rom 3:8Why not say, as some slanderously claim that we say, “Let us do evil that good may result”? Their condemnation is deserved!
- John 19:12From then on, Pilate tried to release Him, but the Jews kept shouting, “If you release this man, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who declares himself a king is defying Caesar.”
- John 11:48If we let Him go on like this, everyone will believe in Him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 11:50 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.