John 11:45-57 - The Jewish Leaders Plot To Kill Jesus
45 In consequence of this, many of the Jews, who had come to visit Mary and had seen what Jesus did, learned to believe in him. 46 Some of them, however, went to the Pharisees, and told them what he had done.
47 Upon this the Chief Priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the High Council, and said: "What are we to do, now that this man is giving so many signs? 48 If we let him alone as we are doing, every one will believe in him; and the Romans will come and will take from us both our City and our Nationality."
49 One of them, however, Caiaphas, who was High Priest that year, said to them: 50 "You are utterly mistaken. You do not consider that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, rather than the whole nation should be destroyed." 51 Now he did not say this of his own accord; but, as High Priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was to die for the nation-- 52 And not for the nation only, but also that he might unite in one body the Children of God now scattered far and wide. 53 So from that day they plotted to put Jesus to death. 54 In consequence of this, Jesus did not go about publicly among the Jews any more, but left that neighborhood, and went into the country bordering on the Wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples.
55 But the Jewish Festival of the Passover was near; and many people had gone up from the country to Jerusalem, for their 'purification,' before the Festival began. 56 So they looked for Jesus there, and said to one another, as they stood in the Temple Courts: "What do you think? Do you think he will come to the Festival?" 57 The Chief Priests and the Pharisees had already issued orders that, if any one learned where Jesus was, he should give information, so that they might arrest him.