45. Therefore many of the Yehuḏim who had come to Miryam, and had seen what יהושע did, believed in Him.
46. But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them what יהושע did.
47. So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, “What shall we do? Because this Man does many signs.
48. “If we let Him alone like this, they all shall believe in Him, and the Romans shall come and take away from us both our place and nation.”
49. And one of them, Qayapha, being high priest that year, said to them, “You know naught,
50. neither do you consider that it is better for us that one man die for the people than that the entire nation should perish.”
51. But he did not say this from himself, but being high priest that year he prophesied that יהושע was about to die for the nation,
52. and not for the nation only, but to gather together into one the children of Elohim who were scattered abroad.
53. So from that day on they plotted to kill Him.
54. יהושע therefore no longer went openly among the Yehuḏim, but went from there into the country near the wilderness, to a city called Ephrayim, and remained there with His taught ones.
55. Now the Passover of the Yehuḏim was near, and many went from the country up to Yerushalayim before the Passover, to set themselves apart.
56. And so they were seeking יהושע, and spoke among one another, standing in the Set-apart Place, “What do you think? Is He not coming to the festival at all?”
57. And both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a command, that if anyone knew where He was, he should disclose it, in order for them to seize Him.