John 11:51

John 11:51 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation;
• New International Version (NIV)He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation,
• English Standard Version (ESV)He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation,
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now this he did not say on his own authority; but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation,

Context of John 11:51

49Caiaphas, who was high priest at that time, said, “You don’t know what you’re talking about! 50You 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.” He did not say this on his own; as high priest at that time he was led to prophesy that Jesus would die for the entire nation. 52And not only for that nation, but to bring together and unite all the children of God scattered around the world. 53So from that time on, the Jewish leaders began to plot Jesus’ death.

John 11:51 word by word

τοῦτο δὲ ἀφ᾽ ἑαυτοῦ οὐκ εἶπεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἀρχιερεὺς ὢν τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ ἐκείνου ἐπροφήτευσεν ὅτι ἔμελλεν Ἰησοῦς ἀποθνῄσκειν ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἔθνους,Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andδέde · thenG1161
• thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• spake heλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• notοὐou · noG3756
• ofἀπόapo · away fromG575
• himselfἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• beingεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• high priestἀρχιερεύςarchiereus · high-priestG749
• thatἐκεῖνοςekeinos · thatG1565
• yearὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• yearἐνιαυτόςeniautos · yearG1763
• he prophesiedπροφητεύωprophēteuō · to prophesyG4395
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• shouldμέλλωmellō · to ensueG3195
• dieἀποθνήσκωapothnēskō · to dieG599
• forὑπέρhuper · above/forG5228
• that nationἔθνοςethnos · GentilesG1484

Cross-references for John 11:51

• Exodus 28:30Insert the Urim and Thummim into the sacred chestpiece so they will be carried over Aaron’s heart when he goes into the Lord’s presence. In this way, Aaron will always carry over his heart the objects used to determine the Lord’s will for his people whenever he goes in before the Lord.
• Judges 20:27The Israelites went up seeking direction from the Lord. (In those days the Ark of the Covenant of God was in Bethel,
• 1 Samuel 23:9But David learned of Saul’s plan and told Abiathar the priest to bring the ephod and ask the Lord what he should do.
• 1 Samuel 28:6He asked the Lord what he should do, but the Lord refused to answer him, either by dreams or by sacred lots or by the prophets.
• Numbers 22:28Then the Lord gave the donkey the ability to speak. “What have I done to you that deserves your beating me three times?” it asked Balaam.
• Numbers 24:2where he saw the people of Israel camped, tribe by tribe. Then the Spirit of God came upon him,
• Matthew 7:22On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’
• 1 Corinthians 13:2If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing.
• 2 Peter 2:15They have wandered off the right road and followed the footsteps of Balaam son of Beor, who loved to earn money by doing wrong.
• John 10:15just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep.
• Isaiah 53:5But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.
• Daniel 9:26“After this period of sixty-two sets of seven, the Anointed One will be killed, appearing to have accomplished nothing, and a ruler will arise whose armies will destroy the city and the Temple. The end will come with a flood, and war and its miseries are decreed from that time to the very end.
• Matthew 20:28For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
• Romans 3:25For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past,
• 2 Corinthians 5:21For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.
• Galatians 3:13But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”

Commentaries on John 11:51

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 51This spake he not of himself - Wicked and worthless as he was, God so guided his tongue that, contrary to his intention, he pronounced a prophecy of the death of Jesus Christ. I have already remarked that the doctrine of a vicarious atonement had gained, long before this time, universal credit in the world. Words similar to these of Caiaphas are, by the prince of all the Roman poets, put in the mouth of Neptune, when promising Venus that the fleet of…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 51Not of himself - Though he uttered what proved to be a true prophecy, yet it was accomplished in a way which he did not intend He had a wicked design. He was plotting murder and crime. Yet, wicked as he was, and little as he intended it, God so ordered it that he delivered a most precious truth respecting the atonement. Remark: 1.God may fulfill the words of the wicked in a manner which they do not wish or intend. 2.He may make even their malice and…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 47-53Verses 47-53 There can hardly be a more clear discovery of the madness that is in man's heart, and of its desperate enmity against God, than what is here recorded. Words of prophecy in the mouth, are not clear evidence of a principle of grace in the heart. The calamity we seek to escape by sin, we take the most effectual course to bring upon our own heads; as those do who think by opposing Christ's kingdom, to advance their own worldly interest. The fear…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 50-51it is better … that one man die: Caiaphas spoke with clear political intent. He argued that it was better for one man to die than for the whole nation to suffer. He meant that it was better for Jesus, whom he saw as a threat, to die than for Rome to destroy the Jewish people. Caiaphas viewed Jesus as a possible revolutionary. He feared that Rome would crush the nation if unrest grew. From his point of view, sacrificing one man would protect many. But his…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 47-5447-54. What do we? for this man doeth many miracles--"While we trifle, 'this man,' by His 'many miracles,' will carry all before Him; the popular enthusiasm will bring on a revolution, which will precipitate the Romans upon us, and our all will go down in one common ruin." What a testimony to the reality of our Lord's miracles, and their resistless effect, from His bitterest enemies!Read the comment

Topics related to John 11:51

• Atonement
• Caiaphas
• Jesus, the Christ
• Minister, Christian
• Prudence
• Salvation

In the dictionaries

• Jesus
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• High priest
• Awake
• Mourn
• Bethany
• Caiaphas
• Christ, Offices of
• Die
• Jesus Christ

Commentaries on John 11

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings