9The large crowd of the Jews therefore came to know that he was there, and they came — not because of Jesus only, but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. [12:10] But the chief priests took counsel to kill Lazarus also, [12:11] because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and were believing in Jesus.
JHN 12:9-11
The Plot to Kill Lazarus
In the world it was spoken into
In 1st-century Judea, the raising of Lazarus would have been perceived as a profound challenge to the religious and social order maintained by the chief priests. The , a large and potentially volatile crowd, flocked to see Lazarus, drawn not only by Jesus but also by the spectacle of a man raised from the dead. This act disrupted the authority of the chief priests, who relied on their control of Temple worship and adherence to Jewish law to maintain their position. The verb indicates a formal and deliberate decision-making process among the chief priests, reflecting their calculated response to this threat. Their plot to kill Lazarus underscores the lengths to which they were willing to go to preserve their power. The imperfect verbs and highlight the ongoing and escalating impact of Jesus’ miracles, as many Jews were continually departing from traditional religious authority to follow Jesus. This pericope reflects the tension between emerging Messianic claims and established religious leadership in Second-Temple Judaism.
›See the receipts
How other translations render this
JHN 12:9
- KJV
- Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead.
- BSB
- Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews learned that Jesus was there. And they came not only because of Him, but also to see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead.
- Koinōnos
- The large crowd of the Jews therefore came to know that he was there, and they came — not because of Jesus only, but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.
JHN 12:10
- KJV
- But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death;
- BSB
- So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well,
- Koinōnos
- But the chief priests took counsel to kill Lazarus also,
JHN 12:11
- KJV
- Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.
- BSB
- for on account of him many of the Jews were deserting them and believing in Jesus.
- Koinōnos
- because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and were believing in Jesus.
Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.
Where the historical framing draws from
- Josephus, AntiquitiesAntiquities 18.3.3
›Josephus, Antiquities Antiquities 18.3.3
“He drew over to him both many of the Jews and many of the Gentiles. He was [the] Christ.”
Cited to ground: many Jews were continually departing from traditional religious authority to follow Jesus
Translator's notes
JHN 12:9
- <the>:The word translated 'crowd' here often referred to an undisciplined, unorganized mass of people, suggesting a large, somewhat chaotic gathering rather than an orderly assembly.
JHN 12:10
- Took counsel:The term translated 'took counsel' implies a deliberate process of planning and decision-making, often with a specific purpose or outcome in mind, rather than just a casual discussion.
JHN 12:11
- were going away:The phrase 'were going away' uses a word that can imply a continuous or habitual action, suggesting that many people were consistently leaving to see Lazarus, not just a one-time departure.
- were believing:The word translated 'were believing' is in a tense that suggests an ongoing or continuous process of coming to faith, rather than a single, instantaneous act of belief.