Paragraph 11:49–52
A Pharisee named Caiaphas spoke up in the council meeting. He said that Jesus should die for the nation.
11:49
But: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as But here introduces Caiaphas’ response to what the council members said in 11:48. There is contrast between the chief priests and Pharisees’ solution (stop Jesus) and Caiaphas’ solution (kill him). In some languages it may be natural to leave this word untranslated, as some English translations have done. Here is another way to translate this word:
Then (New International Version)
one of them, named Caiaphas: This phrase identifies Caiaphas as a member of the council.
who was high priest that year: The phrase high priest that year indicate that at the time of this council, the high priest was Caiaphas. The Jewish custom was for a high priest to hold that position until he died. The Romans, however, removed a high priest that did not satisfy them and appointed another. Caiaphas’ father-in-law was the previous high priest but the Romans replaced him with Caiaphas.
If a literal translation implies that there was a different high priest each year, it may be necessary to say:
who was high priest at that time
high priest: This phrase refers to the leader of the priests. He was the most important priest.
said to them: The word them refers to the other council members.
You know nothing at all!: Caiaphas was saying that the other religious leaders did not understand this problem. The Greek text is more literally, “You do not know anything” and emphasizes the words “You” and “anything.” He was speaking firmly and severely to them, even insulting them. For example:
You people don’t have any sense at all! (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
You do not seem to have grasped the situation at all. (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
You don’t know what you’re talking about! (New Living Translation (2004))
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