Section 7:45–52

The Jewish leaders did not believe in Jesus

The temple police were amazed at Jesus’ teaching and did not arrest him. The council members were not pleased and said that none of the Jewish leaders believed in him. However, one of the council members, Nicodemus, defended Jesus.

Here are some other possible section headings:

The Jewish leaders argued that people should not believe in Jesus
-or-
One Jewish leader defended Jesus

Paragraph 7:45–49

The temple police returned to the council without Jesus. The council members were not pleased and wanted to know why they did not arrest Jesus. The guards told them that what Jesus said was so wonderful they could not arrest him.

7:45a

Then the officers returned to the chief priests and Pharisees: This clause refers back to something that happened earlier. In 7:32b the chief priests and Pharisees had sent these officers to arrest Jesus. Use the same terms here that you used there, so that the readers will understand the connection.

Then: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Then is often translated as “Therefore.” In this context it introduces the next in a series of events. In some languages it may not be necessary to translate it explicitly (see the Good News Translation).

the officers: The term officers refers to the temple servants. Their job included protecting the temple. This is the same Greek word that was used in 7:32b. See the note there and how you translated the word in that verse.

to the chief priests and Pharisees: The chief priests and Pharisees were two groups of Jewish religious leaders. See the note on priests at 1:19b and Pharisees at 1:24 and 7:32a.

the chief priests: The phrase the chief priests refers to the leading or head priests. These men were important religious authorities, members of the main council of the Jews. See how you translated this phrase in 7:32. Here is another way to translate this phrase:

the leading priests (New Century Version)

Pharisees: The Pharisees were a Jewish religious group or party. It was very important to them to obey all of the Jewish religious laws carefully and exactly. See the note at 7:32 for examples of how to translate the word. Also see how you translated the word there.

7:45b

who asked them: The pronoun who refers to the chief priests and Pharisees, the Jewish religious leaders. They asked the temple police a question.

Why didn’t you bring Him in?: This question indicates that the religious leaders asked the temple police why they did not arrest Jesus and bring him to them. Their question implies a rebuke: they thought the police should have arrested him as they ordered them to do. In some languages it may be natural to make it explicit that they were referring to Jesus. For example:

Why didn’t you bring Jesus? (New Century Version)
-or-
Why did you not arrest Jesus?

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