John 11:48

Verse

If we let Him go on like this, everyone will believe in Him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”

American Standard Version (1901)

If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.

Bible in Basic English

If we let him go on in this way, everybody will have belief in him and the Romans will come and take away our place and our nation.

Free Bible Version

If we allow him to continue, everybody will believe in him, and then the Romans will destroy both the Temple and our status as a nation.”

Geneva Bible 1599

If we let him thus alone, all men will beleeue in him, and the Romanes will come and take away both our place, and the nation.

King James (Authorized) Version

If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.

One Unity Resource Bible

If we leave him alone like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans [People from Town of flowing waters] will come and take away both our place and our nation.”

Plain English Version

We have to do something. If we don’t stop him, all the people might believe in him, and they might make a lot of trouble. Then the Roman soldiers might come and smash God’s ceremony house here, and finish up our nation.”

Translation for Translators

If we allow him to keep doing this, everyone will believe ◄in him/that he is the Messiah►, and they will make him their king. Then the Roman army will come and destroy our Temple and our whole nation of Israel!”

Unlocked Literal Bible

If we leave him alone like this, all will believe in him; the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”

Noah Webster Bible

If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans will come, and take away both our place and nation.

World English Bible

If we leave him alone like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”

Young's Literal Translation

if we may let him alone thus, all will believe in him; and the Romans will come, and will take away both our place and nation.'

Context

The Plot to Kill Jesus

⁴⁷Then the chief priests and Pharisees convened the Sanhedrin and said, “What are we to do? This man is performing many signs.⁴⁸If we let Him go on like this, everyone will believe in Him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”

Sermons

Exposition on Psalm 20

St. Augustine

The Warfare

T. Austin-Sparks

Summary

In this verse, the chief priests and the Pharisees express their concern over Jesus' growing popularity and the impact it may have on their authority and position. Their fear of losing control and influence leads them to plot Jesus' death, highlighting their hardened hearts and refusal to acknowledge Him as the Messiah. This verse sets the stage for the events leading to Jesus' crucifixion, revealing the depth of opposition and hostility He faced from religious leaders despite His miracles and teachings.

Commentary

Adam Clarke
John Gill
Tyndale

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

All men will believe on him - If we permit him to work but a few more miracles like these two last (the cure of the blind man, and the resurrection of Lazarus) he will be universally acknowledged for the Messiah; the people will proclaim him king; and the Romans, who can suffer no government here but their own, will be so irritated that they will send their armies against us, and destroy our temple, and utterly dissolve our civil and ecclesiastical existence. Thus, under the pretense of the public good, these men of blood hide their hatred against Christ, and resolve to put him to death. To get the people on their side, they must give the alarm of destruction to the nation: if this man be permitted to live, we shall be all destroyed! Their former weapons will not now avail. On the subject of keeping the Sabbath, they had been already confounded; and his last miracles were so incontestable that they could no longer cry out, He is a deceiver. Both our place and nation - Literally, this place, τον τοπον: but that the temple only is understood is dear from Act 6:13, Act 6:14; 2 Maccabees 1:14; 2:18; 3:18; 5:16, 17; 10:7; where it is uniformly called the place, or the holy place, because they considered it the most glorious and excellent place in the world. When men act in opposition to God's counsel, the very evils which they expect thereby to avoid will come upon them. They said, If we do not put Jesus to death, the Romans will destroy both our temple and nation. Now, it was because they put him to death that the Romans burnt and razed their temple to the ground, and put a final period to their political existence. See Mat 22:7; and the notes on chap. 24.