John 11:52 (GNV)

Passage

And not for that nation onely, but that he shoulde gather together in one the children of God, which were scattered.

Nearby Context

John 11:50 Nor yet doe you consider that it is expedient for vs, that one man die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.

John 11:51 This spake hee not of himselfe: but being hie Priest that same yere, he prophecied that Iesus should die for that nation:

John 11:52 And not for that nation onely, but that he shoulde gather together in one the children of God, which were scattered.

John 11:53 Then from that day foorth they consulted together, to put him to death.

John 11:54 Iesus therefore walked no more openly among the Iewes, but went thence vnto a countrey neere to the wildernes, into a citie called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "nation", "onely", "shoulde", "gather", "together", "children", and "scattered". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "nation" and "onely", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 51's "This spake hee not of himselfe but..." into verse 53's "Then from that day foorth they consulted...", so "nation" and "onely" belong inside that flow. In John context, the local focus is the identity of Jesus, new birth, eternal life, and belief and unbelief.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "nation" and "onely" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.