John 11:50 (KJV)

Passage

Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.

Nearby Context

John 11:48 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.

John 11:49 And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all,

John 11:50 Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.

John 11:51 And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation;

John 11:52 And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "consider", "expedient", "should", "people", "whole", "nation", and "perish". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "consider" and "expedient", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 49's "And one of them named Caiaphas being..." into verse 51's "And this spake he not of himself...", so "consider" and "expedient" 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 "consider" and "expedient" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.