John 11:47

47 Therefore the High Priests and the Pharisees held a meeting of the Sanhedrin. "What steps are we taking?" they asked one another; "for this man is performing a great number of miracles.

John 11:47 Meaning and Commentary

John 11:47

Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a
council
They convened the sanhedrim, the great council of the nation together, of which they were some of the principal members:

and said, what do we?
that is, why is nothing done? why are we so dilatory? why do we sit still, and do nothing? or what is to be done? this now lies before us, this is to be considered and deliberated on:

for this man doth many miracles;
this is owned, and could not be denied by them; and should have been a reason why they should have acknowledged him to have been the Messiah, and embraced him; whereas they used it as a reason, why they should think of, and concert some measures, to hinder and put a stop to the belief of him as such.

John 11:47 In-Context

45 Thereupon a considerable number of the Jews--namely those who had come to Mary and had witnessed His deeds--became believers in Him;

46 though some of them went off to the Pharisees and told them what He had done.

47 Therefore the High Priests and the Pharisees held a meeting of the Sanhedrin. "What steps are we taking?" they asked one another; "for this man is performing a great number of miracles.

48 If we leave him alone in this way, everybody will believe in him, and the Romans will come and blot out both our city and our nation."

49 But one of them, named Caiaphas, being High Priest that year, said, "You know nothing about it.