John 11 · Verse 54

John 11:54

Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples.
John 11:54, King James Version

John 11:54 in other translations

BSBAs a result, Jesus no longer went about publicly among the Jews, but He withdrew to a town called Ephraim in an area near the wilderness. And He stayed there with the disciples.
WEBJesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews, but departed from there into the country near the wilderness, to a city called Ephraim. He stayed there with his disciples.
ASVJesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews, but departed thence into the country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim; and there he tarried with the disciples.
YLTJesus, therefore, was no more freely walking among the Jews, but went away thence to the region nigh the wilderness, to a city called Ephraim, and there he tarried with his disciples.
DARBYJesus therefore walked no longer openly among the Jews, but went away thence into the country near the desert, to a city called Ephraim, and there he sojourned with the disciples.
BBESo Jesus no longer went about publicly among the Jews, but went from there into the country near to the waste land, to a town named Ephraim, where he was for some time with the disciples.
WebsterJesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence to a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples.

What does John 11:54 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 11:47-54

47-54. What do we? for this man doeth many miracles--"While we trifle, 'this man,' by His 'many miracles,' will carry all before Him; the popular enthusiasm will bring on a revolution, which will precipitate the Romans upon us, and our all will go down in one common ruin." What a testimony to the reality of our Lord's miracles, and their resistless effect, from His bitterest enemies!

Read the full comment on John 11:47-54 →

Barnes' Notes
Verse 54. No more openly. No more publicly, in the cities and towns. Jesus never exposed his life unnecessarily to hazard. Although the time of his death was determined in the counsel of God, yet this did not prevent his using proper means to preserve his life.

The wilderness. Mt 3:1.

A city called Ephraim. This was probably a small town in the tribe of Ephraim, about five miles west of Jericho.

(p) "Ephraim" 2Sam 13:23, 2Chr 13:19

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 54 Walked no more openly - Παρῥησιᾳ, He did not go as before through the cities and villages, teaching, preaching, and healing the sick. Near to the wilderness - Some MSS. add, of Samphourein, or Samphourim, or Sapfurim. A city called Ephraim - Variously written in the MSS., Ephraim, Ephrem, Ephram, and Ephratha. This was a little village, situated in the neighborhood of Bethel; for the scripture, 2Chr 13:19, and Josephus, War, b. iv. c. 8. s. 9, join them both together. Many believe that this city or village was the same with that mentioned, 1 Maccabees 5:46; 2 Maccabees 12:27. Joshua gave it to the tribe of Judah, Jos 15:9; and Eusebius and Jerome say it was about twenty miles north of Jerusalem. And there continued - Calmet says, following Toynard, that he stayed there two months, from the 24th of January till the 24th of March.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 11:54-57
Before our gospel passover we must renew our repentance. Thus by a voluntary purification, and by religious exercises, many, more devout than their neighbours, spent some time before the passover at Jerusalem. When we expect to meet God, we must solemnly prepare. No devices of man can alter the purposes of God: and while hypocrites amuse themselves with forms and disputes, and worldly men pursue their own plans, Jesus still orders all things for his own glory and the salvation of his people.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

John 11:54 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

οὖνounThereforeG3767
ἸησοῦςIēsousJesusG2424
οὐκέτιouketino longerG3756
παρρησίᾳparrēsiapubliclyG3954
περιεπάτειperiepateiwas walkingG4043
ἐνenamongG1722
τοῖςtoistheG3588
Ἰουδαίοις,IoudaioisJews,G2453
ἀλλ᾽all᾽butG235
ἀπῆλθενapēlthenwent awayG565
ἐκεῖθενekeithenfrom thereG1564
εἰςeisintoG1519
τὴνtēntheG3588
χώρανchōranregionG5561
ἐγγὺςengusnearG1451
τῆςtēstheG3588
ἐρήμουerēmouwildernessG2048
εἰςeistoG1519
ἘφραὶμEphraimEphraimG2187
λεγομένηνlegomenēnbeing namedG3004
πόλιν,polina city,G4172
κἀκεῖkakeiAnd thereG2532
ἔμεινενemeinenHe stayedG3306
μετὰmetawithG3326
τῶνtōntheG3588
μαθητῶνmathētōndisciplesG3101

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for John 11:54

  • John 7:1

    After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him.

  • John 7:4

    For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world.

  • 2 Chronicles 13:19

    And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Beth–el with the towns thereof, and Jeshanah with the towns thereof, and Ephrain with the towns thereof.

  • John 7:13

    Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews.

  • John 18:20

    Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing.

  • John 4:1-3

    When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, (Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,) He left Judea, and departed again into Galilee.

  • 2 Samuel 13:23

    And it came to pass after two full years, that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baal–hazor, which is beside Ephraim: and Absalom invited all the king’s sons.

  • John 7:10

    But when his brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret.

  • John 10:40

    And went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized; and there he abode.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
walked.
4:1-3; 7:1; 10:40; 18:20
went.
7:4,10,13
Ephraim.Ephraim appears to be the same city which is called Ephrain, 2 Ch 13:19 (where see the Note), and Ephron, Jos 15:9, which was situated eight miles north of Jerusalem, near Bethel, and apparently between that city and Jericho. Accordingly we find that a desert, or wilderness, extended from Jericho to Bethel (Jos 16:1), called the wilderness of Bethaven (Jos 18:12), in which Joshua and the Israelites slew the inhabitants of Ai. (Jos 8:24.)
2Sa 13:23; 2Ch 13:19

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • John 11:53

    Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.

  • John 11:54

    Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples.

  • John 11:55

    And the Jews’ passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the passover, to purify themselves.

Read all of John 11

John 11:54 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Por tanto, Jesús ya no andaba manifiestamente entre los Judíos; mas fuése de allí á la tierra que está junto al desierto, á una ciudad que se llama Ephraim: y estábase allí con sus discípulos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Jésus donc ne marcha plus ouvertement parmi les Juifs; mais il s’en alla de là dans la contrée qui est près du désert, en une ville appelée Éphraïm; et il séjourna là avec les disciples.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Jesus nun wandelte nicht mehr frei öffentlich unter den Juden, sondern ging von dannen hinweg in die Gegend nahe bei der Wüste, in eine Stadt, genannt Ephraim; und daselbst verweilte er mit den Jüngern.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Jesus ergo jam non in palam ambulabat apud Judæos, sed abiit in regionem juxta desertum, in civitatem quæ dicitur Ephrem, et ibi morabatur cum discipulis suis.