John 11 · Verse 56

John 11:56

Then sought they for Jesus, and spake among themselves, as they stood in the temple, What think ye, that he will not come to the feast?
John 11:56, King James Version

John 11:56 in other translations

BSBThey kept looking for Jesus and asking one another as they stood in the temple courts, “What do you think? Will He come to the feast at all?”
WEBThen they sought for Jesus and spoke with one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think—that he isn’t coming to the feast at all?”
ASVThey sought therefore for Jesus, and spake one with another, as they stood in the temple, What think ye? That he will not come to the feast?
YLTthey were seeking, therefore, Jesus, and said one with another, standing in the temple, ‘What doth appear to you--that he may not come to the feast?'
DARBYThey sought therefore Jesus, and said among themselves, standing in the temple, What do ye think? that he will not come to the feast?
BBEThey were looking for Jesus and saying to one another while they were in the Temple, What is your opinion? Will he not come to the feast?
WebsterThen they sought for Jesus, and spoke among themselves, as they stood in the temple, What think ye, that he will not come to the feast?

What does John 11:56 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 11:55-57

55-57. passover ... at hand ... many went ... up ... before the passover, to purify themselves--from any legal uncleanness which would have disqualified them from keeping the feast. This is mentioned to introduce the graphic statement which follows.

Read the full comment on John 11:55-57 →

Barnes' Notes
Verse 56. Will not come to the feast? They doubted whether he would come. On the one hand, it was required by law that all males should come. On the other, his coming was attended with great danger. This was the cause of their doubting. It was in this situation that our Saviour, like many of his followers, was called to act. Danger was on the one hand, and duty on the other. He chose, as all should, to do his duty, and leave the event with God. He preferred to do it, though he knew that death was to be the consequence; and we should not shrink, when we have reason to apprehend danger, persecution, or death, from an honest attempt to observe all the commandments of God.

(r) "Then sought they for Jesus" Jn 5:16,18, Jn 11:8

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 56 Then sought they for Jesus - Probably those of Ephraim, in whose company Christ is supposed to have departed for the feast, but, having stayed behind, perhaps at Jericho, or its vicinity, the others had not missed him till they came to the temple, and then inquired among each other whether he would not attend the feast. Or the persons mentioned in the text might have been the agents of the high priest, etc., and hearing that Christ had been at Ephraim, came and inquired among the people that came from that quarter, whether Jesus would not attend the festival, knowing that he was punctual in his attendance on all the Jewish solemnities.

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…

Read the full comment on John 11:54-57 →

John 11:56 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.

ἐζήτουνezētounThey were seekingG2212
οὖνounthereforeG3767
τὸνton<the>G3588
ἸησοῦνIēsounJesusG2424
καὶkaiandG2532
ἔλεγονelegonwere sayingG3004
μετ᾽met᾽amongG3326
ἀλλήλωνallēlōnone anotherG240
ἐνeninG1722
τῷtōtheG3588
ἱερῷhi'erōtempleG2411
ἑστηκότες·hestēkotesalready standing;G2476
τίtiWhatG5101
δοκεῖdokeidoes it seemG1380
ὑμῖν,huminto you,G4771
ὅτιhotithatG3754
οὐoucertainlyG3756
μὴmēnotG3361
ἔλθῃelthēHe may comeG2064
εἰςeistoG1519
τὴνtēntheG3588
ἑορτήν;he'ortēnfeast?G1859

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

Cross references for John 11:56

  • John 7:11

    Then the Jews sought him at the feast, and said, Where is he?

  • John 11:7-8

    Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judea again. His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
8; 7:11; 11:7

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

Context

  • 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.

  • John 11:56

    Then sought they for Jesus, and spake among themselves, as they stood in the temple, What think ye, that he will not come to the feast?

  • John 11:57

    Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment, that, if any man knew where he were, he should shew it, that they might take him.

Read all of John 11

John 11:56 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y buscaban á Jesús, y hablaban los unos con los otros estando en el templo: ¿Qué os parece, que no vendrá á la fiesta?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Ils cherchaient donc Jésus, et se disaient l’un à l’autre, comme ils étaient dans le temple: Que vous semble? Pensez-vous qu’il ne viendra point à la fête?
German
Elberfelder 1871		Sie suchten nun Jesum und sprachen, im Tempel stehend, untereinander: Was dünkt euch? daß er nicht zu dem Fest kommen wird?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Quærebant ergo Jesum, et colloquebantur ad invicem, in templo stantes: Quid putatis, quia non venit ad diem festum? Dederant autem pontifices et pharisæi mandatum ut si quis cognoverit ubi sit, indicet, ut apprehendant eum.