John 11:54 kjv
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 nkjv
Therefore Jesus no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there into the country near the wilderness, to a city called Ephraim, and there remained with His disciples.
John 11:54 niv
Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the people of Judea. Instead he withdrew to a region near the wilderness, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples.
John 11:54 esv
Jesus therefore no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, and there he stayed with the disciples.
John 11:54 nlt
As a result, Jesus stopped his public ministry among the people and left Jerusalem. He went to a place near the wilderness, to the village of Ephraim, and stayed there with his disciples.
John 11 54 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jn 11:47-48 | The chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the Sanhedrin and said, "What are we going to do? For this man performs many signs..." | Immediate context: The Sanhedrin's decision to plot Jesus' death. |
| Jn 11:49-53 | Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them... he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation... | Context: Caiaphas' unwitting prophecy and the plot's solidification. |
| Jn 7:6 | Jesus said to them, "My time has not yet come, but your time is always here." | Jesus' awareness of and submission to His precise divine timing. |
| Jn 7:8 | "Go up to the feast yourselves. I am not going up to this feast, for My time has not yet fully come." | Emphasis on "My time" governing Jesus' public movements. |
| Jn 8:20 | These words He spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple; but no one arrested Him, because His hour had not yet come. | God's sovereign control over Jesus' life until His "hour" arrived. |
| Mt 10:23 | "When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next..." | Jesus' own instruction to His disciples regarding flight during persecution. |
| Mt 12:14-15 | But the Pharisees went out and took counsel against Him, how to destroy Him. Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. | A pattern of Jesus withdrawing from dangerous opposition. |
| Mk 3:6-7 | The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against Him, how to destroy Him. Jesus with His disciples withdrew to the sea. | Another example of strategic withdrawal from a death plot. |
| Jn 5:16, 18 | For this reason the Jews were persecuting Jesus... they were seeking all the more to kill Him. | Earlier intentions by Jewish leaders to kill Jesus due to His actions. |
| Jn 10:39-40 | Again they sought to arrest Him, but He escaped from their hands. He went away again across the Jordan... | Previous withdrawal to a safer region (Perea) to avoid capture. |
| Jn 12:9-11 | When the large crowd... learned that He was there, they came... not only on account of Jesus but also to see Lazarus... | Reinforcement of the heightened threat, extending even to Lazarus. |
| Exo 13:17-18 | When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines... God led the people around by the way of the wilderness. | God's use of wilderness as a safe, indirect route for His people. |
| 1 Ki 17:2-3 | The word of the LORD came to him: "Depart from here and turn eastward and hide yourself by the brook Cherith..." | Elijah's retreat to a wilderness area for safety and divine provision. |
| Mt 4:1-2 | Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil... after fasting forty days and forty nights... | The wilderness as a place of spiritual testing and preparation. |
| Lk 4:42 | And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place. And the people sought him and came to him... | Jesus often sought secluded, desolate places for retreat and prayer. |
| Jn 6:15 | Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself. | Withdrawal not just from danger, but also from misguided popular acclaim. |
| Jn 10:17-18 | For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord. | Jesus' full sovereignty over His life and death, reinforcing strategic withdrawal. |
| Acts 2:23 | This Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. | Human actions, even evil ones, are encompassed by God's sovereign plan. |
| Acts 4:27-28 | For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus... to do whatever Your hand and Your plan had predestined to take place. | God's predestined plan is realized despite human opposition. |
| Ps 2:1-2 | Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD... | Prophetic imagery of earthly rulers' futile plots against God's Anointed. |
| Jn 13:1 | Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father... | Jesus' continued awareness of and preparation for His imminent "hour" leading to His death. |
| Jn 17:1-26 | Jesus spoke these things, and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son..." | The "High Priestly Prayer" indicating final preparation and timing. |
John 11 verses
John 11 54 Meaning
John 11:54 describes Jesus' strategic withdrawal from open public ministry in Judea. Following the resurrection of Lazarus, which led the Sanhedrin to plot His death, Jesus temporarily relocated to Ephraim, a town near the wilderness. This move was not an act of fear, but a deliberate decision aligned with God's divine timing, allowing Him to avoid premature capture and to spend essential, focused time with His disciples before His appointed "hour" for suffering and death.
John 11 54 Context
John chapter 11 records one of Jesus' most profound miracles, the resurrection of Lazarus. This spectacular demonstration of divine power significantly boosted faith among many, yet it simultaneously intensified the opposition from the Jewish religious leaders. The Sanhedrin, concerned about Jesus' growing influence and potential Roman reprisal (Jn 11:48), convened and made the decision to eliminate Him. High Priest Caiaphas unwittingly delivered a prophetic statement, declaring that it was "better for you that one man should die for the people" (Jn 11:50), foreshadowing Jesus' atoning death. Verse 54 directly follows this definitive plot against Jesus' life. Knowing His ultimate "hour" for crucifixion had not yet come, and recognizing the organized threat, Jesus chose to withdraw. His destination, Ephraim, a town likely located north-east of Jerusalem on the edge of the Judean wilderness, offered relative seclusion. This retreat provided safety and crucial time for Him to intensely instruct and prepare His disciples for the climactic events of the approaching Passover, ensuring their understanding and resilience before His return to Jerusalem.
John 11 54 Word analysis
- Jesus (Ἰησοῦς - Iēsoūs): The incarnate Son of God, whose actions are purposeful, deliberate, and always align with the Father's will. His withdrawal is a sovereign act.
- therefore (οὖν - oun): This causal conjunction strongly links Jesus' action directly to the preceding events—the Sanhedrin's decision to seek His death (Jn 11:53). It emphasizes His response is a consequence, not a whim.
- no longer walked openly (οὐκέτι περιεπάτει φανερῶς - ouketi periepatē phanerōs): Signifies a distinct change from His previous modus operandi of public teaching and ministry, especially in Judea. "Openly" (φανερῶς) implies unhindered, publicly visible activity. His withdrawal highlights a temporary, strategic shift from this openness. This is not out of fear but divine timing (Jn 7:6, 7:8, 8:20).
- among the Jews (ἐν τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις - en tois Ioudaiois): Refers to the Jewish leadership and hostile authorities in Judea and Jerusalem who were actively plotting His demise, rather than the general population.
- went from there (ἀπῆλθεν ἐκεῖθεν - apelthen ekeithen): Indicates departure from the vicinity of Jerusalem and Bethany, the location of the Lazarus miracle and the subsequent council meeting.
- to the region near the wilderness (εἰς τὴν χώραν ἐγγὺς τῆς ἐρήμου - eis tēn chōran engys tēs erēmoū): The "wilderness" (erēmos) denotes a sparsely inhabited, desolate, or uncultivated area, often associated with refuge, solitude, or testing in biblical narratives. This choice emphasizes a remote, less-surveilled environment.
- to a town called Ephraim (εἰς πόλιν λεγομένην Ἐφραΐμ - eis polin legomenēn Ephraím): A specific, though minor, town, likely situated for its strategic advantage, offering relative safety due to its location, possibly on the borders of Judea/Samaria or in northern Judea.
- and there he stayed (κἀκεῖ ἔμεινεν - kakei emeinen): Implies a prolonged, significant period of residence, suggesting a deliberate and extended retreat for a specific purpose.
- with the disciples (μετὰ τῶν μαθητῶν - meta tōn mathētōn): This is crucial; Jesus did not retreat alone but with His closest followers. This time was vital for their intensive training, deeper spiritual understanding, and preparation for the impending Passion and the future of the church.
Words-group analysis
- "Jesus therefore no longer walked openly among the Jews": This phrase underlines Jesus' shift in strategy. It reveals His perfect understanding of divine timing, withdrawing not from fear, but to avoid preempting His destined "hour." He maintains sovereignty even amidst danger, not letting human opposition dictate His ultimate mission.
- "but went from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim": This specifies Jesus' calculated movement to a place of refuge. The "wilderness" aspect connotes remoteness and less public exposure, while "Ephraim" pinpoints a chosen, less-policed location, demonstrating practical wisdom in navigating hostile environments. This relocation signifies a deliberate, strategic phase in His ministry.
- "and there he stayed with the disciples": This crucial detail reveals the primary purpose of the retreat: intensified, private instruction and fellowship with His disciples. This dedicated time was vital for their spiritual equipping and strengthening, preparing them for His death, resurrection, and their future mission, solidifying their understanding before the tumultuous events of the final Passover.
John 11 54 Bonus section
The term "Ephraim" (Ἐφραΐμ), while referring to a specific town here, echoes one of the prominent tribes of Israel. This might subtly invoke themes of God's interaction with His people in more secluded or foundational settings, particularly relevant given Jesus' intensive work with His inner circle. Furthermore, the motif of "wilderness" (erēmos) is deeply embedded in biblical tradition as a place of refuge, testing, divine encounter, and profound preparation. Jesus Himself began His public ministry in the wilderness through baptism by John and subsequently underwent temptation there. Moses and Elijah both experienced significant periods and divine encounters in wilderness settings. Jesus' deliberate withdrawal to such a region, therefore, is not merely a pragmatic safety measure, but an action rich with theological resonance, marking a period of concentrated spiritual activity and instruction, out of the direct gaze of hostile authorities, and a deepening of the disciples' faith before the ultimate confrontation in Jerusalem.
John 11 54 Commentary
John 11:54 depicts a profound moment of strategic wisdom and divine timing in Jesus' earthly ministry. Following the potent miracle of Lazarus' resurrection, the religious leaders had sealed their resolve to kill Him. Jesus, perfectly aligned with His Father's will and conscious that His appointed "hour" for ultimate sacrifice had not yet come, chose a deliberate withdrawal. This was not a flight of fear but a sovereign act to safeguard His life until God's perfect plan unfolded. His retreat to Ephraim, a quieter locale near the wilderness, offered respite from the immediate threat. Crucially, this period served as an intensive spiritual retreat with His disciples, preparing them mentally and spiritually for the harrowing events that would soon transpire in Jerusalem. It underscores the balance in Jesus' ministry between bold proclamation and strategic, often quiet, preparation, always serving the overarching divine purpose. This passage teaches us the importance of wise timing and deliberate preparation, especially in the face of opposition.
- Example: Like a skilled general withdrawing his troops to a fortified position for rest and strategy refinement before the final decisive battle.
- Example: A mentor pausing public work to focus intently on training a select few apprentices for a vital upcoming task.