Caiaphas
High Priest
Joseph Caiaphas was the high priest in Jerusalem from about 18–36 AD. He led the trial of Jesus and said it was better that one man should die for the people. Without knowing it, he thus prophesied about Jesus' atoning death. He also led the persecution of the apostles in the early church.
Key events
Prophecy About Jesus' Death
Caiaphas said it was better that one man should die for the people—an unconscious prophecy.
47So the chief priests and the Pharisees convened the council and said, "What are we doing? This man is performing many signs.
συνήγαγον οὖν οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ οἱ Φαρισαῖοι συνέδριον, καὶ ἔλεγον· Τί ποιοῦμεν ὅτι οὗτος ὁ ἄνθρωπος πολλὰ ⸂ποιεῖ σημεῖα⸃;
49But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, "You know nothing at all.
εἷς δέ τις ἐξ αὐτῶν Καϊάφας, ἀρχιερεὺς ὢν τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ ἐκείνου, εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Ὑμεῖς οὐκ οἴδατε οὐδέν,
50You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish."
οὐδὲ ⸀λογίζεσθε ὅτι συμφέρει ⸀ὑμῖν ἵνα εἷς ἄνθρωπος ἀποθάνῃ ὑπὲρ τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ μὴ ὅλον τὸ ἔθνος ἀπόληται.
51He did not say this on his own; but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation—
τοῦτο δὲ ἀφʼ ἑαυτοῦ οὐκ εἶπεν, ἀλλὰ ἀρχιερεὺς ὢν τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ ἐκείνου ἐπροφήτευσεν ὅτι ἔμελλεν Ἰησοῦς ἀποθνῄσκειν ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἔθνους,
52and not for the nation only, but to gather into one the scattered children of God.
καὶ οὐχ ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἔθνους μόνον, ἀλλʼ ἵνα καὶ τὰ τέκνα τοῦ θεοῦ τὰ διεσκορπισμένα συναγάγῃ εἰς ἕν.
53So from that day on they plotted to put him to death.
ἀπʼ ἐκείνης οὖν τῆς ἡμέρας ⸀ἐβουλεύσαντο ἵνα ἀποκτείνωσιν αὐτόν.
The Trial of Jesus
Caiaphas led the trial of Jesus and asked him to swear whether he was the Messiah.
57Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered.
Οἱ δὲ κρατήσαντες τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἀπήγαγον πρὸς Καϊάφαν τὸν ἀρχιερέα, ὅπου οἱ γραμματεῖς καὶ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι συνήχθησαν.
59Meanwhile the chief priests and the whole council were looking for false testimony against Jesus so that they could put him to death,
οἱ δὲ ἀρχιερεῖς ⸀καὶ τὸ συνέδριον ὅλον ἐζήτουν ψευδομαρτυρίαν κατὰ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ὅπως ⸂αὐτὸν θανατώσωσιν⸃,
62The high priest stood up and said to him, "Have you no answer? What is this testimony they bring against you?"
καὶ ἀναστὰς ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Οὐδὲν ἀποκρίνῃ; τί οὗτοί σου καταμαρτυροῦσιν;
63But Jesus remained silent. So the high priest said to him, "I charge you under oath by the living God: tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God."
ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς ἐσιώπα. ⸀καὶ ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Ἐξορκίζω σε κατὰ τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ζῶντος ἵνα ἡμῖν εἴπῃς εἰ σὺ εἶ ὁ χριστὸς ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ.
64Jesus said to him, "You have said it. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven."
λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· Σὺ εἶπας· πλὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ἀπʼ ἄρτι ὄψεσθε τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου καθήμενον ἐκ δεξιῶν τῆς δυνάμεως καὶ ἐρχόμενον ἐπὶ τῶν νεφελῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ.
65Then the high priest tore his robes and said, "He has blasphemed! Why do we need any more witnesses? You have just heard the blasphemy.
τότε ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς διέρρηξεν τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ ⸀λέγων· Ἐβλασφήμησεν· τί ἔτι χρείαν ἔχομεν μαρτύρων; ἴδε νῦν ἠκούσατε τὴν ⸀βλασφημίαν·
66What is your verdict?" They answered, "He deserves death."
τί ὑμῖν δοκεῖ; οἱ δὲ ἀποκριθέντες εἶπαν· Ἔνοχος θανάτου ἐστίν.
Sent Jesus to Pilate
After the trial, Caiaphas sent Jesus to Pilate to obtain a death sentence.
24Then Annas sent him, still bound, to Caiaphas the high priest.
ἀπέστειλεν ⸀οὖν αὐτὸν ὁ Ἅννας δεδεμένον πρὸς Καϊάφαν τὸν ἀρχιερέα.
28Then they took Jesus from Caiaphas to the governor's headquarters. It was early morning, and they did not enter the headquarters themselves, so that they would not be defiled but could eat the Passover.
Ἄγουσιν οὖν τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἀπὸ τοῦ Καϊάφα εἰς τὸ πραιτώριον· ἦν δὲ πρωΐ· καὶ αὐτοὶ οὐκ εἰσῆλθον εἰς τὸ πραιτώριον, ἵνα μὴ μιανθῶσιν ⸀ἀλλὰ φάγωσιν τὸ πάσχα.
Persecution of the Apostles
Caiaphas presided over the hearing of Peter and John after the healing at the temple.
5The next day the rulers, the elders, and the scribes gathered in Jerusalem,
Ἐγένετο δὲ ἐπὶ τὴν αὔριον συναχθῆναι αὐτῶν τοὺς ἄρχοντας καὶ ⸀τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους καὶ ⸁τοὺς γραμματεῖς ⸀ἐν Ἰερουσαλήμ
6along with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and all who belonged to the high priest's family.
(καὶ ⸂Ἅννας ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς καὶ Καϊάφας καὶ Ἰωάννης καὶ Ἀλέξανδρος⸃ καὶ ὅσοι ἦσαν ἐκ γένους ἀρχιερατικοῦ),
7They made them stand in their midst and questioned them: "By what power or in what name did you do this?"
καὶ στήσαντες αὐτοὺς ἐν ⸀τῷ μέσῳ ἐπυνθάνοντο· Ἐν ποίᾳ δυνάμει ἢ ἐν ποίῳ ὀνόματι ἐποιήσατε τοῦτο ὑμεῖς;
18So they called them in and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
καὶ καλέσαντες αὐτοὺς παρήγγειλαν ⸀τὸ καθόλου μὴ φθέγγεσθαι μηδὲ διδάσκειν ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ Ἰησοῦ.
21After threatening them further, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people—for they were all praising God for what had happened.
οἱ δὲ προσαπειλησάμενοι ἀπέλυσαν αὐτούς, μηδὲν εὑρίσκοντες τὸ πῶς ⸀κολάσωνται αὐτούς, διὰ τὸν λαόν, ὅτι πάντες ἐδόξαζον τὸν θεὸν ἐπὶ τῷ γεγονότι·