Wikipedia's first sentence called it “high priest a”. Today it says “high priest of judaea from 6 ad to 15 ad”. The one-line description Wikipedia serves to search engines and AI systems read “1st century CE High Priest of the Roman province of Iudaea”. It now reads “1st-century CE high priest of the Roman province of Judaea”.
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Machine-checked against the full current article on 2026-08-03.
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The opening as it read in 2005
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain : Easton, Matthew George (1897). Easton's Bible Dictionary (New and revised ed.). Nelson and Sons. : Missing or empty |title= ( help ) Annas - was high priest A.D. 7-14. In A.D. 25 Caiaphas , who had married the daughter of Annas (John 18:13), was raised to that office, and probably Annas was now made president of the Sanhedrin , or deputy or coadjutor of the high priest, and thus was also called high priest along with Caiaphas (Luke 3:2). By the Mosaic law the high-priesthood was held for life (Num. 3:10); and although Annas had been deposed by the Roman procurator, the Jews may still have regarded him as legally the high priest. Jesus was first brought before Annas, and after a brief questioning of him (John 18:19-23) was sent to Caiaphas , when some members of the Sanhedrin had met, and the first trial of Jesus took place (Matt. 26:57-68). This examination of Jesus before Annas is recorded only by John . Annas was president of the Sanhedrin before which Peter and John were brought (Acts 4:6).1
This is Wikipedia's own text, saved in our repository. Their copy of it is revision 15961860.
The opening as it stood in 2010 8 passages from the previous snapshot no longer appear
Statue of Annas in Bom Jesus , Braga Annas [also Ananus or Ananias ], son of Seth (23/22 BC–66 AD), was appointed by the Roman legate Quirinius as the first High Priest of the newly formed Roman province of Iudaea in 6 AD; just after the Romans had deposed Archelaus , Ethnarch of Judaea , thereby putting Judaea directly under Roman rule.Annas officially served as High Priest for ten years (6–15 AD), when at the age of 36 he was deposed by the procurator Gratus 'for imposing and executing capital sentences which had been forbidden by the imperial government.' Yet while having been officially removed from office, he remained as one of the nations most influential political and social individuals, aided greatly by the use of his five sons and his son-in-law as puppet High Priests till his assassination in 66 AD for advocating peace with Rome.Annas appears in the Gospels and Passion plays as a high priest before whom Jesus is brought for judgment, prior to being brought before Pontius Pilate .
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 369351201.
The opening as it stood in 2015
Statue of Annas in Bom Jesus , Braga Annas [also Ananus or Ananias ], son of Seth (23/22 BC–death date unknown, probably around 40CE), was appointed by the Roman legate Quirinius as the first High Priest of the newly formed Roman province of Iudaea in 6 AD; just after the Romans had deposed Archelaus , Ethnarch of Judaea , thereby putting Judaea directly under Roman rule. Annas officially served as High Priest for ten years (6–15 AD), when at the age of 36 he was deposed by the procurator Gratus. Yet while having been officially removed from office, he remained as one of the nation's most influential political and social individuals, aided greatly by the use of his five sons and his son-in-law as puppet High Priests. His death is unrecorded, but his son Annas the Younger, also known as Ananus ben Ananus was assassinated in 66 AD for advocating peace with Rome. Annas appears in the Gospels and Passion plays as a high priest before whom Jesus is brought for judgment, prior to being brought before Pontius Pilate .
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 652856626.
The opening as it stood in 2020
Statue of Annas in Bom Jesus , Braga Annas (also Ananus or Ananias ; ), son of Seth (23/22 BC – death date unknown, probably around AD 40), was appointed by the Roman legate Quirinius as the first High Priest of the newly formed Roman province of Iudaea in AD 6; just after the Romans had deposed Archelaus , Ethnarch of Judaea , thereby putting Judaea directly under Roman rule. Annas officially served as High Priest for ten years (AD 6–15), when at the age of 36 he was deposed by the procurator Valerius Gratus . Yet while having been officially removed from office, he remained as one of the nation's most influential political and social individuals, aided greatly by the use of his five sons and his son-in-law Caiaphas as puppet High Priests. His death is unrecorded. His son Annas the Younger, also known as Ananus the son of Ananus , was assassinated in AD 66 for advocating peace with Rome. Annas appears in the Gospels and Passion plays as a high priest before whom Jesus is brought for judgment, prior to being brought before Pontius Pilate .
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 950101538.
The opening as it stood on October 6, 2023 4 passages from the previous snapshot no longer appear
1st century CE High Priest of the Roman province of Iudaea "Ananus" redirects here. Annas (also Ananus or Ananias ; , khanán ; , Hánnas ; 23/22 BC – death date unknown, probably around AD 40) was appointed by the Roman legate Quirinius as the first High Priest of the newly formed Roman province of Judaea in AD 6 – just after the Romans had deposed Archelaus , Ethnarch of Judaea , thereby putting Judaea directly under Roman rule. Annas appears in the Gospels and Passion plays as a high priest before whom Jesus is brought for judgment, prior to being brought before Pontius Pilate .
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1102864085.
The opening as it stood in 2025
1st century CE High Priest of the Roman province of Iudaea "Ananus" redirects here. "Christ before Annas" ( Duccio di Buoninsegna ), c. 1308–11 ) "Annas and Caiaphas " (Dutch, c. 1500 ) Annas (also Ananus or Ananias ; Hebrew : חָנָן , Ḥānān ; Koine Greek : Ἅννας , Hánnas ; 23/22 BC – death date unknown, probably around AD 40) was appointed by the Roman legate Quirinius as the first High Priest of the newly formed Roman province of Judaea in AD 6 – just after the Romans had deposed Archelaus , Ethnarch of Judaea , thereby putting Judaea directly under Roman rule. Annas appears in the Gospels and Passion plays as a high priest before whom Jesus is brought for judgment, prior to being brought before Pontius Pilate .
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1286431704. This is our newest snapshot; the live article may have moved again since.
Today
Wikipedia's first sentence called it “high priest a”. Today it says “high priest of judaea from 6 ad to 15 ad”. The one-line description Wikipedia serves to search engines and AI systems read “1st century CE High Priest of the Roman province of Iudaea”. It now reads “1st-century CE high priest of the Roman province of Judaea”. Read the current article and compare.
2005
2010
2015
2020
Oct '23
2025
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What Wikipedia says this is
Every article opens by defining its subject. This one was redefined since 2005, and today's defining sentence is their current revision.
Then
high priest a
Now
high priest of judaea from 6 ad to 15 ad
Struck red text is no longer in the article; dotted amber text was rewritten. Every revision id links to Wikipedia's copy; the text shown is our own saved copy. Data: /data. Wikipedia text is CC BY-SA; quoted for the record; not affiliated with Wikipedia.
