And when the chief priests and the scribes heard it, they kept looking for a way to kill him; for they were afraid of him, because the whole crowd was spellbound by his teaching. And when evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city. (Mark 11: 18-19)

The religious leaders may have wished Jesus dead, but Mark's Greek is more nuanced. Apollumi is to put out of the way, render useless, or to destroy.

To kill would be legally, politically, and religiously complicated. They had begun looking - zeteo - seeking, inquiring, planning how to get rid of Jesus. Something less than death would probably have been acceptable.

Until now Mark has positioned the Pharisees - religious reformers - as the principal antagonists of Jesus. Over the next few days the religious establishment will become his deadly foes.