⁴⁶ But some of them went to the Pharisees^(A) and told them what Jesus had done.

⁴⁷ So the chief priests and the Pharisees convened the Sanhedrin^(B) and said, “What are we going to do since this man does many signs? ⁴⁸ If we let Him continue in this way, everyone will believe in Him! Then the Romans^(C) will come and remove both our place^[a] and our nation.”

⁴⁹ One of them, Caiaphas,^(D) who was high priest^(E) that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all! ⁵⁰ You’re not considering that it is to your^[b] advantage that one man should die for the people rather than the whole nation perish.”^{(F) 51} He did not say this on his own, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus was going to die^(G) for the nation, ⁵² and not for the nation only, but also to unite the scattered children^(H) of God. ⁵³ So from that day on they plotted to kill Him.^{(I) 54} Therefore Jesus no longer walked openly^(J) among the Jews but departed from there to the countryside near the wilderness,^(K) to a town called Ephraim. And He stayed there with the disciples.

⁵⁵ The Jewish Passover^(L) was near, and many went up to Jerusalem^(M) from the country to purify^[c] themselves before the Passover. ⁵⁶ They were looking for Jesus and asking one another as they stood in the temple complex:^(N) “What do you think? He won’t come to the festival,^(O) will He?” ⁵⁷ The chief priests^(P) and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where He was, he should report it so they could arrest Him.

The Anointing at Bethany

12 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany^(Q) where Lazarus^[d] was, the one Jesus had raised from the dead.^{(R) 2} So^(S) they gave a dinner for Him there; Martha^(T) was serving them, and Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with Him. ³ Then Mary took a pound of fragrant oil—pure and expensive nard—anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped His feet with her hair.^(U) So the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.

⁴ Then one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot^(V) (who was about to betray Him), said, ⁵ “Why wasn’t this fragrant oil sold for 300 denarii^[e](W) and given to the poor?” ⁶ He didn’t say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief.^(X) He was in charge of the money-bag and would steal part of what was put in it.

⁷ Jesus answered, “Leave her alone; she has kept it for the day of My burial.^{(Y) 8} For you always have the poor with you,^(Z) but you do not always have Me.”

The Decision to Kill Lazarus

⁹ Then a large crowd of the Jews learned He was there. They came not only because of Jesus, but also to see Lazarus the one He had raised from the dead.^{(AA) 10} Therefore the chief priests decided to kill Lazarus also ¹¹ because he was the reason many of the Jews were deserting them^[f] and believing in Jesus.

The Triumphal Entry

¹² The^(AB) next day, when the large crowd that had come to the festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, ¹³ they took palm branches^(AC) and went out to meet Him. They kept shouting: “Hosanna!^(AD) He who comes in the name of the Lord is the blessed One^(AE)[g]—the King of Israel!”^(AF)

¹⁴ Jesus found a young donkey^(AG) and sat on it, just as it is written: ¹⁵ Fear no more,^(AH) Daughter Zion. Look, your King is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt.^(AI)[h]

¹⁶ His disciples did not understand these things at first. However, when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about Him^(AJ) and that they had done these things to Him. ¹⁷ Meanwhile, the crowd, which had been with Him when He called Lazarus out of the tomb^(AK) and raised him from the dead, continued to testify.^{[i] 18} This is also why the crowd met Him, because they heard He had done this sign.

¹⁹ Then the Pharisees said to one another, “You see? You’ve accomplished nothing. Look—the world has gone after Him!”^(AL)