The Plot to Kill Jesus

45 Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary,(A) and had seen what Jesus did,(B) believed in him.(C) 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees(D) called a meeting(E) of the Sanhedrin.(F)

“What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many signs.(G) 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.”

49 Then one of them, named Caiaphas,(H) who was high priest that year,(I) spoke up, “You know nothing at all! 50 You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”(J)

51 He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, 52 and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one.(K) 53 So from that day on they plotted to take his life.(L)

54 Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the people of Judea.(M) Instead he withdrew to a region near the wilderness, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples.

55 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover,(N) many went up from the country to Jerusalem for their ceremonial cleansing(O) before the Passover. 56 They kept looking for Jesus,(P) and as they stood in the temple courts they asked one another, “What do you think? Isn’t he coming to the festival at all?” 57 But the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that anyone who found out where Jesus was should report it so that they might arrest him.

Jesus Anointed at Bethany(Q)

12 Six days before the Passover,(R) Jesus came to Bethany,(S) where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served,(T) while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took about a pint[a] of pure nard, an expensive perfume;(U) she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair.(V) And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him,(W) objected, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.[b] He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag,(X) he used to help himself to what was put into it.

“Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial.(Y) You will always have the poor among you,[c](Z) but you will not always have me.”

Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.(AA) 10 So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, 11 for on account of him(AB) many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him.(AC)

Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King(AD)

12 The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13 They took palm branches(AE) and went out to meet him, shouting,

“Hosanna![d]

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”[e](AF)

“Blessed is the king of Israel!”(AG)

14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written:

15 “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion;
    see, your king is coming,
    seated on a donkey’s colt.”[f](AH)

16 At first his disciples did not understand all this.(AI) Only after Jesus was glorified(AJ) did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him.

17 Now the crowd that was with him(AK) when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. 18 Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign,(AL) went out to meet him. 19 So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!”(AM)

Footnotes

  1. John 12:3 Or about 0.5 liter
  2. John 12:5 Greek three hundred denarii
  3. John 12:8 See Deut. 15:11.
  4. John 12:13 A Hebrew expression meaning “Save!” which became an exclamation of praise
  5. John 12:13 Psalm 118:25,26
  6. John 12:15 Zech. 9:9

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