Mary Anoints Jesus at Bethany

12 Six days before ^(A)the Passover, ^(B)Jesus therefore came to Bethany, ^(C)where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. ² So they gave a dinner for him there. ^(D)Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. ^3 (E)Mary therefore took a pound^[a] of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. ⁴ But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, ⁵ “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii^[b] and ^(F)given to the poor?” ⁶ He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and ^(G)having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it. ⁷ Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it^[c] for the day of my burial. ⁸ For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.”

The Plot to Kill Lazarus

⁹ When the large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus^[d] was there, they came, not only on account of him but also to see Lazarus, ^(H)whom he had raised from the dead. ^10 (I)So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well, ¹¹ because ^(J)on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus.

The Triumphal Entry

¹² The next day ^(K)the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. ¹³ So they took branches of ^(L)palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, ^(M)“Hosanna! Blessed is ^(N)he who comes in the name of the Lord, even ^(O)the King of Israel!” ¹⁴ And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written,

^16 (Q)His disciples did not understand these things at first, but ^(R)when Jesus was glorified, then ^(S)they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him. ^17 (T)The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to bear witness. ¹⁸ The reason why the crowd went to meet him ^(U)was that they heard he had done this sign. ¹⁹ So the Pharisees said to one another, ^(V)“You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, ^(W)the world has gone after him.”

Some Greeks Seek Jesus

²⁰ Now ^(X)among those who went up to worship at the feast were some ^(Y)Greeks. ²¹ So these came to ^(Z)Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” ²² Philip went and told ^(AA)Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. ²³ And Jesus answered them, ^(AB)“The hour has come ^(AC)for the Son of Man to be glorified. ²⁴ Truly, truly, I say to you, ^(AD)unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. ^25 (AE)Whoever loves his life loses it, and ^(AF)whoever ^(AG)hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. ²⁶ If anyone serves me, he must ^(AH)follow me; and ^(AI)where I am, there will my servant be also. ^(AJ)If anyone serves me, ^(AK)the Father will honor him.

The Son of Man Must Be Lifted Up

^27 (AL)“Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, ^(AM)save me from ^(AN)this hour’? But ^(AO)for this purpose I have come to ^(AP)this hour. ²⁸ Father, glorify your name.” Then ^(AQ)a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” ²⁹ The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, ^(AR)“An angel has spoken to him.” ³⁰ Jesus answered, ^(AS)“This voice has come for your sake, not mine. ^31 (AT)Now is the judgment of this world; now will ^(AU)the ruler of this world ^(AV)be cast out. ³² And I, ^(AW)when I am lifted up from the earth, ^(AX)will draw ^(AY)all people to myself.” ³³ He said this ^(AZ)to show by what kind of death he was going to die. ³⁴ So the crowd answered him, “We have heard from the Law that ^(BA)the Christ remains forever. How can you say that ^(BB)the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” ³⁵ So Jesus said to them, ^(BC)“The light is among you ^(BD)for a little while longer. ^(BE)Walk while you have the light, lest darkness ^(BF)overtake you. ^(BG)The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. ³⁶ While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become ^(BH)sons of light.”

The Unbelief of the People

When Jesus had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them. ³⁷ Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him, ^38 (BI)so that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:

³⁹ Therefore they ^(BK)could not believe. For again Isaiah said,

⁴¹ Isaiah said these things because ^(BN)he saw his glory and ^(BO)spoke of him. ⁴² Nevertheless, ^(BP)many even of the authorities believed in him, but ^(BQ)for fear of the Pharisees they did not ^(BR)confess it, so that they would not be ^(BS)put out of the synagogue; ^43 (BT)for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.

Jesus Came to Save the World

⁴⁴ And Jesus cried out and said, ^(BU)“Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but ^(BV)in him who sent me. ⁴⁵ And ^(BW)whoever ^(BX)sees me sees him who sent me. ^46 (BY)I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. ⁴⁷ If anyone ^(BZ)hears my words and does not keep them, ^(CA)I do not judge him; for ^(CB)I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. ^48 (CC)The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; ^(CD)the word that I have spoken will judge him ^(CE)on the last day. ⁴⁹ For ^(CF)I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father ^(CG)who sent me has himself given me ^(CH)a commandment—what to say and what to speak. ⁵⁰ And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me.”

Jesus Washes the Disciples' Feet

13 Now ^(CI)before ^(CJ)the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that ^(CK)his hour had come ^(CL)to depart out of this world to the Father, ^(CM)having loved ^(CN)his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. ² During supper, when ^(CO)the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him, ³ Jesus, knowing ^(CP)that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that ^(CQ)he had come from God and ^(CR)was going back to God, ⁴ rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, ^(CS)tied it around his waist. ⁵ Then he ^(CT)poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. ⁶ He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” ^7 (CU)Jesus answered him, “What I am doing ^(CV)you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” ^8 (CW)Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, ^(CX)“If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” ⁹ Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” ¹⁰ Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, ^(CY)except for his feet,^[e] but is completely clean. And ^(CZ)you^[f] are clean, ^(DA)but not every one of you.” ^11 (DB)For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

¹² When he had washed their feet and ^(DC)put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, ^(DD)“Do you understand what I have done to you? ^13 (DE)You call me ^(DF)Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. ¹⁴ If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, ^(DG)you also ought to wash one another's feet. ¹⁵ For I have given you an example, ^(DH)that you also should do just as I have done to you. ¹⁶ Truly, truly, I say to you, ^(DI)a servant^[g] is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. ¹⁷ If you know these things, ^(DJ)blessed are you if you do them. ^18 (DK)I am not speaking of all of you; I know ^(DL)whom I have chosen. But ^(DM)the Scripture will be fulfilled,^{[h] (DN)}‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ ^19 (DO)I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he. ²⁰ Truly, truly, I say to you, ^(DP)whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”

One of You Will Betray Me

²¹ After saying these things, ^(DQ)Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, ^(DR)“Truly, truly, I say to you, ^(DS)one of you will betray me.” ^22 (DT)The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke. ^23 (DU)One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table ^(DV)at Jesus' side,^{[i] 24} so Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus^[j] of whom he was speaking. ^25 (DW)So that disciple, ^(DX)leaning back against Jesus, said to him, “Lord, who is it?” ²⁶ Jesus answered, ^(DY)“It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread ^(DZ)when I have dipped it.” So when he had dipped the morsel, ^(EA)he gave it to Judas, ^(EB)the son of Simon Iscariot. ²⁷ Then after he had taken the morsel, ^(EC)Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, ^(ED)“What you are going to do, do quickly.” ²⁸ Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. ²⁹ Some thought that, ^(EE)because Judas had the moneybag, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need ^(EF)for the feast,” or that he should ^(EG)give something to the poor. ³⁰ So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. ^(EH)And it was night.

A New Commandment

³¹ When he had gone out, Jesus said, ^(EI)“Now is the Son of Man glorified, and ^(EJ)God is glorified in him. ³² If God is glorified in him, ^(EK)God will also glorify him in himself, and ^(EL)glorify him at once. ³³ Little children, ^(EM)yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just ^(EN)as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ ^34 (EO)A new commandment ^(EP)I give to you, ^(EQ)that you love one another: ^(ER)just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. ^35 (ES)By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Jesus Foretells Peter's Denial

³⁶ Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” ^(ET)Jesus answered him, “Where I am going ^(EU)you cannot follow me now, ^(EV)but you will follow afterward.” ^37 (EW)Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” ³⁸ Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, ^(EX)the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times.

7 So the king and Haman went in to feast with Queen Esther. ² And on the second day, as they were drinking wine after the feast, the king again said to Esther, ^(A)“What is your wish, Queen Esther? It shall be granted you. And what is your request? ^(B)Even to the half of my kingdom, it shall be fulfilled.” ³ Then Queen Esther answered, ^(C)“If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be granted me for my wish, and my people for my request. ^4 (D)For we have been sold, I and my people, ^(E)to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be annihilated. If we had been sold merely as slaves, men and women, I would have been silent, for our affliction is not to be compared with the loss to the king.” ⁵ Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther, “Who is he, and where is he, who has dared^[a] to do this?” ⁶ And Esther said, ^(F)“A foe and enemy! This wicked Haman!” Then Haman was terrified before the king and the queen.

Haman Is Hanged

⁷ And the king arose in his wrath from the wine-drinking and went into ^(G)the palace garden, but Haman stayed to beg for his life from Queen Esther, for he saw that harm was determined against him by the king. ⁸ And the king returned from ^(H)the palace garden to the place where they were drinking wine, as Haman was falling on ^(I)the couch where Esther was. And the king said, “Will he even assault the queen in my presence, in my own house?” As the word left the mouth of the king, they covered Haman's face. ⁹ Then ^(J)Harbona, one of the eunuchs in attendance on the king, said, “Moreover, ^(K)the gallows^[b] that Haman has prepared for Mordecai, ^(L)whose word saved the king, is standing at Haman's house, fifty cubits^[c] high.” And the king said, “Hang him on that.” ^10 (M)So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. ^(N)Then the wrath of the king abated.

Come, Bless the Lord

A Song of ^(A)Ascents.

Your Name, O Lord, Endures Forever