John 12
Disciples’ Literal New Testament
In Bethany At a Dinner For Jesus And Lazarus, Mary Anoints Jesus
12 Therefore Jesus, six days before the Passover [Feast], came to Bethany where Lazarus was, the one whom Jesus raised from the dead. 2 So they made a dinner for Him there. And Martha was serving. And Lazarus was one of the ones reclining-back [to eat] with Him. 3 Then Mary, having taken a pound of very-valuable genuine[a] nard perfume, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled from the aroma of the perfume. 4 But Judas the Iscariot— one of His disciples, the one going to hand Him over— says, 5 “For what reason was this perfume not sold for three-hundred denarii[b] and given to poor ones?” 6 Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief. And having the money-box, he was carrying[c] the things being put there. 7 So Jesus said, “Leave her alone. It was[d] in order that she might keep it for the day of My preparation-for-burial. 8 For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me”. 9 Then the large crowd[e] of the Jews came-to-know that He was there. And they came— not because of Jesus only, but in order that they might also see Lazarus, whom He raised from the dead. 10 And the chief priests planned to kill Lazarus also, 11 because many of the Jews were going-away and were believing in Jesus because of him.
Jesus The King Enters Jerusalem On a Donkey, As Predicted By Zechariah
12 On the next day the large crowd[f]— the one having come to the Feast— having heard[g] that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13 took the branches of palm-trees and came out to meet Him. And they were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is the One coming in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel”. 14 And Jesus, having found a young-donkey, sat on it, just as it has been written [in Zech 9:9]: 15 “Do not be fearing, daughter of Zion. Behold— your King is coming, sitting on a colt of a donkey”. 16 His disciples did not understand these things at first. But when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written for[h] Him, and that they did these things to Him. 17 Then the crowd[i] was testifying— the one being with Him when He called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead. 18 For this reason also the crowd[j] met Him— because they heard that He had done this sign. 19 Then the Pharisees said to themselves, “You see that you are profiting nothing! Look— the world went after Him!”
Jesus Says The Hour For Which He Came Has Come. A Seed Must Die To Bear Fruit
20 Now some of the ones going up in order that they might worship at the Feast were Greeks[k]. 21 So these ones came to Philip, the one from Bethsaida of Galilee, and were asking him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus”. 22 Philip comes and tells Andrew. Andrew and Philip come, and they tell Jesus. 23 And Jesus responds to them, saying, “The hour has come for[l] the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless the seed of wheat having fallen to the earth dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 The one loving his life loses it, and the one hating his life in this world will keep[m] it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves Me, let him be following Me. And where I am, there also My servant will be. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him. 27 Now My soul has been troubled. And what should I say— ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this reason I came to this hour! 28 Father, glorify Your name!”
Now Is The Judgment of This World. If I Am Lifted Up, I Will Draw All People To Myself
Then a voice came from heaven: “I both glorified it, and will again glorify it”. 29 Then the crowd, the one standing there and having heard, was saying that thunder had taken place. Others were saying, “An angel has spoken to Him”. 30 Jesus responded and said, “This voice has taken place not for My sake, but for your sakes. 31 Now is the judgment of this world! Now the ruler of this world will be cast out! 32 And if I am lifted-up[n] from the earth, I will draw all people to Myself ”. 33 Now He was saying this signifying by what-kind-of death He was going to die.
Believe In The Light While You Have The Light, That You May Become Sons of Light
34 Then the crowd responded to Him, “We heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How indeed do You say that ‘The Son of Man must be lifted-up[o]’? Who is this Son of Man?” 35 Then Jesus said to them, “The Light is among you for a short time longer. Be walking while you have the Light, in order that darkness may not overtake you. Indeed the one walking in the darkness does not know where he is going. 36 While you have the Light, be believing in the Light, in order that you may become sons of Light”. Jesus spoke these things, and having gone away, was hidden from them.
Isaiah Is Fulfilled: God Blinded Their Eyes And Hardened Their Hearts
37 Now He having done so-many[p] signs in front of them[q]— they were not believing in Him, 38 in order that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled which he spoke [in Isa 53:1]: “Lord, who believed our report? And to whom was the arm of the Lord revealed?” 39 For this reason[r] they were not able to believe: because again Isaiah said [in Isa 6:10] 40 “He has blinded their eyes, and He hardened their heart, in order that they might not see with their eyes, and comprehend in their heart, and be turned, and I shall heal them”. 41 Isaiah said these things because he saw His glory and spoke about Him. 42 Yet indeed, even many of the rulers believed in Him. But because of the Pharisees, they were not confessing it in order that they might not become put-out-of-the-synagogue. 43 For they loved the glory of people more[s] than the glory of God.
I Came To Save The World, And I Spoke The Father’s Words. My Words Are Eternal Life
44 And[t] Jesus cried-out and said “The one believing in Me is not believing in Me, but in the One having sent Me. 45 And the one seeing Me is seeing the One having sent Me. 46 I have come into the world as a light, so that everyone believing in Me should not remain in the darkness. 47 And if anyone hears My words and does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come in order that I might judge the world, but in order that I might save the world. 48 The one rejecting Me and not receiving My words has that which judges him— the word which I spoke, that will judge him at the last day. 49 Because I did not speak out of Myself, but the Father having sent Me— He has given Me a commandment as to what I should say and what I should speak. 50 And I know that His commandment is eternal life. Therefore the things which I speak— just as the Father has told Me, so I speak”.
Footnotes
- John 12:3 See Mk 14:3.
- John 12:5 One denarius was one day’s wage for a laborer.
- John 12:6 Or, pilfering.
- John 12:7 Or, alone. She had it. This implies she had it for this purpose, and poured it all out on this occasion. Or, alone, in order that. This implies she did not pour it all out, and was to keep the remainder until after the death of Jesus.
- John 12:9 That is, the crowd that was at the funeral, 11:19, 45; the friends of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus; the ‘Lazarus crowd’.
- John 12:12 That is, the crowd of those who had come to the Passover; the crowd of 11:55-56; the ‘Feast crowd’.
- John 12:12 How did they hear? Probably from the Lazarus crowd.
- John 12:16 That is, as something destined for Him to fulfill.
- John 12:17 That is, the Lazarus crowd.
- John 12:18 That is, the Feast crowd.
- John 12:20 That is, Gentiles who were Jewish proselytes or God-fearers.
- John 12:23 That is, having this as its purpose in the plan of God.
- John 12:25 Or, preserve.
- John 12:32 See 18:32. Or, exalted, as in 3:14; 8:28; and next in v 34.
- John 12:34 If the Messiah remains as King on earth forever, how can He be exalted to heaven? Are You talking about someone other than the Messiah? Jesus doesn’t answer because they cannot now understand that by ‘lifted-up’ He means ‘crucified’. He exhorts them to act on what they know.
- John 12:37 Or, such-great.
- John 12:37 That is, Israel.
- John 12:39 That is, the fulfillment of prophecy.
- John 12:43 Or, rather.
- John 12:44 John does not give the occasion for these words, but chooses to close Christ’s public ministry with them.
John 12
English Standard Version
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,
15 (P)“Fear not, daughter of Zion;
behold, your king is coming,
sitting on a donkey's colt!”
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:
(BJ)“Lord, who has believed what he heard from us,
and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”
39 Therefore they (BK)could not believe. For again Isaiah said,
40 (BL)“He has blinded their eyes
and (BM)hardened their heart,
lest they see with their eyes,
and understand with their heart, and turn,
and I would heal them.”
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.”
Disciples' Literal New Testament: Serving Modern Disciples by More Fully Reflecting the Writing Style of the Ancient Disciples, Copyright © 2011 Michael J. Magill. All Rights Reserved. Published by Reyma Publishing
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
