Chapter 12

The Anointing at Bethany.^{(A) 1 [a]}Six days before Passover Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.^{(B) 2} They gave a dinner for him there, and Martha served, while Lazarus was one of those reclining at table with him.^{(C) 3} Mary took a liter of costly perfumed oil made from genuine aromatic nard and anointed the feet of Jesus^[b] and dried them with her hair; the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.^{(D) 4} Then Judas the Iscariot, one [of] his disciples, and the one who would betray him, said, ⁵ “Why was this oil not sold for three hundred days’ wages^[c] and given to the poor?” ⁶ He said this not because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief and held the money bag and used to steal the contributions.^{(E) 7} So Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Let her keep this for the day of my burial.^{[d] 8} You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”^(F)

⁹ [The] large crowd of the Jews found out that he was there and came, not only because of Jesus, but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.^{(G) 10} And the chief priests plotted to kill Lazarus too, ¹¹ because many of the Jews were turning away and believing in Jesus because of him.^(H)

The Entry into Jerusalem.^{[e] 12 (I)}On the next day, when the great crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, ¹³ they took palm branches^[f] and went out to meet him, and cried out:

¹⁴ Jesus found an ass and sat upon it, as is written:

¹⁶ His disciples did not understand this at first, but when Jesus had been glorified they remembered that these things were written about him and that they had done this^[h] for him.^{(L) 17 [i]}So the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from death continued to testify. ¹⁸ This was [also] why the crowd went to meet him, because they heard that he had done this sign. ¹⁹ So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the whole world^[j] has gone after him.”^(M)

The Coming of Jesus’ Hour.^{[k] 20} Now there were some Greeks^[l] among those who had come up to worship at the feast.^{(N) 21 [m]}They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we would like to see Jesus.”^{(O) 22} Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.^{(P) 23 [n]}Jesus answered them,^(Q) “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. ^24 [o]Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat;^(R) but if it dies, it produces much fruit. ²⁵ Whoever loves his life^[p] loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life.^{(S) 26} Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me.^(T)

²⁷ “I am troubled^[q] now. Yet what should I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But it was for this purpose that I came to this hour.^{(U) 28} Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it and will glorify it again.”^{(V) 29} The crowd there heard it and said it was thunder; but others said, “An angel has spoken to him.”^{(W) 30} Jesus answered and said, “This voice did not come for my sake but for yours.^{(X) 31} Now is the time of judgment on this world; now the ruler of this world^[r] will be driven out.^{(Y) 32} And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.”^{(Z) 33} He said this indicating the kind of death he would die. ³⁴ So the crowd answered him, “We have heard from the law that the Messiah remains forever.^[s] Then how can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?”^{(AA) 35} Jesus said to them, “The light will be among you only a little while. Walk while you have the light, so that darkness may not overcome you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where he is going.^{(AB) 36} While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of the light.”^(AC)

Unbelief and Belief Among the Jews. After he had said this, Jesus left and hid from them. ^37 [t](AD)Although he had performed so many signs in their presence they did not believe in him, ^38 [u]in order that the word which Isaiah the prophet spoke might be fulfilled:

³⁹ For this reason they could not believe, because again Isaiah said:

⁴¹ Isaiah said this because he saw his glory^[v] and spoke about him.^{(AG) 42} Nevertheless, many, even among the authorities, believed in him, but because of the Pharisees they did not acknowledge it openly in order not to be expelled from the synagogue.^{(AH) 43} For they preferred human praise to the glory of God.^(AI)

Recapitulation. ⁴⁴ Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me believes not only in me but also in the one who sent me,^{(AJ) 45} and whoever sees me sees the one who sent me.^{(AK) 46} I came into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness.^{(AL) 47} And if anyone hears my words and does not observe them, I do not condemn him, for I did not come to condemn the world but to save the world.^{(AM) 48} Whoever rejects me and does not accept my words has something to judge him: the word that I spoke, it will condemn him on the last day,^{(AN) 49} because I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and speak.^{(AO) 50} And I know that his commandment is eternal life. So what I say, I say as the Father told me.”