John 11:45-12:8

New King James Version

The Plot to Kill Jesus^(A)

⁴⁵ Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, ^(B)and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him. ⁴⁶ But some of them went away to the Pharisees and ^(C)told them the things Jesus did. ^47 (D)Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, ^(E)“What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. ⁴⁸ If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation.”

⁴⁹ And one of them, ^(F)Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, ^50 (G)nor do you consider that it is expedient for ^[a]us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish.” ⁵¹ Now this he did not say on his own authority; but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, ⁵² and ^(H)not for that nation only, but ^(I)also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad.

⁵³ Then, from that day on, they plotted to ^(J)put Him to death. ^54 (K)Therefore Jesus no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there into the country near the wilderness, to a city called ^(L)Ephraim, and there remained with His disciples.

^55 (M)And the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went from the country up to Jerusalem before the Passover, to ^(N)purify themselves. ^56 (O)Then they sought Jesus, and spoke among themselves as they stood in the temple, “What do you think—that He will not come to the feast?” ⁵⁷ Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a command, that if anyone knew where He was, he should report it, that they might ^(P)seize Him.

The Anointing at Bethany^(Q)

12 Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, ^(R)where Lazarus was ^[b]who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. ^2 (S)There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. ³ Then ^(T)Mary took a pound of very costly oil of ^(U)spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.

⁴ But one of His disciples, ^(V)Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, ⁵ “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for ^[c]three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” ⁶ This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and ^(W)had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.

⁷ But Jesus said, “Let her alone; ^[d]she has kept this for the day of My burial. ⁸ For ^(X)the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.”