The Anointing at Bethany

12 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany(A) where Lazarus[a] was, the one Jesus had raised from the dead.(B) So(C) they gave a dinner for him there; Martha(D) was serving them, and Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took a pound of perfume, pure and expensive nard, anointed Jesus’s feet, and wiped his feet with her hair.(E) So the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

Then one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot(F) (who was about to betray him), said, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold for three hundred denarii[b](G) and given to the poor?” He didn’t say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief.(H) He was in charge of the money-bag and would steal part of what was put in it.

Jesus answered, “Leave her alone; she has kept it for the day of my burial.(I) For you always have the poor with you,(J) but you do not always have me.”

The Decision to Kill Lazarus

Then a large crowd of the Jews learned he was there. They came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, the one he had raised from the dead.(K) 10 But the chief priests had decided to kill Lazarus also, 11 because he was the reason many of the Jews were deserting them[c] and believing in Jesus.

The Triumphal Entry

12 The(L) next day, when the large crowd that had come to the festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13 they took palm branches(M) and went out to meet him. They kept shouting:

“Hosanna!(N)
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord[d](O) —the King of Israel!” (P)

14 Jesus found a young donkey(Q) and sat on it, just as it is written:

15 Do not be afraid,(R)
Daughter Zion. Look, your King is coming,
sitting on a donkey’s colt.[e](S)

16 His disciples did not understand these things at first. However, when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him(T) and that they had done these things to him.

17 Meanwhile, the crowd, which had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb(U) and raised him from the dead, continued to testify.[f] 18 This is also why the crowd met him, because they heard he had done this sign. 19 Then the Pharisees said to one another, “You see? You’ve accomplished nothing. Look, the world has gone after him!” (V)

Jesus Predicts His Crucifixion

20 Now some Greeks were among those who went up to worship at the festival. 21 So they came to Philip,(W) who was from Bethsaida(X) in Galilee,(Y) and requested of him, “Sir,(Z) we want to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went and told Andrew;(AA) then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.

23 Jesus replied to them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man(AB) to be glorified. 24 Truly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat(AC) falls to the ground and dies, it remains by itself. But if it dies, it produces much fruit.(AD) 25 The one who loves his life will lose it,(AE) and the one who hates(AF) his life(AG) in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me. Where I am, there my servant(AH) also will be.(AI) If anyone serves me, the Father will honor(AJ) him.

27 “Now my soul is troubled. What should I say—Father, save me(AK) from this hour? But that is why I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name.”[g](AL)

Then a voice(AM) came from heaven: (AN) “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”(AO)

29 The crowd standing there heard it and said it was thunder. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.”

30 Jesus responded, “This voice came, not for me, but for you.(AP) 31 Now is the judgment of this world.(AQ) Now the ruler of this world(AR) will be cast out.(AS) 32 As for me, if I am lifted up[h] from the earth I will draw all people to myself.”(AT) 33 He said this to indicate what kind of death he was about to die.(AU)

34 Then the crowd replied to him, “We have heard from the law that the Messiah will remain forever.(AV) So how can you say, ‘The Son of Man(AW) must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?”

35 Jesus answered, “The light will be with you only a little longer.(AX) Walk while you have the light(AY) so that darkness doesn’t overtake you.(AZ) The one who walks in darkness doesn’t know where he’s going.(BA) 36 While you have the light,(BB) believe in the light so that you may become children of light.” Jesus said this, then went away and hid from them.(BC)

Isaiah’s Prophecies Fulfilled

37 Even though he had performed so many signs in their presence, they did not believe in him. 38 This was to fulfill(BD) the word of Isaiah(BE) the prophet, who said:[i]

Lord, who has believed our message?
And to whom has the arm(BF) of the Lord been revealed?[j](BG)

39 This is why they were unable to believe, because Isaiah also said:

40 He has blinded(BH) their eyes
and hardened their hearts,(BI)
so that they would not see with their eyes
or understand with their hearts,
and turn,(BJ)
and I would heal them.[k](BK)

41 Isaiah said these things because[l] he saw his glory(BL) and spoke about him.

42 Nevertheless, many did believe in him even among the rulers,(BM) but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, so that they would not be banned from the synagogue. 43 For they loved human praise(BN) more than praise from God.(BO)

A Summary of Jesus’s Mission

44 Jesus cried out, “The one who believes in me(BP) believes not in me, but in him who sent me. 45 And the one who sees me sees him(BQ) who sent me. 46 I have come as light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me would not remain in darkness. 47 If anyone hears my words and doesn’t keep(BR) them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world(BS) but to save the world.(BT) 48 The one who rejects me(BU) and doesn’t receive my sayings has this as his judge: [m] The word I have spoken will judge him on the last day.(BV) 49 For I have not spoken on my own, but the Father(BW) himself who sent me has given me a command to say everything I have said. 50 I know that his command is eternal life.(BX) So the things that I speak, I speak just as the Father has told me.”(BY)

Footnotes

  1. 12:1 Other mss read Lazarus who died
  2. 12:5 A denarius = one day’s wage
  3. 12:11 Lit going away
  4. 12:13 Ps 118:25–26
  5. 12:15 Zch 9:9
  6. 12:17 Other mss read Meanwhile the crowd, which had been with him, continued to testify that he had called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead.
  7. 12:28 Other mss read your Son
  8. 12:32 Or exalted, also in v. 34
  9. 12:38 Lit which he said
  10. 12:38 Is 53:1
  11. 12:40 Is 6:10
  12. 12:41 Other mss read when
  13. 12:48 Lit has the one judging him

Jesus Anointed at Bethany

12 Six days before the Passover celebration began, Jesus arrived in Bethany, the home of Lazarus—the man he had raised from the dead. A dinner was prepared in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, and Lazarus was among those who ate[a] with him. Then Mary took a twelve-ounce jar[b] of expensive perfume made from essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet with it, wiping his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance.

But Judas Iscariot, the disciple who would soon betray him, said, “That perfume was worth a year’s wages.[c] It should have been sold and the money given to the poor.” Not that he cared for the poor—he was a thief, and since he was in charge of the disciples’ money, he often stole some for himself.

Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. She did this in preparation for my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”

When all the people[d] heard of Jesus’ arrival, they flocked to see him and also to see Lazarus, the man Jesus had raised from the dead. 10 Then the leading priests decided to kill Lazarus, too, 11 for it was because of him that many of the people had deserted them[e] and believed in Jesus.

Jesus’ Triumphant Entry

12 The next day, the news that Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem swept through the city. A large crowd of Passover visitors 13 took palm branches and went down the road to meet him. They shouted,

“Praise God![f]
Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Hail to the King of Israel!”[g]

14 Jesus found a young donkey and rode on it, fulfilling the prophecy that said:

15 “Don’t be afraid, people of Jerusalem.[h]
Look, your King is coming,
    riding on a donkey’s colt.”[i]

16 His disciples didn’t understand at the time that this was a fulfillment of prophecy. But after Jesus entered into his glory, they remembered what had happened and realized that these things had been written about him.

17 Many in the crowd had seen Jesus call Lazarus from the tomb, raising him from the dead, and they were telling others[j] about it. 18 That was the reason so many went out to meet him—because they had heard about this miraculous sign. 19 Then the Pharisees said to each other, “There’s nothing we can do. Look, everyone[k] has gone after him!”

Jesus Predicts His Death

20 Some Greeks who had come to Jerusalem for the Passover celebration 21 paid a visit to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee. They said, “Sir, we want to meet Jesus.” 22 Philip told Andrew about it, and they went together to ask Jesus.

23 Jesus replied, “Now the time has come for the Son of Man[l] to enter into his glory. 24 I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives. 25 Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity. 26 Anyone who wants to serve me must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me.

27 “Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But this is the very reason I came! 28 Father, bring glory to your name.”

Then a voice spoke from heaven, saying, “I have already brought glory to my name, and I will do so again.” 29 When the crowd heard the voice, some thought it was thunder, while others declared an angel had spoken to him.

30 Then Jesus told them, “The voice was for your benefit, not mine. 31 The time for judging this world has come, when Satan, the ruler of this world, will be cast out. 32 And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.” 33 He said this to indicate how he was going to die.

34 The crowd responded, “We understood from Scripture[m] that the Messiah would live forever. How can you say the Son of Man will die? Just who is this Son of Man, anyway?”

35 Jesus replied, “My light will shine for you just a little longer. Walk in the light while you can, so the darkness will not overtake you. Those who walk in the darkness cannot see where they are going. 36 Put your trust in the light while there is still time; then you will become children of the light.”

After saying these things, Jesus went away and was hidden from them.

The Unbelief of the People

37 But despite all the miraculous signs Jesus had done, most of the people still did not believe in him. 38 This is exactly what Isaiah the prophet had predicted:

Lord, who has believed our message?
    To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm?”[n]

39 But the people couldn’t believe, for as Isaiah also said,

40 “The Lord has blinded their eyes
    and hardened their hearts—
so that their eyes cannot see,
    and their hearts cannot understand,
and they cannot turn to me
    and have me heal them.”[o]

41 Isaiah was referring to Jesus when he said this, because he saw the future and spoke of the Messiah’s glory. 42 Many people did believe in him, however, including some of the Jewish leaders. But they wouldn’t admit it for fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue. 43 For they loved human praise more than the praise of God.

44 Jesus shouted to the crowds, “If you trust me, you are trusting not only me, but also God who sent me. 45 For when you see me, you are seeing the one who sent me. 46 I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark. 47 I will not judge those who hear me but don’t obey me, for I have come to save the world and not to judge it. 48 But all who reject me and my message will be judged on the day of judgment by the truth I have spoken. 49 I don’t speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it. 50 And I know his commands lead to eternal life; so I say whatever the Father tells me to say.”

Footnotes

  1. 12:2 Or who reclined.
  2. 12:3 Greek took 1 litra [327 grams].
  3. 12:5 Greek worth 300 denarii. A denarius was equivalent to a laborer’s full day’s wage.
  4. 12:9 Greek Jewish people; also in 12:11.
  5. 12:11 Or had deserted their traditions; Greek reads had deserted.
  6. 12:13a Greek Hosanna, an exclamation of praise adapted from a Hebrew expression that means “save now.”
  7. 12:13b Ps 118:25-26; Zeph 3:15.
  8. 12:15a Greek daughter of Zion.
  9. 12:15b Zech 9:9.
  10. 12:17 Greek were testifying.
  11. 12:19 Greek the world.
  12. 12:23 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.
  13. 12:34 Greek from the law.
  14. 12:38 Isa 53:1.
  15. 12:40 Isa 6:10.