John 12:1-19

Modern English Version

The Anointing at Bethany^(A)

12 Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. ² They prepared a supper for Him there. Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. ³ Then Mary took a pint^[a] of very costly 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 ointment.

⁴ But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, ⁵ “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii^[b] and given to the poor?” ⁶ He said this, not because he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief. And having the money box, he used to steal what was put in it.

⁷ But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She has kept this for the day of My burial. ⁸ For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me.”

The Plot Against Lazarus

⁹ When many of the Jews learned that He was there, they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. ¹⁰ So the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death also, ¹¹ because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.

The Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem^(B)

¹² On the next day a great crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. ¹³ They took branches of palm trees, and went out to meet Him, and cried out:

¹⁴ Then Jesus, having found a young donkey, sat on it. As it is written:

¹⁶ His disciples did not understand these things at first. But when Jesus was glorified, they remembered that these things were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him.

¹⁷ Now the crowd that was with Him when He called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead bore witness. ¹⁸ The crowd went and met Him for this reason: They heard that He had performed this sign. ¹⁹ So the Pharisees said among themselves, “See, you are gaining nothing! Look, the world has followed Him!”