John 12
International Standard Version
Mary Anoints Jesus(A)
12 Six days before the Passover, Jesus arrived in Bethany, where Lazarus lived,[a] the man whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. 3 Mary took a litron[b] of very expensive perfume made of pure nard and anointed Jesus’ feet. She wiped his feet with her hair, and the house became filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples, who was going to betray him, asked, 5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold for 300 denarii[c] and the money[d] given to the destitute?” 6 He said this, not because he cared about the destitute, but because he was a thief. He was in charge of the moneybag and would steal what was put into it.
7 Then Jesus said, “Leave her alone so she can observe the day of my burial, 8 because you will always have the destitute with you, but you won’t always have me.”
The Plot against Lazarus
9 When the large crowd of Jews realized that he was there, they came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 So the high priests planned to kill Lazarus, too, 11 since he was the reason why so many of the Jews were leaving to believe in Jesus.
The King Enters Jerusalem(B)
12 The next day, the large crowd that had come to the festival heard that Jesus was coming into Jerusalem. 13 So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, shouting,
14 Then Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written:
15 “Stop being afraid, people[g] of Zion.
Look, your king is coming,
sitting upon a donkey’s colt!”[h]
16 At first, his disciples didn’t understand these things. However, when Jesus had been glorified, they remembered that these things had been written about him and that people[i] had done these things to him. 17 So the crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to testify to what they had seen.[j] 18 The crowd was going out to meet Jesus[k] because they had heard that he had performed this sign. 19 Then the Pharisees told one another, “You see, there is nothing you can do. Look, the world has gone after him!”
Some Greeks Ask to See Jesus
20 Now some Greeks were among those who had come up to worship at the festival. 21 They went to Philip (who was from Bethsaida in Galilee) and told him, “Sir, we would like to see Jesus.”
22 Philip went and told Andrew, and Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23 Jesus told them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Truly, I tell all of you[l] emphatically, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it produces a lot of grain. 25 The one who loves his life will destroy it, and the one who hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me. And where I am, there my servant will also be. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.”
Jesus Speaks about His Death
27 “Now my soul is in turmoil, and what should I say—‘Father, save me from this hour’? No! It was for this very reason that I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name.”
Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again!” 29 The crowd standing there heard this and said that it was thunder.
Others were saying, “An angel has spoken to him.”
30 Jesus replied, “This voice is for your benefit, not for mine. 31 Now is the time for the judgment of this world to begin.[m] Now the ruler of this world will be thrown out. 32 As for me, if I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all people to myself.” 33 He said this to indicate the kind of death he was about to die.
34 Then the crowd answered him, “We have learned[n] from the Law that the Messiah[o] remains forever. So how can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?”
35 Jesus replied to the crowd,[p] “The light is among you only for a short time. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. The person who walks in the darkness is in the darkness and does not know where he is going. 36 As long as you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light.” After Jesus had said this, he went away and hid from them.
The Unbelief of the Jews
37 Although he had performed numerous signs in their presence, they did not believe in him, 38 so that what the prophet Isaiah spoke might be fulfilled when he said:
39 This is why they could not believe: Isaiah also said,
40 “He has blinded their eyes
and hardened their heart,
so that they might not perceive with their eyes,
and understand with their mind[u] and turn,
and I would heal them.”[v]
41 Isaiah said this when[w] he saw his glory and spoke about him. 42 Yet many people, even some of the authorities, believed in him, but because of the Pharisees they did not admit it so they would not be thrown out of the synagogue. 43 For they loved the praise of human beings more than the praise of God.
Judgment by Jesus’ Word
44 Then Jesus said loudly, “The one who believes in me does not believe in me only, but also[x] in the one who sent me. 45 The one who sees me sees the one who sent me. 46 I’ve come into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me won’t remain in the darkness. 47 If anyone hears my words and doesn’t keep them, I don’t condemn him, because I didn’t come to condemn the world, but to save it.[y] 48 The one who rejects me and doesn’t receive my words has something to judge him: The word that I’ve spoken will judge him on the last day, 49 because I haven’t spoken on my own authority. Instead, the Father who sent me has himself commanded me what to say and how to speak. 50 And I know that what he commands brings eternal life. What I speak, therefore, I speak just as the Father has told me.”
Footnotes
- John 12:1 Lit. was
- John 12:3 I.e. about twelve ounces; the Gk. litron weighed about 12 ounces
- John 12:5 Three hundred denarii was about a year’s wages for a laborer.
- John 12:5 The Gk. lacks the money
- John 12:13 Hosanna is Heb. for Please save or Praise
- John 12:13 Cf. Ps 118:25-26; MT source citation reads Lord
- John 12:15 Lit. daughter
- John 12:15 Cf. Zech 9:9
- John 12:16 Lit. they
- John 12:17 The Gk. lacks to what they had seen
- John 12:18 Lit. him
- John 12:24 The Gk. pronoun you is pl.
- John 12:31 Lit. Now is the judgment of this world
- John 12:34 Lit. heard
- John 12:34 Or Christ
- John 12:35 Lit. them
- John 12:38 MT source citation reads Lord
- John 12:38 MT source citation reads Lord’s
- John 12:38 Lit. arm
- John 12:38 Isa 53:1
- John 12:40 Lit. heart
- John 12:40 Cf. Isa 6:9-10
- John 12:41 Other mss. read because
- John 12:44 Lit. me but
- John 12:47 Lit. save the world
John 12
American Standard Version
12 Jesus therefore six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus raised from the dead. 2 So they made him a supper there: and Martha served; but Lazarus was one of them that [a]sat at meat with him. 3 Mary therefore took a pound of ointment of [b]pure nard, very precious, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odor of the ointment. 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples, that should [c]betray him, saith, 5 Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred [d]shillings, and given to the poor? 6 Now this he said, not because he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and having the [e]bag [f]took away what was put therein. 7 Jesus therefore said, [g]Suffer her to keep it against the day of my burying. 8 For the poor ye have always with you; but me ye have not always.
9 The common people therefore of the Jews learned that he was there: and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 But the chief priests took counsel that they might put Lazarus also to death; 11 because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.
12 On the morrow [h]a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13 took the branches of the palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried out, Hosanna: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel. 14 And Jesus, having found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written, 15 [i]Fear not, daughter of Zion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass’s colt. 16 These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him. 17 The multitude therefore that was with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb, and raised him from the dead, bare witness. 18 For this cause also the multitude went and met him, for that they heard that he had done this sign. 19 The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, [j]Behold how ye prevail nothing; lo, the world is gone after him.
20 Now there were certain Greeks among those that went up to worship at the feast: 21 these therefore came to Philip, who was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus. 22 Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: Andrew cometh, and Philip, and they tell Jesus. 23 And Jesus answereth them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. 24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a grain of wheat fall into the earth and die, it abideth by itself alone; but if it die, it beareth much fruit. 25 He that loveth his [k]life loseth it; and he that hateth his [l]life in this world shall keep it unto [m]life eternal. 26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will the Father honor. 27 Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this [n]hour. But for this cause came I unto this hour. 28 Father, glorify thy name. There came therefore a voice out of heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. 29 The multitude therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it had thundered: others said, An angel hath spoken to him. 30 Jesus answered and said, This voice hath not come for my sake, but for your sakes. 31 Now is [o]the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. 32 And I, if I be lifted up [p]from the earth, will draw all men unto myself. 33 But this he said, signifying by what manner of death he should die. 34 The multitude therefore answered him, We have heard out of the law that the Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man? 35 Jesus therefore said unto them, Yet a little while is the light [q]among you. Walk while ye have the light, that darkness overtake you not: and he that walketh in the darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. 36 While ye have the light, believe on the light, that ye may become sons of light.
These things spake Jesus, and he departed and [r]hid himself from them. 37 But though he had done so many signs before them, yet they believed not on him: 38 that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake,
[s]Lord, who hath believed our report?
And to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?
39 For this cause they could not believe, for that Isaiah said again,
40 [t]He hath blinded their eyes, and he hardened their heart;
Lest they should see with their eyes, and perceive with their heart,
And should turn,
And I should heal them.
41 These things said Isaiah, because he saw his glory; and he spake of him. 42 Nevertheless even of the rulers many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess [u]it, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: 43 for they loved the glory that is of men more than the glory that is of God.
44 And Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me. 45 And he that beholdeth me beholdeth him that sent me. 46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me may not abide in the darkness. 47 And if any man hear my sayings, and keep them not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. 48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my sayings, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I spake, the same shall judge him in the last day. 49 For I spake not from myself; but the Father that sent me, he hath given me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. 50 And I know that his commandment is life eternal; the things therefore which I speak, even as the Father hath said unto me, so I speak.
Footnotes
- John 12:2 Greek reclined.
- John 12:3 Or, liquid nard
- John 12:4 Or, deliver him up
- John 12:5 See marginal note on 6:7.
- John 12:6 Or, box
- John 12:6 Or, carried what was put therein
- John 12:7 Or, Let her alone: it was that she might keep it
- John 12:12 Some ancient authorities read the common people. See verse 9.
- John 12:15 Zech. 9:9.
- John 12:19 Or, Ye behold
- John 12:25 life in these places represents two different Greek words.
- John 12:25 life in these places represents two different Greek words.
- John 12:25 life in these places represents two different Greek words.
- John 12:27 Or, hour?
- John 12:31 Or, a judgment
- John 12:32 Or, out of
- John 12:35 Or, in
- John 12:36 Or, was hidden from them
- John 12:38 Isa. 53:1.
- John 12:40 Isa. 6:10.
- John 12:42 Or, him
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