Jesus Is Anointed at Bethany

12 Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. So they made him a dinner there, and Martha was serving, but Lazarus was one of the ones reclining at table with him. Then Mary took a pound[a] of ointment of very valuable genuine nard and[b] anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was going to betray him) said, Why[c] was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” (Now he said this not because he was concerned[d] about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having the money box, he used to steal what was put into it.)[e] So Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my preparation for burial. For you have the poor with you always, but you do not always have me.”

The Decision to Kill Lazarus

Now a large crowd[f] of Jews found out that he was there, and they came, not only because of Jesus, but so that they could see Lazarus also, whom he raised from the dead. 10 So the chief priests decided that they would kill Lazarus also, 11 because on account of him many of the Jews were going and believing in Jesus.

The Triumphal Entry

12 On the next day the large crowd who had come to the feast, when they[g] heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13 took the branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, and began crying out,

“Hosanna!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord,[h]
even the king of Israel!”

14 So Jesus found a young donkey and[i] sat on it, just as it is written,

15 “Do not be afraid, daughter of Zion!
Behold, your king is coming,
seated on the foal of a donkey!”[j]

16 (His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and they did these things to him.) 17 So the crowd who was with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead were continuing to testify. 18 Because of this also the crowd went to meet him, for they had heard that he had performed this sign. 19 So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are accomplishing nothing! Behold, the world has gone after him.”

Greeks Seeking Jesus

20 Now some Greeks were among those who had gone up in order to worship at the feast. 21 So these approached Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and began asking him saying, “Sir, we want to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went and told Andrew. Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23 And Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come that the Son of Man will be glorified. 24 Truly, truly I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and[k] dies, it remains by itself alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 The one who loves his life loses it, and the one who hates his life in this world preserves it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me, and where I am, there my servant will be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

Jesus Predicts His Death

27 “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, deliver me from this hour’? But for this reason I have come to this hour! 28 Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have both glorified it,[l] and I will glorify it[m] again.” 29 Now the crowd that stood there and heard it[n] said it had thundered.[o] Others were saying, “An angel has spoken to him!” 30 Jesus answered and said, “This voice has not happened for my sake, but for your sake. 31 Now is the judgment of this world! Now the ruler of this world will be thrown out! 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 (Now he said this to indicate by what sort of death he was going to die.)

34 Then the crowd replied to him, “We have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever![p] And how do you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” 35 So Jesus said to them, “Yet a little time the light is with you! Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness does not overtake you! And the one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. 36 While you have the light, believe in the light, in order that you may become sons of light.” Jesus said these things, and then he went away and[q] was hidden from them.

The People Still Refuse to Believe

37 But as many signs as he had performed before them, they did not believe in him, 38 in order that the word of the prophet Isaiah would be fulfilled, who said,

“Lord, who has believed our message?
    And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”[r]

39 For this reason they were not able to believe, because again Isaiah said,

40 “He has blinded their eyes
    and hardened their hearts,
lest they see with their[s] eyes
    and understand with their[t] hearts
and turn, and I heal them.”[u]

41 Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory, and he spoke about him.

42 Yet despite that, even many of the rulers believed in him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess it,[v] so that they would not be expelled from the synagogue. 43 For they loved the praise of men more than praise from God.

Jesus’ Final Public Appeal

44 But Jesus cried out and said, “The one who believes in me does not believe in me, but in the one who sent me, 45 and the one who sees me sees the one who sent me. 46 I have come as a light into the world, in order that everyone who believes in me will not remain in the darkness. 47 And if anyone hears my words and does not observe them,[w] I will not judge him. For I have not come to judge the world, but to save the world. 48 The one who rejects me and does not accept my words has one who judges him; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day. 49 For I have not spoken from myself, but the Father himself who sent me has commanded me[x] what I should say and what I should speak. 50 And I know that his commandment is eternal life. So the things that I say, just as the Father said to me, thus I say.”

Footnotes

  1. John 12:3 The Greek term refers to a Roman pound, 327.45 grams (approximately 12 ounces)
  2. John 12:3 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“took”) has been translated as a finite verb
  3. John 12:5 Literally “because of what”
  4. John 12:6 Literally “it was a concern to him”
  5. John 12:6 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  6. John 12:9 Some manuscripts have “the large crowd”
  7. John 12:12 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“heard”) which is understood as temporal
  8. John 12:13 A quotation from Ps 118:25–26
  9. John 12:14 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“found”) has been translated as a finite verb
  10. John 12:15 A quotation from Zech 9:9
  11. John 12:24 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“falls”) has been translated as a finite verb
  12. John 12:28 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  13. John 12:28 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  14. John 12:29 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  15. John 12:29 Literally “thunder had happened”
  16. John 12:34 Literally “for the age”; probably an allusion to Ps 89:35–37 (in common usage “law” could refer to the entire Old Testament)
  17. John 12:36 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“went away”) has been translated as a finite verb
  18. John 12:38 A quotation from Isa 53:1
  19. John 12:40 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
  20. John 12:40 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
  21. John 12:40 A quotation from Isa 6:10
  22. John 12:42 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  23. John 12:47 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  24. John 12:49 Literally “has given me commandment”

在伯大尼受膏(A)

12 逾越节前六天,耶稣来到伯大尼,就是他使拉撒路从死人中复活的地方。 有人在那里为耶稣预备宴席;马大伺候,拉撒路也在同耶稣坐席的人中间。 马利亚拿着一斤极贵的纯哪哒[a]香膏,抹耶稣的脚,又用自己头发去擦,屋里充满了膏的香气。 有一个门徒,就是那将要出卖耶稣的加略犹大,说: “为什么不把这香膏卖三百个银币去周济穷人呢?” 他说这话,并不是关心穷人,而是因为他是个贼,又管钱囊,常偷取钱囊中所存的。 耶稣说:“由她吧!她这香膏本是为我的安葬之日留着的。 因为常有穷人和你们在一起,但是你们不常有我。”

杀害拉撒路的阴谋

有一大群犹太人知道耶稣在那里,就来了,不但是为耶稣的缘故,也是要看耶稣使他从死人中复活的拉撒路 10 于是众祭司长商议连拉撒路也要杀了, 11 因为有许多犹太人为了拉撒路的缘故,开始背离他们,信了耶稣。

荣入圣城(B)

12 第二天,有一大群上来过节的人听见耶稣要来耶路撒冷 13 就拿着棕树枝出去迎接他,喊着:

“和散那[b]以色列的王!
奉主名来的是应当称颂的!”

14 耶稣找到了一匹驴驹,就骑上,如经上所记:

15 锡安的儿女[c]啊,不要惧怕!
看哪,你的王来了;
他骑在驴驹上。”

16 门徒当初不明白这些事,等到耶稣得了荣耀后才想起这些话是指他写的,并且人们果然对他做了这些事。 17 当耶稣呼唤拉撒路,使他从死人中复活出坟墓的时候,同耶稣在那里的众人就作见证。 18 众人因听见耶稣行了这神迹,就去迎接他。 19 法利赛人彼此说:“你们看,你们一事无成,世人都随着他去了。”

希腊人求见耶稣

20 那时,上来过节礼拜的人中,有几个希腊人。 21 他们来见加利利伯赛大腓力,请求他说:“先生,我们想见耶稣。” 22 腓力去告诉安得烈,然后安得烈腓力去告诉耶稣。 23 耶稣回答他们说:“人子得荣耀的时候到了。 24 我实实在在地告诉你们,一粒麦子不落在地里死了,仍旧是一粒;若是死了,就结出许多子粒来。 25 爱惜自己性命的,就丧失性命;那恨恶自己在这世上的性命的,要保全性命到永生。 26 若有人服事我,就当跟从我;我在哪里,服事我的人也要在哪里;若有人服事我,我父必尊重他。”

人子必须被举起来

27 “我现在心里忧愁,我说什么才好呢?说‘父啊,救我脱离这时候’吗?但我正是为这时候来的。 28 父啊,愿你荣耀你的名!”于是有声音从天上来,说:“我已经荣耀了我的名,还要再荣耀。” 29 站在旁边的众人听见,就说:“打雷了。”另有的说:“有天使对他说话。” 30 耶稣回答说:“这声音不是为我,而是为你们来的。 31 现在正是这世界受审判的时候;现在这世界的统治者要被赶出去。 32 我从地上被举起来的时候,我要吸引万人来归我。” 33 耶稣这话是指自己将要怎样死说的。 34 众人就回答他:“我们听见律法书上说,基督是永存的;你怎么说,人子必须被举起来呢?这人子是谁呢?” 35 耶稣对他们说:“光在你们中间为时不多了,应该趁着有光的时候行走,免得黑暗临到你们;那在黑暗里行走的,不知道往何处去。 36 你们趁着有光,要信从这光,使你们成为光明之子。”

犹太人的不信

耶稣说了这些话,就离开他们隐藏了。 37 他虽然在他们面前行了许多神迹,他们还是不信他。 38 这是要应验以赛亚先知所说的话:

“主啊,我们所传的有谁信呢?
主的膀臂向谁显露呢?”

39 他们所以不能信,因为以赛亚又说:

40 “主使他们瞎了眼,
使他们硬了心,
免得他们眼睛看见,
他们心里明白,回转过来,
我会医治他们。”

41 以赛亚因看见了他的荣耀,就说了关于他的这话。 42 虽然如此,官长中却有好些信他的,只因法利赛人的缘故不敢承认,恐怕被赶出会堂。 43 这是因他们爱人给的尊荣过于爱 神给的尊荣。

耶稣的道要审判人

44 耶稣喊着说:“信我的人不是信我,而是信差我来的那位。 45 看见我的,就是看见差我来的那位。 46 我就是来到世上的光,使凡信我的不住在黑暗里。 47 若有人听见我的话而不遵守,我不审判他,因为我来不是要审判世人,而是要拯救世人。 48 弃绝我、不领受我话的人自有审判他的;我所讲的道在末日要审判他。 49 因为我没有凭着自己讲,而是差我来的父已经给我命令,叫我说什么,讲什么。 50 我也知道他的命令就是永生。所以,我讲的正是照着父所告诉我的,我就这么讲了。”

Footnotes

  1. 12.3 “哪哒”即“甘松”。
  2. 12.13 “和散那”:原是求救的意思,在此是称颂的话。
  3. 12.15 “儿女”:原文直译“女儿”。

Jesus Anointed at Bethany(A)

12 Six days before the Passover,(B) Jesus came to Bethany,(C) where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served,(D) while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took about a pint[a] of pure nard, an expensive perfume;(E) she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair.(F) And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him,(G) objected, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.[b] He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag,(H) he used to help himself to what was put into it.

“Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial.(I) You will always have the poor among you,[c](J) but you will not always have me.”

Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.(K) 10 So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, 11 for on account of him(L) many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him.(M)

Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King(N)

12 The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13 They took palm branches(O) and went out to meet him, shouting,

“Hosanna![d]

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”[e](P)

“Blessed is the king of Israel!”(Q)

14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written:

15 “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion;
    see, your king is coming,
    seated on a donkey’s colt.”[f](R)

16 At first his disciples did not understand all this.(S) Only after Jesus was glorified(T) did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him.

17 Now the crowd that was with him(U) when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. 18 Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign,(V) went out to meet him. 19 So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!”(W)

Jesus Predicts His Death

20 Now there were some Greeks(X) among those who went up to worship at the festival. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida(Y) in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.

23 Jesus replied, “The hour(Z) has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.(AA) 24 Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies,(AB) it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25 Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it(AC) for eternal life.(AD) 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be.(AE) My Father will honor the one who serves me.

27 “Now my soul is troubled,(AF) and what shall I say? ‘Father,(AG) save me from this hour’?(AH) No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name!”

Then a voice came from heaven,(AI) “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” 29 The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.

30 Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit,(AJ) not mine. 31 Now is the time for judgment on this world;(AK) now the prince of this world(AL) will be driven out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up[g] from the earth,(AM) will draw all people to myself.”(AN) 33 He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.(AO)

34 The crowd spoke up, “We have heard from the Law(AP) that the Messiah will remain forever,(AQ) so how can you say, ‘The Son of Man(AR) must be lifted up’?(AS) Who is this ‘Son of Man’?”

35 Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light(AT) just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light,(AU) before darkness overtakes you.(AV) Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going. 36 Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.”(AW) When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.(AX)

Belief and Unbelief Among the Jews

37 Even after Jesus had performed so many signs(AY) in their presence, they still would not believe in him. 38 This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet:

“Lord, who has believed our message
    and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”[h](AZ)

39 For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere:

40 “He has blinded their eyes
    and hardened their hearts,
so they can neither see with their eyes,
    nor understand with their hearts,
    nor turn—and I would heal them.”[i](BA)

41 Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory(BB) and spoke about him.(BC)

42 Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him.(BD) But because of the Pharisees(BE) they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue;(BF) 43 for they loved human praise(BG) more than praise from God.(BH)

44 Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me.(BI) 45 The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me.(BJ) 46 I have come into the world as a light,(BK) so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.

47 “If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.(BL) 48 There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them(BM) at the last day. 49 For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me(BN) to say all that I have spoken. 50 I know that his command leads to eternal life.(BO) So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”(BP)

Footnotes

  1. John 12:3 Or about 0.5 liter
  2. John 12:5 Greek three hundred denarii
  3. John 12:8 See Deut. 15:11.
  4. John 12:13 A Hebrew expression meaning “Save!” which became an exclamation of praise
  5. John 12:13 Psalm 118:25,26
  6. John 12:15 Zech. 9:9
  7. John 12:32 The Greek for lifted up also means exalted.
  8. John 12:38 Isaiah 53:1
  9. John 12:40 Isaiah 6:10