John 12
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 12
The Anointing at Bethany. 1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, the hometown of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 2 They gave a dinner there for him. Martha served the meal, and Lazarus was among those at table with him.
3 Mary brought in a pint[a] of very costly ointment, made from pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and dried them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment. 4 Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples, the one who was about to betray him, said, 5 “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii[b] and the money given to the poor?” 6 He said this not because he had any concern for the poor but because he was a thief. He was in charge of the money bag, and he used to steal from it.
7 Jesus said in response, “Leave her alone! Let her keep it for the day of my burial. 8 The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me.”
9 Meanwhile, a large number of Jews learned that he was there, and they came not only because of Jesus but also because they wanted to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 The chief priests then decided to put Lazarus to death as well, 11 since it was because of him that many of the Jews were leaving and putting their faith in Jesus.
12 The Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem.[c] The next day the great crowd of people who had come for the feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13 Thus, they went out to meet him, carrying branches of palm[d] and shouting,
“Hosanna!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord,
the King of Israel.”
14 Jesus found a young donkey and rode it, as it is written,
15 “Do not be afraid, daughter of Zion.[e]
Behold, your King is coming,
riding on a donkey’s colt.”
16 At first, his disciples did not understand this, but later, when Jesus had been glorified, they recalled that these things had been written about him and had happened to him.
17 Now the people who had been present when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to testify about this.[f] 18 Because the crowd had heard that he had performed this sign, they went out to meet him. 19 So the Pharisees said to one another, “As you see, we are getting nowhere. The entire world has gone after him.”
20 The Glory of the Cross.[g] Among those who had come up to worship at the feast were some Greeks.[h] 21 They approached Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, “Sir, we would like to see Jesus. 22 Philip went to tell Andrew of this, and Philip and Andrew informed Jesus. 23 Jesus answered them,
“The hour has come
for the Son of Man to be glorified.
24 Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless a grain of wheat
falls into the earth and dies,
it remains just a grain of wheat.
However, if it dies,
it bears much fruit.
25 “Anyone who loves his life loses it,
but the one who hates his life in this world
will preserve it for eternal life.
26 If anyone wishes to serve me,
he must follow me.
Where I am,
there also will my servant be.
If anyone serves me,
my Father will honor that person.
27 “Now my soul is troubled.
Yet what should I say:
‘Father, save me from this hour’?
No, it was for this
that I have come 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 that was present heard this, and some of them said that it was thunder, while others asserted, “An angel has spoken to him.” 30 Jesus answered,
“This voice did not come for my sake
but for yours.
31 Now is the judgment on this world.
Now the prince of this world[i]
will be driven out.
32 And when I am lifted up from the earth,
I will draw all to myself.”
33 He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die.
34 The crowd answered, “Our Law[j] teaches that the Christ will remain forever. How then can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” 35 Jesus replied,
“The light will be with you
for only a little longer.
Go on your way
while you still have the light,
so that the darkness
will not overtake you.
“Whoever walks in the darkness
does not know where he is going.
36 While you have the light,
believe in the light
so that you may become children of light.”
After Jesus had said this, he departed and hid himself from their sight.
37 The Choice To Believe in the Light.[k] Although he had performed so many signs in their presence, they did not believe in him. 38 This was to fulfill the word of the prophet Isaiah,
“Lord, who has believed our preaching?
To whom has the power of the Lord been revealed?”
39 They therefore could not believe for as Isaiah said,
40 “He has blinded their eyes
and hardened their hearts,
lest they see with their eyes
and understand with their hearts,
and thereby be converted,
so that I could heal them.”[l]
41 Isaiah said this because he saw his glory, and his words referred to him.
42 Nevertheless, there were many, even among the authorities, who believed in him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess their faith in him, for fear of being banned from the synagogue.[m] 43 For they valued human glory more highly than the glory that comes from God.
44 The Choice To Believe in Jesus.[n] Then Jesus cried out,
“Whoever believes in me
believes not only in me
but in him who sent me.
45 And whoever sees me
sees the one who sent me.
46 I have come into the world as light
so that everyone who believes in me
may not have to remain in darkness.
47 [o]“But if anyone listens to my words
and fails to observe them,
I will not pass judgment on him,
for I did not come to judge the world
but to save the world.
48 Anyone who rejects me
and does not accept my words
already has a judge.
On the last day,
the word that I have spoken
will serve as his judge.
49 “For I have not spoken on my own,
but the Father who sent me
has himself given me command
about what I am to say
and how I am to speak.
50 I know that his commandment
is eternal life.
Therefore, what I speak
is what the Father has told me to say.”
Footnotes
- John 12:3 Pint: Greek: litra, i.e., about a half-liter.
- John 12:5 Three hundred denarii: a year’s wages, a denarius being a day’s wages for a laborer.
- John 12:12 To a greater degree than the Synoptics, the fourth Gospel describes this entry as a triumph and stresses above all the theme of the glory of Christ. The raising of Lazarus has provoked the enthusiasm of the crowd, and for the first time Jesus allows himself to be acclaimed “King of Israel”; he lets himself be known as the King-Messiah announced by Zechariah (9:9).
- John 12:13 Branches of palm: customarily used in victory celebrations (see 1 Mac 13:51; 2 Mac 10:7). Hosanna: an acclamation meaning “Grant salvation!” The citation is from Ps 118:25. He who comes in the name of the Lord: see note on Mt 21:9. The King of Israel: a reference to the coming king mentioned by Zep 3:14-15 and Zec 9:9. See also note on Mt 21:9.
- John 12:15 Daughter of Zion: see note on Mt 21:5.
- John 12:17 Another reading for this verse is given in some manuscripts: “Then the crowd that was with him began to bear witness that he had called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead.”
- John 12:20 Jesus’ single-day success does not divert him from his hour, nor that of his adversaries, and it is his deciding moment. This page with so many themes gives us a glimpse into his thinking.
To the crowd, among whom are sympathetic Gentiles, he proposes the image of a grain of wheat that must die. Conscious of the necessity for his death, he realizes the fruitfulness of his approaching sacrifice for the whole world.
Paradoxically, that death is elevation and glorification: it will show who Jesus is and be the reversal in the fate of human beings. As in the account of the agony in the garden related by the Synoptics (Mt 26:36-46; Mk 14:32-42; Lk 22:39-46), he overcomes his fear in the face of what humans regard as ruin; he dominates the cruel paradox.
His death transforms the fate of the world: it is defeat for the forces of evil and opens up hope for those called to the communion of Jesus, to life.
Here is an unexpected Messiah who completes God’s work by his own death; as here, so elsewhere we read constantly of Christ’s invitation to his disciples to share his lot (see Mt 16:25; Mk 8:35; Lk 9:24). Believers may fear death but not lose hope, since for Jesus, in whom they believe, the hour of death was the hour in which he conquered the devil, was glorified by the Father, and showed himself to be the light of the world. This beautiful text leaves us the meditation of the ancient Church on the cross of Christ; it has become the glorious cross. - John 12:20 Greeks: not Jews, but adherents of Judaism, although without embracing its practices.
- John 12:31 Prince of this world: Satan, who has the ability to control human beings by drawing them away from God (see Jn 14:30; 16:11; 2 Cor 4:4; Eph 2:2; 6:12).
- John 12:34 Law: taken here as the entire Old Testament (see Jn 10:34), and referring specifically to Pss 89:37; 110:4; Isa 9:7; Dan 7:14. Son of Man: see notes on Jn 1:51 and Mt 8:20.
- John 12:37 The early Christian generations always remained astonished at Israel’s refusal of the light, and they meditated on the text of Isaiah on the blindness of people when faced with an unexpected work of God. To recognize the light is to choose to accept its demands. Such a choice turns a life upside down; it is necessary to accept the risk of being marginalized from the usual social and religious milieu.
- John 12:40 This text, like others in the Old Testament, appears to say that hardened hearts and blinded eyes are God’s doing. However, the evangelist is simply assuring Christian readers that even though God would give people every opportunity to convert, many would still choose to stay in their sin.
- John 12:42 John is indicating that in the Israel of his time there is, as always, a remnant that believes. But they are not a true People of God because of their fear of being excommunicated by the authorities.
- John 12:44 But who is the light? It is Jesus himself, sent by the Father to make known the Father’s love and to save believers. All through the Gospel, Christ has testified how deeply aware he is of this mission because of the unity in which he lives with his Father. What Jesus says in these few verses sums up his entire teaching concerning his mission.
- John 12:47 This parallels the statement found at the end of the Sermon on the Mount (Mt 7:24-27). Everything hangs upon a person’s acceptance or rejection of what Jesus has said.
约翰福音 12
Chinese New Version (Traditional)
馬利亞用香膏膏主(A)
12 逾越節前六天,耶穌到了伯大尼,就是拉撒路所住的地方;耶穌曾經使這拉撒路從死人中復活。 2 有人在那裡為耶穌預備了筵席。馬大在那裡侍候,拉撒路也和一些人與耶穌一同吃飯。 3 馬利亞拿了半公斤珍貴純正的哪噠香膏,抹耶穌的腳,又用自己的頭髮去擦;屋裡就滿了香膏的香氣。 4 耶穌的一個門徒,就是那要出賣他的加略人猶大,說: 5 “為甚麼不把這香膏賣三百銀幣,賙濟窮人呢?” 6 他說這話,並不是因為他關懷窮人,而是因為他是個賊,又帶著錢囊,常取其中所存的。 7 耶穌就說:“由她吧,這香膏是她留下來為我安葬的日子用的。 8 你們常常有窮人跟你們在一起,卻不常有我。”
9 有一大群猶太人知道耶穌在那裡,就都來了,然而他們不單是為了耶穌的緣故,也是要看看耶穌使他從死人中復活的拉撒路。 10 於是祭司長想把拉撒路也殺掉, 11 因為有許多猶太人為了拉撒路的緣故,離開他們,信了耶穌。
騎驢進耶路撒冷(B)
12 第二天,有一大群上來過節的人,聽見耶穌要來耶路撒冷, 13 就拿著棕樹枝出去迎接他,歡呼說:
“和散那,
奉主名來的以色列王,
是應當稱頌的!”
14 耶穌找到一頭小驢,就騎在上面,正如經上所記的:
15 “錫安的居民哪,不要懼怕;
看哪,你的王來了,
他騎著小驢來了。”
16 門徒起初不明白這些事,可是到耶穌得了榮耀以後,他們才想起這些話是指著他說的,並且人們果然向他這樣行了。 17 那些和耶穌在一起,看見他叫拉撒路從墳墓出來,又使他從死人中復活的群眾,都為這事作見證。 18 群眾因為聽見他行了這神蹟,就去迎接他。 19 於是法利賽人彼此說:“你們看,你們都是徒勞無功,世人都去跟隨他了!”
主被舉起來就吸引萬人
20 上去過節作禮拜的人中,有些是希臘人。 21 他們來到加利利的伯賽大人腓力那裡,請求他,說:“先生,我們想見耶穌。” 22 腓力去告訴安得烈,安得烈就和腓力去告訴耶穌。 23 耶穌對他們說:“人子得榮耀的時候到了! 24 我實實在在告訴你們,一粒麥子若不落在地裡死了,仍舊是一粒;如果死了,就結出許多果實來。 25 愛惜自己生命的,就喪掉生命;在這世上恨惡自己生命的,必會保全生命到永遠。 26 如果有人服事我,就應當跟從我;我在哪裡,服事我的人也會在哪裡;如果有人服事我,我父必尊重他。
27 “我現在心裡煩亂,我應該說甚麼呢?說‘父啊,救我脫離這時刻’嗎?然而我正是為了這個緣故來的,要面對這時刻。 28 父啊,願你榮耀你的名!”當時有聲音從天上來,說:“我已經榮耀了我的名,還要再榮耀。” 29 站在旁邊的群眾聽見了,就說:“打雷了。”另外有人說:“有天使對他說話。” 30 耶穌說:“這聲音不是為了我,而是為了你們發出的。 31 現在是這世界受審判的時候了,現在這世界的王要被趕出去。 32 我若從地上被舉起來,就要吸引萬人歸向我。” 33 他說這話,是指著自己將要怎樣死說的。 34 於是群眾對他說:“我們從律法上知道基督是永遠常存的,你怎麼說‘人子必須被舉起來’呢?這人子是誰呢?” 35 耶穌說:“光在你們中間的時間不多了。你們應當趁著有光的時候行走,免得黑暗追上你們。在黑暗中行走的人,不知道往哪裡去。 36 你們應當趁著有光的時候信從這光,使你們成為光明的兒女。”
主的道要審判不信的人
耶穌說完了這些話,就離開他們隱藏起來。 37 耶穌在他們面前行了許多神蹟,但是他們仍然不信他。 38 這是要應驗以賽亞先知所說的話:
“主啊,我們所傳的,有誰信呢?
主的膀臂向誰顯露呢?”
39 他們不能相信,因為以賽亞又說:
40 “ 神使他們瞎了眼,硬了心,
免得他們眼睛看見,
心裡明白而回轉過來;
我就醫好他們。”
41 以賽亞說這些話,是因為看見了他的榮耀,就指著他說的。 42 雖然這樣,官長當中也有許多人信了耶穌。但是因為法利賽人的緣故,他們不敢公開承認,免得被趕出會堂; 43 因為他們愛來自人的榮耀,過於愛來自 神的榮耀。
44 耶穌大聲說:“信我的,不單是信我,也是信那差我來的。 45 看見我的,就是看見那差我來的。 46 我是光,我到世上來,叫所有信我的不住在黑暗裡。 47 人若聽見我的話卻不遵守的,我不審判他,因為我來不是要審判世人,而是要拯救世人。 48 棄絕我又不接受我的話的人,自有審判他的。我所講的道在末日要定他的罪; 49 因為我沒有憑著自己說話,而是差我來的父給了我命令,要我說甚麼,講甚麼。 50 我知道他的命令就是永生。所以,我所講的,正是父吩咐我要我講的。”
Ioan 12
Cornilescu 1924 - Revised 2010, 2014
Maria Îi toarnă mir pe picioare
12 Cu şase zile înainte de Paşte, Isus a venit în Betania, unde(A) era Lazăr, care fusese mort şi pe care îl înviase din morţi. 2 Acolo, I-au(B) pregătit o cină. Marta slujea, iar Lazăr era unul din cei ce şedeau la masă cu El. 3 Maria(C) a luat un litru cu mir de nard curat, de mare preţ, a uns picioarele lui Isus şi I-a şters picioarele cu părul ei şi s-a umplut casa de mirosul mirului. 4 Unul din ucenicii Săi, Iuda Iscarioteanul, fiul lui Simon, care avea să-L vândă, a zis: 5 „De ce nu s-a vândut acest mir cu trei sute de lei şi să se fi dat săracilor?” 6 Zicea lucrul acesta nu pentru că purta grijă de săraci, ci pentru că era un hoţ şi, ca unul care ţinea(D) punga, lua el ce se punea în ea. 7 Dar Isus a zis: „Lasă-o în pace, căci ea l-a păstrat pentru ziua îngropării Mele. 8 Pe(E) săraci îi aveţi totdeauna cu voi, dar pe Mine nu Mă aveţi totdeauna.” 9 O mare mulţime de iudei au aflat că Isus era în Betania şi au venit acolo nu numai pentru Isus, ci ca să vadă şi pe Lazăr, pe(F) care-l înviase din morţi. 10 Preoţii cei mai de seamă(G) au hotărât să omoare şi pe Lazăr, 11 căci(H) din pricina lui mulţi iudei plecau de la ei şi credeau în Isus.
Intrarea lui Isus în Ierusalim
12 A doua zi(I), o gloată mare, care venise la praznic, cum a auzit că vine Isus în Ierusalim, 13 a luat ramuri de finic şi I-a ieşit în întâmpinare, strigând: „Osana(J)! Binecuvântat este Cel ce vine în Numele Domnului, Împăratul lui Israel!” 14 Isus a găsit(K) un măgăruş şi a încălecat pe el, după cum este scris: 15 „Nu(L) te teme, fiica Sionului; iată că Împăratul tău vine călare pe mânzul unei măgăriţe”. 16 Ucenicii Lui n-au(M) înţeles aceste lucruri de la început, dar(N), după ce a fost proslăvit Isus, şi-au(O) adus aminte că aceste lucruri erau scrise despre El şi că ei le împliniseră cu privire la El. 17 Toţi cei ce fuseseră împreună cu Isus, când chemase pe Lazăr din mormânt şi-l înviase din morţi, mărturiseau despre El. 18 Şi(P) norodul I-a ieşit în întâmpinare, pentru că aflase că făcuse semnul acesta. 19 Fariseii au zis deci între ei: „Vedeţi(Q) că nu câştigaţi nimic. Iată că lumea se duce după El!”
Isus vorbeşte de moartea Sa
20 Nişte(R) greci dintre cei ce se suiseră să se închine la praznic 21 s-au apropiat de Filip, care(S) era din Betsaida Galileii, l-au rugat şi au zis: „Domnule, am vrea să vedem pe Isus”. 22 Filip s-a dus şi a spus lui Andrei, apoi Andrei şi Filip au spus lui Isus. 23 Drept răspuns, Isus le-a zis: „A(T) sosit ceasul să fie proslăvit Fiul omului. 24 Adevărat, adevărat vă spun că, dacă grăuntele(U) de grâu care a căzut pe pământ nu moare, rămâne singur, dar dacă moare, aduce multă roadă. 25 Cine(V) îşi iubeşte viaţa o va pierde şi cine îşi urăşte viaţa în lumea aceasta o va păstra pentru viaţa veşnică. 26 Dacă Îmi slujeşte cineva, să Mă urmeze şi unde(W) sunt Eu, acolo va fi şi slujitorul Meu. Dacă Îmi slujeşte cineva, Tatăl îl va cinsti. 27 Acum(X), sufletul Meu este tulburat. Şi ce voi zice: ‘Tată, izbăveşte-Mă din ceasul acesta!’? Dar(Y) tocmai pentru aceasta am venit până la ceasul acesta! 28 Tată, proslăveşte Numele Tău!”Şi(Z) din cer, s-a auzit un glas care zicea: „L-am proslăvit şi-L voi mai proslăvi!” 29 Norodul, care stătea acolo şi care auzise glasul, a zis că a fost un tunet. Alţii ziceau: „Un înger a vorbit cu El!” 30 Isus a răspuns: „Nu pentru Mine s-a auzit glasul acesta(AA), ci pentru voi. 31 Acum are loc judecata lumii acesteia, acum stăpânitorul(AB) lumii acesteia va fi aruncat afară. 32 Şi după ce(AC) voi fi înălţat de pe pământ, voi atrage la Mine pe(AD) toţi oamenii.” 33 Vorbind(AE) astfel, arăta cu ce moarte avea să moară. 34 Norodul I-a răspuns: „Noi(AF) am auzit din Lege că Hristosul rămâne în veac. Cum dar zici Tu că Fiul omului trebuie să fie înălţat? Cine este acest Fiu al omului?” 35 Isus le-a zis: „Lumina mai este(AG) puţină vreme în mijlocul vostru. Umblaţi(AH) ca unii care aveţi lumina, ca să nu vă cuprindă întunericul; cine(AI) umblă în întuneric nu ştie unde merge. 36 Câtă vreme aveţi lumina printre voi, credeţi în lumină, ca să fiţi fii(AJ) ai luminii.” Isus le-a spus aceste lucruri, apoi a plecat şi S-a(AK) ascuns de ei.
Necredinţa iudeilor
37 Măcar că făcuse atâtea semne înaintea lor, tot nu credeau în El, 38 ca să se împlinească vorba pe care o spusese prorocul Isaia: „Doamne(AL), cine a dat crezare propovăduirii noastre şi cui a fost descoperită puterea braţului Domnului?” 39 De aceea nu puteau crede, pentru că Isaia a mai zis: 40 „Le-a(AM) orbit ochii şi le-a împietrit inima, ca să nu vadă cu ochii, să nu înţeleagă cu inima, să nu se întoarcă la Dumnezeu şi să-i vindec.” 41 Isaia a spus aceste(AN) lucruri când a văzut slava Lui şi a vorbit despre El. 42 Totuşi, chiar dintre fruntaşi, mulţi au crezut în El, dar de frica fariseilor(AO) nu-L mărturiseau pe faţă, ca să nu fie daţi afară din sinagogă. 43 Căci(AP) au iubit mai mult slava oamenilor decât slava lui Dumnezeu. 44 Iar Isus a strigat: „Cine(AQ) crede în Mine nu crede în Mine, ci în Cel ce M-a trimis pe Mine. 45 Şi cine(AR) Mă vede pe Mine vede pe Cel ce M-a trimis pe Mine. 46 Eu(AS) am venit ca să fiu o lumină în lume, pentru ca oricine crede în Mine să nu rămână în întuneric. 47 Dacă aude cineva cuvintele Mele şi nu le păzeşte, nu Eu(AT) îl judec, căci Eu n-am(AU) venit să judec lumea, ci să mântuiesc lumea. 48 Pe cine(AV) Mă nesocoteşte şi nu primeşte cuvintele Mele, are cine-l osândi: – Cuvântul(AW), pe care l-am vestit Eu, acela îl va osândi în ziua de apoi. 49 Căci Eu(AX) n-am vorbit de la Mine Însumi, ci Tatăl, care M-a trimis, El Însuşi Mi-a poruncit ce(AY) trebuie să spun şi cum trebuie să vorbesc. 50 Şi ştiu că porunca Lui este viaţa veşnică. De aceea, lucrurile pe care le spun, le spun aşa cum Mi le-a spus Tatăl.”
Chinese New Version (CNV). Copyright © 1976, 1992, 1999, 2001, 2005 by Worldwide Bible Society.
Copyright of the Cornilescu Bible © 1924 belongs to British and Foreign Bible Society. Copyright © 2010, 2014 of the revised edition in Romanian language belongs to the Interconfessional Bible Society of Romania, with the approval of the British and Foreign Bible Society.


