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John 10-12
Common English Bible
John 10-12
Common English Bible
10 1 I assure you that whoever doesn’t enter into the sheep pen through the gate but climbs over the wall is a thief and an outlaw. 2 The one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The guard at the gate opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 Whenever he has gathered all of his sheep, he goes before them and they follow him, because they know his voice. 5 They won’t follow a stranger but will run away because they don’t know the stranger’s voice.” 6 Those who heard Jesus use this analogy didn’t understand what he was saying.
I am the gate
7 So Jesus spoke again, “I assure you that I am the gate of the sheep. 8 All who came before me were thieves and outlaws, but the sheep didn’t listen to them. 9 I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out and find pasture. 10 The thief enters only to steal, kill, and destroy. I came so that they could have life—indeed, so that they could live life to the fullest.
I am the good shepherd
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 When the hired hand sees the wolf coming, he leaves the sheep and runs away. That’s because he isn’t the shepherd; the sheep aren’t really his. So the wolf attacks the sheep and scatters them. 13 He’s only a hired hand and the sheep don’t matter to him.
14 “I am the good shepherd. I know my own sheep and they know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. I give up my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that don’t belong to this sheep pen. I must lead them too. They will listen to my voice and there will be one flock, with one shepherd.
17 “This is why the Father loves me: I give up my life so that I can take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I give it up because I want to. I have the right to give it up, and I have the right to take it up again. I received this commandment from my Father.”
19 There was another division among the Jews because of Jesus’ words. 20 Many of them said, “He has a demon and has lost his mind. Why listen to him?” 21 Others said, “These aren’t the words of someone who has a demon. Can a demon heal the eyes of people who are blind?”
Jesus at the Festival of Dedication
22 The time came for the Festival of Dedication[a] in Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was in the temple, walking in the covered porch named for Solomon. 24 The Jewish opposition circled around him and asked, “How long will you test our patience? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”
25 Jesus answered, “I have told you, but you don’t believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, 26 but you don’t believe because you don’t belong to my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice. I know them and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life. They will never die, and no one will snatch them from my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them from my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”
31 Again the Jewish opposition picked up stones in order to stone him. 32 Jesus responded, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of those works do you stone me?”
33 The Jewish opposition answered, “We don’t stone you for a good work but for insulting God. You are human, yet you make yourself out to be God.”
34 Jesus replied, “Isn’t it written in your Law, I have said, you are gods?[b] 35 Scripture calls those to whom God’s word came gods, and scripture can’t be abolished. 36 So how can you say that the one whom the Father has made holy and sent into the world insults God because he said, ‘I am God’s Son’? 37 If I don’t do the works of my Father, don’t believe me. 38 But if I do them, and you don’t believe me, believe the works so that you can know and recognize that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” 39 Again, they wanted to arrest him, but he escaped from them.
Jesus at the Jordan
40 Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had baptized at first, and he stayed there. 41 Many people came to him. “John didn’t do any miraculous signs,” they said, “but everything John said about this man was true.” 42 Many believed in Jesus there.
Lazarus is ill
11 A certain man, Lazarus, was ill. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. (2 This was the Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped his feet with her hair. Her brother Lazarus was ill.) 3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, saying, “Lord, the one whom you love is ill.”
4 When he heard this, Jesus said, “This illness isn’t fatal. It’s for the glory of God so that God’s Son can be glorified through it.” 5 Jesus loved Martha, her sister, and Lazarus. 6 When he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed where he was. After two days, 7 he said to his disciples, “Let’s return to Judea again.”
8 The disciples replied, “Rabbi, the Jewish opposition wants to stone you, but you want to go back?”
9 Jesus answered, “Aren’t there twelve hours in the day? Whoever walks in the day doesn’t stumble because they see the light of the world. 10 But whoever walks in the night does stumble because the light isn’t in them.”
11 He continued, “Our friend Lazarus is sleeping, but I am going in order to wake him up.”
12 The disciples said, “Lord, if he’s sleeping, he will get well.” 13 They thought Jesus meant that Lazarus was in a deep sleep, but Jesus had spoken about Lazarus’ death.
14 Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died. 15 For your sakes, I’m glad I wasn’t there so that you can believe. Let’s go to him.”
16 Then Thomas (the one called Didymus) said to the other disciples, “Let us go too so that we may die with Jesus.”
Jesus with Martha and Mary
17 When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18 Bethany was a little less than two miles from Jerusalem. 19 Many Jews had come to comfort Martha and Mary after their brother’s death. 20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him, while Mary remained in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother wouldn’t have died. 22 Even now I know that whatever you ask God, God will give you.”
23 Jesus told her, “Your brother will rise again.”
24 Martha replied, “I know that he will rise in the resurrection on the last day.”
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me will live, even though they die. 26 Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
27 She replied, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, God’s Son, the one who is coming into the world.”
28 After she said this, she went and spoke privately to her sister Mary, “The teacher is here and he’s calling for you.” 29 When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to Jesus. 30 He hadn’t entered the village but was still in the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who were comforting Mary in the house saw her get up quickly and leave, they followed her. They assumed she was going to mourn at the tomb.
32 When Mary arrived where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother wouldn’t have died.”
33 When Jesus saw her crying and the Jews who had come with her crying also, he was deeply disturbed and troubled. 34 He asked, “Where have you laid him?”
They replied, “Lord, come and see.”
35 Jesus began to cry. 36 The Jews said, “See how much he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “He healed the eyes of the man born blind. Couldn’t he have kept Lazarus from dying?”
Jesus at Lazarus’ tomb
38 Jesus was deeply disturbed again when he came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone covered the entrance. 39 Jesus said, “Remove the stone.”
Martha, the sister of the dead man, said, “Lord, the smell will be awful! He’s been dead four days.”
40 Jesus replied, “Didn’t I tell you that if you believe, you will see God’s glory?” 41 So they removed the stone. Jesus looked up and said, “Father, thank you for hearing me. 42 I know you always hear me. I say this for the benefit of the crowd standing here so that they will believe that you sent me.” 43 Having said this, Jesus shouted with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead man came out, his feet bound and his hands tied, and his face covered with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Untie him and let him go.”
45 Therefore, many of the Jews who came with Mary and saw what Jesus did believed in him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.
Caiaphas prophesies
47 Then the chief priests and Pharisees called together the council[c] and said, “What are we going to do? This man is doing many miraculous signs! 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him. Then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our people.”
49 One of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, told them, “You don’t know anything! 50 You don’t see that it is better for you that one man die for the people rather than the whole nation be destroyed.” 51 He didn’t say this on his own. As high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus would soon die for the nation— 52 and not only for the nation. Jesus would also die so that God’s children scattered everywhere would be gathered together as one. 53 From that day on they plotted to kill him.
The Passover draws near
54 Therefore, Jesus was no longer active in public ministry among the Jewish leaders. Instead, he left Jerusalem and went to a place near the wilderness, to a city called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples.
55 It was almost time for the Jewish Passover, and many people went from the countryside up to Jerusalem to purify themselves through ritual washing before the Passover. 56 They were looking for Jesus. As they spoke to each other in the temple, they said, “What do you think? He won’t come to the festival, will he?” 57 The chief priests and Pharisees had given orders that anyone who knew where he was should report it, so they could arrest him.
Mary anoints Jesus’ feet
12 Six days before Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, home of Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 Lazarus and his sisters hosted a dinner for him. Martha served and Lazarus was among those who joined him at the table. 3 Then Mary took an extraordinary amount, almost three-quarters of a pound,[d] of very expensive perfume made of pure nard. She anointed Jesus’ feet with it, then wiped his feet dry with her hair. The house was filled with the aroma of the perfume. 4 Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), complained, 5 “This perfume was worth a year’s wages![e] Why wasn’t it sold and the money given to the poor?” (6 He said this not because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief. He carried the money bag and would take what was in it.)
7 Then Jesus said, “Leave her alone. This perfume was to be used in preparation for my burial, and this is how she has used it. 8 You will always have the poor among you, but you won’t always have me.”
9 Many Jews learned that he was there. They came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 The chief priests decided that they would kill Lazarus too. 11 It was because of Lazarus that many of the Jews had deserted them and come to believe in Jesus.
Jesus enters Jerusalem
12 The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. 13 They took palm branches and went out to meet him. They shouted,
“Hosanna!
Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord![f]
Blessings on the king of Israel!”
14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written,
15 Don’t be afraid, Daughter Zion.
Look! Your king is coming,
sitting on a donkey’s colt.[g]
16 His disciples didn’t understand these things at first. After he was glorified, they remembered that these things had been written about him and that they had done these things to him.
17 The crowd who had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead were testifying about him. 18 That’s why the crowd came to meet him, because they had heard about this miraculous sign that he had done. 19 Therefore, the Pharisees said to each other, “See! You’ve accomplished nothing! Look! The whole world is following him!”
Jesus teaches about his death
20 Some Greeks were among those who had come up to worship at the festival. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and made a request: “Sir, we want to see Jesus.” 22 Philip told Andrew, and Andrew and Philip told Jesus.
23 Jesus replied, “The time has come for the Human One[h] to be glorified. 24 I assure you that unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it can only be a single seed. But if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Those who love their lives will lose them, and those who hate their lives in this world will keep them forever. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me. Wherever I am, there my servant will also be. My Father will honor whoever serves me.
27 “Now I am deeply troubled.[i] What should I say? ‘Father, save me from this time’? No, for this is the reason I have come to this time. 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 and said, “It’s thunder.” Others said, “An angel spoke to him.”
30 Jesus replied, “This voice wasn’t for my benefit but for yours. 31 Now is the time for judgment of this world. Now this world’s ruler will be thrown out. 32 When I am lifted up[j] from the earth, I will draw everyone to me.” (33 He said this to show how he was going to die.)
34 The crowd responded, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Human One[k] must be lifted up? Who is this Human One?”[l]
35 Jesus replied, “The light is with you for only a little while. Walk while you have the light so that darkness doesn’t overtake you. Those who walk in the darkness don’t know where they are going. 36 As long as you have the light, believe in the light so that you might become people whose lives are determined by the light.” After Jesus said these things, he went away and hid from them.
Fulfillment of prophecy
37 Jesus had done many miraculous signs before the people, but they didn’t believe in him. 38 This was to fulfill the word of the prophet Isaiah:
Lord, who has believed through our message?
To whom is the arm of the Lord fully revealed?[m]
39 Isaiah explains why they couldn’t believe:
40 He made their eyes blind
and closed their minds
so that they might not see with their eyes,
understand with their minds,
and turn their lives around—
and I would heal them.[n]
41 Isaiah said these things because he saw Jesus’ glory; he spoke about Jesus. 42 Even so, many leaders believed in him, but they wouldn’t acknowledge their faith because they feared that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue. 43 They believed, but they loved human praise more than God’s glory.
Summary of Jesus’ teaching
44 Jesus shouted, “Whoever believes in me doesn’t believe in me but in the one who sent me. 45 Whoever sees me sees the one who sent me. 46 I have come as a light into the world so that everyone who believes in me won’t live in darkness. 47 If people hear my words and don’t keep them, I don’t judge them. I didn’t come to judge the world but to save it. 48 Whoever rejects me and doesn’t receive my words will be judged at the last day by the word I have spoken. 49 I don’t speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me regarding what I should speak and say. 50 I know that his commandment is eternal life. Therefore, whatever I say is just as the Father has said to me.”
Footnotes
- John 10:22 Hanukkah
- John 10:34 Ps 82:6
- John 11:47 Or Sanhedrin
- John 12:3 Or a litra, a Roman pound, approximately twelve ounces
- John 12:5 Or three hundred denaria
- John 12:13 Ps 118:26
- John 12:15 Zech 9:9
- John 12:23 Or Son of Man
- John 12:27 Ps 6:2
- John 12:32 Or exalted
- John 12:34 Or Son of Man
- John 12:34 Or Son of Man
- John 12:38 Isa 53:1
- John 12:40 Isa 6:10
John 10-12
New International Version
John 10-12
New International Version
The Good Shepherd and His Sheep
10 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.(A) 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.(B) 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice.(C) He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.(D) 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.(E) 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” 6 Jesus used this figure of speech,(F) but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.(G)
7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am(H) the gate(I) for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me(J) are thieves and robbers,(K) but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.[a] They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life,(L) and have it to the full.(M)
11 “I am(N) the good shepherd.(O) The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.(P) 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away.(Q) Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
14 “I am the good shepherd;(R) I know my sheep(S) and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father(T)—and I lay down my life for the sheep.(U) 16 I have other sheep(V) that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock(W) and one shepherd.(X) 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life(Y)—only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.(Z) I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”(AA)
19 The Jews who heard these words were again divided.(AB) 20 Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed(AC) and raving mad.(AD) Why listen to him?”
21 But others said, “These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon.(AE) Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”(AF)
Further Conflict Over Jesus’ Claims
22 Then came the Festival of Dedication[b] at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade.(AG) 24 The Jews(AH) who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”(AI)
25 Jesus answered, “I did tell you,(AJ) but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me,(AK) 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.(AL) 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them,(AM) and they follow me.(AN) 28 I give them eternal life,(AO) and they shall never perish;(AP) no one will snatch them out of my hand.(AQ) 29 My Father, who has given them to me,(AR) is greater than all[c];(AS) no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”(AT)
31 Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him,(AU) 32 but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?”
33 “We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”(AV)
34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law,(AW) ‘I have said you are “gods”’[d]?(AX) 35 If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God(AY) came—and Scripture cannot be set aside(AZ)— 36 what about the one whom the Father set apart(BA) as his very own(BB) and sent into the world?(BC) Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’?(BD) 37 Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father.(BE) 38 But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.”(BF) 39 Again they tried to seize him,(BG) but he escaped their grasp.(BH)
40 Then Jesus went back across the Jordan(BI) to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. There he stayed, 41 and many people came to him. They said, “Though John never performed a sign,(BJ) all that John said about this man was true.”(BK) 42 And in that place many believed in Jesus.(BL)
The Death of Lazarus
11 Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany,(BM) the village of Mary and her sister Martha.(BN) 2 (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.)(BO) 3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love(BP) is sick.”
4 When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory(BQ) so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, 7 and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”(BR)
8 “But Rabbi,”(BS) they said, “a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you,(BT) and yet you are going back?”
9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world’s light.(BU) 10 It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.”
11 After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend(BV) Lazarus has fallen asleep;(BW) but I am going there to wake him up.”
12 His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” 13 Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.(BX)
14 So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, 15 and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”
16 Then Thomas(BY) (also known as Didymus[e]) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”
Jesus Comforts the Sisters of Lazarus
17 On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days.(BZ) 18 Now Bethany(CA) was less than two miles[f] from Jerusalem, 19 and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother.(CB) 20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.(CC)
21 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died.(CD) 22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”(CE)
23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
24 Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection(CF) at the last day.”(CG)
25 Jesus said to her, “I am(CH) the resurrection and the life.(CI) The one who believes(CJ) in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing(CK) in me will never die.(CL) Do you believe this?”
27 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah,(CM) the Son of God,(CN) who is to come into the world.”(CO)
28 After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher(CP) is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.” 29 When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him.(CQ) 31 When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her,(CR) noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.
32 When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”(CS)
33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved(CT) in spirit and troubled.(CU) 34 “Where have you laid him?” he asked.
“Come and see, Lord,” they replied.
35 Jesus wept.(CV)
36 Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”(CW)
37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man(CX) have kept this man from dying?”(CY)
Jesus Raises Lazarus From the Dead
38 Jesus, once more deeply moved,(CZ) came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance.(DA) 39 “Take away the stone,” he said.
“But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”(DB)
40 Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe,(DC) you will see the glory of God?”(DD)
41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up(DE) and said, “Father,(DF) I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here,(DG) that they may believe that you sent me.”(DH)
43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”(DI) 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen,(DJ) and a cloth around his face.(DK)
Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”
The Plot to Kill Jesus
45 Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary,(DL) and had seen what Jesus did,(DM) believed in him.(DN) 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees(DO) called a meeting(DP) of the Sanhedrin.(DQ)
“What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many signs.(DR) 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.”
49 Then one of them, named Caiaphas,(DS) who was high priest that year,(DT) spoke up, “You know nothing at all! 50 You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”(DU)
51 He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, 52 and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one.(DV) 53 So from that day on they plotted to take his life.(DW)
54 Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the people of Judea.(DX) Instead he withdrew to a region near the wilderness, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples.
55 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover,(DY) many went up from the country to Jerusalem for their ceremonial cleansing(DZ) before the Passover. 56 They kept looking for Jesus,(EA) and as they stood in the temple courts they asked one another, “What do you think? Isn’t he coming to the festival at all?” 57 But the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that anyone who found out where Jesus was should report it so that they might arrest him.
Jesus Anointed at Bethany(EB)
12 Six days before the Passover,(EC) Jesus came to Bethany,(ED) where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served,(EE) while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 3 Then Mary took about a pint[g] of pure nard, an expensive perfume;(EF) she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair.(EG) And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him,(EH) objected, 5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.[h]” 6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag,(EI) he used to help himself to what was put into it.
7 “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial.(EJ) 8 You will always have the poor among you,[i](EK) but you will not always have me.”
9 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.(EL) 10 So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, 11 for on account of him(EM) many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him.(EN)
Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King(EO)
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(EP) and went out to meet him, shouting,
“Hosanna![j]”
“Blessed is the king of Israel!”(ER)
14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written:
16 At first his disciples did not understand all this.(ET) Only after Jesus was glorified(EU) 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(EV) 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,(EW) 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!”(EX)
Jesus Predicts His Death
20 Now there were some Greeks(EY) among those who went up to worship at the festival. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida(EZ) 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(FA) has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.(FB) 24 Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies,(FC) 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(FD) for eternal life.(FE) 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be.(FF) My Father will honor the one who serves me.
27 “Now my soul is troubled,(FG) and what shall I say? ‘Father,(FH) save me from this hour’?(FI) No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name!”
Then a voice came from heaven,(FJ) “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,(FK) not mine. 31 Now is the time for judgment on this world;(FL) now the prince of this world(FM) will be driven out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up[m] from the earth,(FN) will draw all people to myself.”(FO) 33 He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.(FP)
34 The crowd spoke up, “We have heard from the Law(FQ) that the Messiah will remain forever,(FR) so how can you say, ‘The Son of Man(FS) must be lifted up’?(FT) Who is this ‘Son of Man’?”
35 Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light(FU) just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light,(FV) before darkness overtakes you.(FW) 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.”(FX) When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.(FY)
Belief and Unbelief Among the Jews
37 Even after Jesus had performed so many signs(FZ) in their presence, they still would not believe in him. 38 This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet:
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.”[o](GB)
41 Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory(GC) and spoke about him.(GD)
42 Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him.(GE) But because of the Pharisees(GF) they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue;(GG) 43 for they loved human praise(GH) more than praise from God.(GI)
44 Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me.(GJ) 45 The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me.(GK) 46 I have come into the world as a light,(GL) 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.(GM) 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(GN) at the last day. 49 For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me(GO) to say all that I have spoken. 50 I know that his command leads to eternal life.(GP) So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”(GQ)
Footnotes
- John 10:9 Or kept safe
- John 10:22 That is, Hanukkah
- John 10:29 Many early manuscripts What my Father has given me is greater than all
- John 10:34 Psalm 82:6
- John 11:16 Thomas (Aramaic) and Didymus (Greek) both mean twin.
- John 11:18 Or about 3 kilometers
- John 12:3 Or about 0.5 liter
- John 12:5 Greek three hundred denarii
- John 12:8 See Deut. 15:11.
- John 12:13 A Hebrew expression meaning “Save!” which became an exclamation of praise
- John 12:13 Psalm 118:25,26
- John 12:15 Zech. 9:9
- John 12:32 The Greek for lifted up also means exalted.
- John 12:38 Isaiah 53:1
- John 12:40 Isaiah 6:10
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