John 12
12
Jesus Anointed at Bethany
1Six days before the Passover celebration began, Jesus arrived in Bethany, the home of Lazarus—the man he had raised from the dead. 2A dinner was prepared in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, and Lazarus was among those who ate#12:2 Or who reclined. with him. 3Then Mary took a twelve-ounce jar#12:3 Greek took 1 litra [327 grams]. of expensive perfume made from essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet with it, wiping his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance.
4But Judas Iscariot, the disciple who would soon betray him, said, 5“That perfume was worth a year’s wages.#12:5 Greek worth 300 denarii. A denarius was equivalent to a laborer’s full day’s wage. It should have been sold and the money given to the poor.” 6Not that he cared for the poor—he was a thief, and since he was in charge of the disciples’ money, he often stole some for himself.
7Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. She did this in preparation for my burial. 8You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”
9When all the people#12:9 Greek Jewish people; also in 12:11. heard of Jesus’ arrival, they flocked to see him and also to see Lazarus, the man Jesus had raised from the dead. 10Then the leading priests decided to kill Lazarus, too, 11for it was because of him that many of the people had deserted them#12:11 Or had deserted their traditions; Greek reads had deserted. and believed in Jesus.
Jesus’ Triumphant Entry
12The next day, the news that Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem swept through the city. A large crowd of Passover visitors 13took palm branches and went down the road to meet him. They shouted,
“Praise God!#12:13a Greek Hosanna, an exclamation of praise adapted from a Hebrew expression that means “save now.”
Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Hail to the King of Israel!”#12:13b Ps 118:25-26; Zeph 3:15.
14Jesus found a young donkey and rode on it, fulfilling the prophecy that said:
15“Don’t be afraid, people of Jerusalem.#12:15a Greek daughter of Zion.
Look, your King is coming,
riding on a donkey’s colt.”#12:15b Zech 9:9.
16His disciples didn’t understand at the time that this was a fulfillment of prophecy. But after Jesus entered into his glory, they remembered what had happened and realized that these things had been written about him.
17Many in the crowd had seen Jesus call Lazarus from the tomb, raising him from the dead, and they were telling others#12:17 Greek were testifying. about it. 18That was the reason so many went out to meet him—because they had heard about this miraculous sign. 19Then the Pharisees said to each other, “There’s nothing we can do. Look, everyone#12:19 Greek the world. has gone after him!”
Jesus Predicts His Death
20Some Greeks who had come to Jerusalem for the Passover celebration 21paid a visit to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee. They said, “Sir, we want to meet Jesus.” 22Philip told Andrew about it, and they went together to ask Jesus.
23Jesus replied, “Now the time has come for the Son of Man#12:23 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself. to enter into his glory. 24I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives. 25Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity. 26Anyone who wants to serve me must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me.
27 “Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But this is the very reason I came! 28Father, bring glory to your name.”
Then a voice spoke from heaven, saying, “I have already brought glory to my name, and I will do so again.” 29When the crowd heard the voice, some thought it was thunder, while others declared an angel had spoken to him.
30Then Jesus told them, “The voice was for your benefit, not mine. 31The time for judging this world has come, when Satan, the ruler of this world, will be cast out. 32And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.” 33He said this to indicate how he was going to die.
34The crowd responded, “We understood from Scripture#12:34 Greek from the law. that the Messiah would live forever. How can you say the Son of Man will die? Just who is this Son of Man, anyway?”
35Jesus replied, “My light will shine for you just a little longer. Walk in the light while you can, so the darkness will not overtake you. Those who walk in the darkness cannot see where they are going. 36Put your trust in the light while there is still time; then you will become children of the light.”
After saying these things, Jesus went away and was hidden from them.
The Unbelief of the People
37But despite all the miraculous signs Jesus had done, most of the people still did not believe in him. 38This is exactly what Isaiah the prophet had predicted:
“Lord, who has believed our message?
To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm?”#12:38 Isa 53:1.
39But the people couldn’t believe, for as Isaiah also said,
40“The Lord has blinded their eyes
and hardened their hearts—
so that their eyes cannot see,
and their hearts cannot understand,
and they cannot turn to me
and have me heal them.”#12:40 Isa 6:10.
41Isaiah was referring to Jesus when he said this, because he saw the future and spoke of the Messiah’s glory. 42Many people did believe in him, however, including some of the Jewish leaders. But they wouldn’t admit it for fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue. 43For they loved human praise more than the praise of God.
44Jesus shouted to the crowds, “If you trust me, you are trusting not only me, but also God who sent me. 45For when you see me, you are seeing the one who sent me. 46I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark. 47I will not judge those who hear me but don’t obey me, for I have come to save the world and not to judge it. 48But all who reject me and my message will be judged on the day of judgment by the truth I have spoken. 49I don’t speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it. 50And I know his commands lead to eternal life; so I say whatever the Father tells me to say.”
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John 12: NLT
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Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation.
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John 12
12
Jesus is Anointed at Bethany
(Mt 26.6–13; Mk 14.3–9)
1Six days before the Passover, Jesus went to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, the man he had raised from death. 2They prepared a dinner for him there, which Martha helped to serve; Lazarus was one of those who were sitting at the table with Jesus. 3#Lk 7.37–38Then Mary took half a litre of a very expensive perfume made of pure nard, poured it on Jesus' feet, and wiped them with her hair. The sweet smell of the perfume filled the whole house. 4One of Jesus' disciples, Judas Iscariot — the one who was going to betray him — said, 5“Why wasn't this perfume sold for 300 silver coins#12.5 silver coins: See 6.7. and the money given to the poor?” 6He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief. He carried the money bag and would help himself from it.
7But Jesus said, “Leave her alone! Let her keep what she has for the day of my burial. 8#Deut 15.11You will always have poor people with you, but you will not always have me.”
The Plot against Lazarus
9A large number of people heard that Jesus was in Bethany, so they went there, not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from death. 10So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus too, 11because on his account many Jews were rejecting them and believing in Jesus.
The Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem
(Mt 21.1–11; Mk 11.1–11; Lk 19.28–40)
12The next day the large crowd that had come to the Passover Festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. 13#Ps 118.25, 26So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, shouting, “Praise God! God bless him who comes in the name of the Lord! God bless the King of Israel!”
14Jesus found a donkey and rode on it, just as the scripture says,
15 #
Zech 9.9
“Do not be afraid, city of Zion!
Here comes your king,
riding on a young donkey.”
16His disciples did not understand this at the time; but when Jesus had been raised to glory, they remembered that the scripture said this about him and that they had done this for him.
17The people who had been with Jesus when he called Lazarus out of the grave and raised him from death had reported what had happened. 18That was why the crowd met him — because they heard that he had performed this miracle. 19The Pharisees then said to one another, “You see, we are not succeeding at all! Look, the whole world is following him!”
Some Greeks Seek Jesus
20Some Greeks were among those who had gone to Jerusalem to worship during the festival. 21They went to Philip (he was from Bethsaida in Galilee) and said, “Sir, we want to see Jesus.”
22Philip went and told Andrew, and the two of them went and told Jesus. 23Jesus answered them, “The hour has now come for the Son of Man to receive great glory. 24I am telling you the truth: a grain of wheat remains no more than a single grain unless it is dropped into the ground and dies. If it does die, then it produces many grains. 25#Mt 10.39; 16.25; Mk 8.35; Lk 9.24; 17.33Those who love their own life will lose it; those who hate their own life in this world will keep it for life eternal. 26Whoever wants to serve me must follow me, so that my servant will be with me where I am. And my Father will honour anyone who serves me.
Jesus Speaks about his Death
27 “Now my heart is troubled — and what shall I say? Shall I say, ‘Father, do not let this hour come upon me’? But that is why I came — so that I might go through this hour of suffering. 28Father, bring glory to your name!”
Then a voice spoke from heaven, “I have brought glory to it, and I will do so again.”
29The crowd standing there heard the voice, and some of them said it was thunder, while others said, “An angel spoke to him!”
30But Jesus said to them, “It was not for my sake that this voice spoke, but for yours. 31Now is the time for this world to be judged; now the ruler of this world will be overthrown. 32When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to me.” 33(In saying this he indicated the kind of death he was going to suffer.)
34 #
Ps 110.4; Is 9.7; Ezek 37.25; Dan 7.14 The crowd answered, “Our Law tells us that the Messiah will live for ever. How, then, can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?”
35Jesus answered, “The light will be among you a little longer. Continue on your way while you have the light, so that the darkness will not come upon you; for the one who walks in the dark does not know where he is going. 36Believe in the light, then, while you have it, so that you will be the people of the light.”
The Unbelief of the People
After Jesus said this, he went off and hid himself from them. 37Even though he had performed all these miracles in their presence, they did not believe in him, 38#Is 53.1 (LXX)so that what the prophet Isaiah had said might come true:
“Lord, who believed the message we told?
To whom did the Lord reveal his power?”
39And so they were not able to believe, because Isaiah also said:
40 #
Is 6.10 (LXX) “God has blinded their eyes
and closed their minds,
so that their eyes would not see,
and their minds would not understand,
and they would not turn to me, says God,
for me to heal them.”
41Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus' glory and spoke about him.
42Even then, many of the Jewish authorities believed in Jesus; but because of the Pharisees they did not talk about it openly, so as not to be expelled from the synagogue. 43They loved human approval rather than the approval of God.
Judgement by Jesus' Words
44Jesus said in a loud voice, “Whoever believes in me believes not only in me but also in him who sent me. 45Whoever sees me sees also him who sent me. 46I have come into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain in the darkness. 47If anyone hears my message and does not obey it, I will not judge him. I came, not to judge the world, but to save it. 48Those who reject me and do not accept my message have one who will judge them. The words I have spoken will be their judge on the last day! 49This is true, because I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has commanded me what I must say and speak. 50And I know that his command brings eternal life. What I say, then, is what the Father has told me to say.”
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Good News Bible. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.