Joh 12 | BSB | STEP | Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, [the hometown of] Lazarus, whom [He] had raised from [the] dead.

John 12

Mary Anoints Jesus

1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, [the hometown of] Lazarus, whom [He] had raised from [the] dead. 2 So they hosted a dinner for [Jesus] there. Martha served, and Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with Him. 3 Then Mary took about a pint ^{▼▼Greek litra or about a half liter} of expensive perfume, made of pure nard, [and] she anointed Jesus’ feet and wiped [them] with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was going to betray Him, asked, 5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold for three hundred denarii ^{▼▼A denarius was customarily a day's wage for a laborer (see Matthew 20:2)} and [the money] given to [the] poor?” 6 [Judas] did not say this because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief. As keeper of the money bag, he used to take from what was put into [it] . 7 “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “She was intended to keep [this perfume] to prepare for the day of My burial. 8 The poor you will always have with you, ^{▼▼See Deuteronomy 15:11} but {you will} not always have Me.”

The Plot to Kill Lazarus

9 Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews learned that [Jesus] was there. And they came not only because of [Him] , but also to see Lazarus, whom He had raised from [the] dead. 10 [So] the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, 11 for on account of him many of the Jews were deserting [them] and believing in Jesus.

The Triumphal Entry

12 The next day the great crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. 13 They took palm branches and went out to meet Him, shouting: “Hosanna!” ^{▼▼Psalm 118:25} “Blessed is He who comes in [the] name of [the] Lord!” ^{▼▼Psalm 118:26} “ [ Blessed is ] the King of Israel!” ^{▼▼Zephaniah 3:15} 14 Finding a young donkey, Jesus sat on it, as it is written: 15 “Do not be afraid, O daughter of Zion. See, your King is coming, seated on the colt of a donkey.” ^{▼▼Zechariah 9:9} 16 At first His disciples {did} not understand these things, but after Jesus was glorified they remembered what had been done to Him, [ and they realized] that these very things had also {been} written about Him. 17 Meanwhile, many people continued to testify that they had been with [Jesus] when He called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from [the] dead. 18 That is also why the crowd went out to meet Him, because they heard that He had performed this sign. 19 Then the Pharisees said to one another, “You can see that this is doing you no good. Look [how] the whole world has gone after Him!”

Jesus Predicts His Death

20 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the feast. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and requested of him, “Sir, we want to see Jesus.” 22 Philip relayed [this appeal] to Andrew, [and both of them] went and told Jesus. 23 But Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Truly, truly, I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground [and] dies, it remains only [a seed] ; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Whoever loves his life will lose it, [but] whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, My servant will be as well. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him. 27 Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? No, it is for this purpose 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 standing [there] heard [it] [and] said that it had thundered. Others said that an angel had spoken to Him. 30 In response, Jesus said, “This voice was not for My benefit, but yours. 31 Now judgment is upon this world; now the prince of this world will be cast out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all [men] to Myself.” 33 He said this to indicate the kind of death He was going to die. 34 The crowd replied, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ will remain forever. [So] how {can} you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” 35 Then Jesus told them, “ [For] a little while longer, the Light will be among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you. The [one who] 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 sons of light.” [After] Jesus had spoken these things, He went away [and] was hidden from them.

Belief and Unbelief

37 Although [Jesus] had performed so many signs in their presence, they still did 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?” ^{▼▼Isaiah 53:1} 39 For this reason they were unable to believe. For again, Isaiah says: 40 “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so that they cannot see with [their] eyes, and understand with [their] hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.” ^{▼▼Isaiah 6:10} 41 Isaiah said these things because he saw [Jesus’] glory and spoke about Him. 42 Nevertheless, many of the leaders believed in Him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess [Him] , for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue. 43 For they loved praise from men more than praise from God. 44 Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in Me {does} not believe in Me [alone] , but in the [One who] sent Me. 45 And whoever sees Me sees the [One who] sent Me. 46 I have come into the world [as] a light, so that no one who believes in Me should remain in darkness. 47 As for anyone who hears My words and {does} not keep [them] , I {do} not judge him. For I have not come to judge the world, but to save the world. 48 There is a judge [for] the [one who] rejects Me and does not receive My words: The word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day. 49 I {have} not spoken on My own, but the Father [who] sent Me has commanded Me what to say and how to say it. 50 And I know that His command leads to eternal life. So I speak exactly what the Father has told Me to say.”