The Anointing at Bethany
1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany 12:1 Mk 11:1 where Lazarus 12:1 Other mss read Lazarus who died was, the one Jesus had raised from the dead. 12:1 Jn 11:43–442 So 12:2–8 Mt 26:6–13; Mk 14:3–9 they gave a dinner for him there; Martha 12:2 Jn 11:1 was serving them, and Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with him. 3 Then Mary took a pound of perfume, pure and expensive nard, anointed Jesus’s feet, and wiped his feet with her hair. 12:3 Mk 14:3; Jn 11:2 So the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
4 Then one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot 12:4 Mt 26:14; Mk 3:19 (who was about to betray him), said, 5 "Why wasn’t this perfume sold for three hundred denarii 12:5 A denarius = one day’s wage, 12:5 Mt 18:28 and given to the poor? " 6 He didn’t say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief. 12:6 Jn 10:1 He was in charge of the money-bag and would steal part of what was put in it.
7 Jesus answered, "Leave her alone; she has kept it for the day of my burial. 12:7 Jn 19:408 For you always have the poor with you, 12:8 Dt 15:11but you do not always have me."
The Decision to Kill Lazarus
9 Then a large crowd of the Jews learned he was there. They came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, the one he had raised from the dead. 12:9 Jn 21:1410 But the chief priests had decided to kill Lazarus also, 11 because he was the reason many of the Jews were deserting them 12:11 Lit going away and believing in Jesus.
The Triumphal Entry
12 The 12:12–19 Mt 21:1–11; Mk 11:1–11; Lk 19:28–44 next day, when the large crowd that had come to the festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13 they took palm branches 12:13 Lv 23:40; Rv 7:9 and went out to meet him. They kept shouting:
"Hosanna! 12:13 Lk 1:42
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord 12:13 Ps 118:25–26, 12:13 Ps 118:25–26 — the King of Israel! " 12:13 Jn 1:49
14 Jesus found a young donkey 12:14 Lk 13:15 and sat on it, just as it is written:
15 Do not be afraid, 12:15 Jn 6:20
Daughter Zion. Look, your King is coming,
sitting on a donkey’s colt. 12:15 Zch 9:9, 12:15 Zch 9:9
16 His disciples did not understand these things at first. However, when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him 12:16 Jn 2:22; 14:26 and that they had done these things to him.
17 Meanwhile, the crowd, which had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb 12:17 Jn 5:28 and raised him from the dead, continued to testify. 12:17 Other mss read Meanwhile the crowd, which had been with him, continued to testify that he had called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead.18 This is also why the crowd met him, because they heard he had done this sign. 19 Then the Pharisees said to one another, "You see? You’ve accomplished nothing. Look, the world has gone after him! " 12:19 Mk 15:6–15; Lk 19:39–44; Jn 11:47–48; 12:36–43; 19:15
Jesus Predicts His Crucifixion
20 Now some Greeks were among those who went up to worship at the festival. 21 So they came to Philip, 12:21 Mk 3:18 who was from Bethsaida 12:21 Mt 11:21; Mk 6:45; 8:22; Lk 9:10; 10:13; Jn 1:44 in Galilee, 12:21 Mt 17:22 and requested of him, "Sir, 12:21 Col 3:22 we want to see Jesus." 22 Philip went and told Andrew; 12:22 Jn 6:8 then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.
23 Jesus replied to them, "The hour has come for the Son of Man 12:23 Mk 2:10to be glorified.24 Truly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat 12:24 Lk 16:7falls to the ground and dies, it remains by itself. But if it dies, it produces much fruit. 12:24 1Co 15:3625 The one who loves his life will lose it, 12:25 Jn 10:28and the one who hates 12:25 Lk 6:27; 19:14his life 12:25 Mt 10:39in this world will keep it for eternal life.26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me. Where I am, there my servant 12:26 1Co 3:5also will be. 12:26 Jn 14:3; 17:24; 2Co 5:8; Php 1:23; 1Th 4:17If anyone serves me, the Father will honor 12:26 1Tm 5:3him.
27 "Now my soul is troubled. What should I say — Father, save me 12:27 Ps 3:7from this hour? But that is why I came to this hour.28 Father, glorify your name." 12:28 Other mss read your Son, 12:28 Jn 10:25; Ac 15:14; Rv 14:1
Then a voice 12:28 Jn 5:37 came from heaven: 12:28 Rv 14:13 "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again." 12:28 Jn 11:4; 17:1; 1Pt 2:12
29 The crowd standing there heard it and said it was thunder. Others said, "An angel has spoken to him."
30 Jesus responded, "This voice came, not for me, but for you. 12:30 Jn 11:4231 Now is the judgment of this world. 12:31 Lk 4:6Now the ruler of this world 12:31 Jn 3:16; 14:30; 16:11will be cast out. 12:31 Col 2:15; 1Jn 3:832 As for me, if I am lifted up 12:32 Or exalted, also in v. 34from the earth I will draw all people to myself." 12:32 Jn 11:5133 He said this to indicate what kind of death he was about to die. 12:33 Jn 18:32
34 Then the crowd replied to him, "We have heard from the law that the Messiah will remain forever. 12:34 Ps 89:36; Jn 15:4; 1Jn 2:17 So how can you say, ‘The Son of Man 12:34 Mk 2:10must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man? "
35 Jesus answered, "The light will be with you only a little longer. 12:35 Ps 118:27; Jn 7:33; 9:4Walk while you have the light 12:35 Ps 36:9; Jn 12:46; 1Jn 2:8so that darkness doesn’t overtake you. 12:35 Php 3:12The one who walks in darkness doesn’t know where he’s going. 12:35 Jn 7:28; 8:14; 1Jn 2:1136 While you have the light, 12:36 Jn 7:33; 1Th 5:5believe in the light so that you may become children of light." Jesus said this, then went away and hid from them. 12:36 Lk 4:30
Isaiah’s Prophecies Fulfilled
37 Even though he had performed so many signs in their presence, they did not believe in him. 38 This was to fulfill 12:38 Mt 1:22 the word of Isaiah 12:38 Mt 3:3; 4:14; 12:17 the prophet, who said: 12:38 Lit which he said
Lord, who has believed our message?
And to whom has the arm 12:38 Ex 15:16of the Lord been revealed? 12:38 Is 53:1, 12:38 Is 53:1
39 This is why they were unable to believe, because Isaiah also said:
40 He has blinded 12:40 Jn 8:59their eyes
and hardened their hearts, 12:40 Heb 3:8
so that they would not see with their eyes
or understand with their hearts,
and turn, 12:40 Is 56:3,6; Mt 18:3; 23:15; Ac 15:3; 28:27; Rm 16:5; 1Tm 3:6
and I would heal them. 12:40 Is 6:10, 12:40 Is 6:10; 1Pt 2:24
41 Isaiah said these things because 12:41 Other mss read when he saw his glory 12:41 Mk 10:37; Jn 17:24 and spoke about him.
42 Nevertheless, many did believe in him even among the rulers, 12:42 Lk 8:41 but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, so that they would not be banned from the synagogue. 43 For they loved human praise 12:43 Php 3:19 more than praise from God. 12:43 Lk 9:32; 2Co 3:18; 1Th 2:4; 2Pt 3:18
A Summary of Jesus’s Mission
44 Jesus cried out, "The one who believes in me 12:44 Jn 6:35believes not in me, but in him who sent me.45 And the one who sees me sees him 12:45 Jn 14:9who sent me.46 I have come as light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me would not remain in darkness.47 If anyone hears my words and doesn’t keep 12:47 Lk 11:28; 2Tm 1:14; 2Pt 3:17them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world 12:47 Lk 6:37; Jn 3:18; 8:15; Rv 6:10but to save the world. 12:47 Jn 3:17; Ac 16:30; Eph 2:848 The one who rejects me 12:48 Lk 10:16and doesn’t receive my sayings has this as his judge: 12:48 Lit has the one judging himThe word I have spoken will judge him on the last day. 12:48 Jn 2:4; 6:39; 1Pt 1:5; 3:3; 2Pt 3:3; Jd 1849 For I have not spoken on my own, but the Father 12:49 Mt 11:27himself who sent me has given me a command to say everything I have said.50 I know that his command is eternal life. 12:50 Jn 5:26; 12:25; Ac 13:48; 1Jn 2:25So the things that I speak, I speak just as the Father has told me." 12:50 Jn 5:19; 14:24