The Gospel According to St. John

⭑ Berean Study Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 12 -

(Matthew 26:6–13; Mark 14:3–9; Luke 7:36–50)

Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, the hometown of Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead.

So they hosted a dinner for Jesus there. Martha served, and Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with Him.

Then Mary took about a pint (a) 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.

But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was going to betray Him, asked,

“Why wasn’t this perfume sold for three hundred denarii

(b)

and the money given to the poor?”

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.

“Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “She has kept this perfume in preparation for the day of My burial.

The poor you will always have with you,(c) but you will not always have Me.”

The Plot to Kill Lazarus

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.

So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well,

for on account of him many of the Jews were deserting them and believing in Jesus.

The Triumphal Entry

(Zechariah 9:9–13; Matthew 21:1–11; Mark 11:1–11; Luke 19:28–40)

The next day the great crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem.

They took palm branches and went out to meet Him, shouting: “Hosanna!”(d) “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”(e) “Blessed is the King of Israel!”

Finding a young donkey, Jesus sat on it, as it is written:

“Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion. See, your King is coming, seated on the colt of a donkey.”(f)

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.

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.

That is also why the crowd went out to meet Him, because they heard that He had performed this sign.

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

Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the feast.

They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and requested of him, “Sir, we want to see Jesus.”

Philip relayed this appeal to Andrew, and both of them went and told Jesus.

But Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

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.

Whoever loves his life will lose it, but whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

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.

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.

Father, glorify Your name!” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”

The crowd standing there heard it and said that it had thundered. Others said that an angel had spoken to Him.

In response, Jesus said, “This voice was not for My benefit, but yours.

Now judgment is upon this world; now the prince of this world will be cast out.

And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw everyone to Myself.”

He said this to indicate the kind of death He was going to die.

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?”

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.

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

Although Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still did not believe in Him.

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?”(g)

For this reason they were unable to believe. For again, Isaiah says:

“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.”(h)

Isaiah said these things because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about Him.

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.

For they loved praise from men more than praise from God.

Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in Me does not believe in Me alone, but in the One who sent Me.

And whoever sees Me sees the One who sent Me.

I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in Me should remain in darkness.

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.

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.

I have not spoken on My own, but the Father who sent Me has commanded Me what to say and how to say it.

And I know that His command leads to eternal life. So I speak exactly what the Father has told Me to say.”

Footnotes

(a)12:3 Greek a litra; that is, approximately 12 ounces or 340 grams

(b)12:5 A denarius was customarily a day’s wage for a laborer; see Matthew 20:2.

(d)12:13 Hosanna is a transliteration of the Hebrew Hosia-na, meaning Save, we pray or Save now, which became a shout of praise; see Psalms 118:25.

(e)12:13 Psalms 118:26

(f)12:15 Zechariah 9:9

(g)12:38 Isaiah 53:1

(h)12:40 Isaiah 6:10

(Matthew 26:6–13; Mark 14:3–9; Luke 7:36–50)

Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, who had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.

So they made him a supper there. Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with him.

Therefore Mary took a pound

(a)

of ointment of pure nard, very precious, and anointed Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment.

Then Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, one of his disciples, who would betray him, said,

“Why wasn’t this ointment sold for three hundred denarii

(b)

and given to the poor?”

Now he said this, not because he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and having the money box, used to steal what was put into it.

But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She has kept this for the day of my burial.

For you always have the poor with you, but you don’t always have me.”

The Plot to Kill Lazarus

A large crowd therefore of the Jews learned that he was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead.

But the chief priests conspired to put Lazarus to death also,

because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.

The Triumphal Entry

(Zechariah 9:9–13; Matthew 21:1–11; Mark 11:1–11; Luke 19:28–40)

On the next day a great multitude had come to the feast. When they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,

they took the branches of the palm trees and went out to meet him, and cried out, “Hosanna!(c) Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord,(d) the King of Israel!”

Jesus, having found a young donkey, sat on it. As it is written,

“Don’t be afraid, daughter of Zion. Behold, your King comes, sitting on a donkey’s colt.”(e)

His disciples didn’t understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about him, and that they had done these things to him.

The multitude therefore that was with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead was testifying about it.

For this cause also the multitude went and met him, because they heard that he had done this sign.

The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, “See how you accomplish nothing. Behold, the world has gone after him.”

Jesus Predicts His Death

Now there were certain Greeks among those who went up to worship at the feast.

Therefore, these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, “Sir, we want to see Jesus.”

Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn, Andrew came with Philip, and they told Jesus.

Jesus answered them, “The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

Most certainly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit.

He who loves his life will lose it. He who hates his life in this world will keep it to eternal life.

If anyone serves me, let him follow me. Where I am, there my servant will also be. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

“Now my soul is troubled. What shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this time’? But I came to this time for this cause.

Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came out of the sky, saying, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.”

Therefore the multitude who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.”

Jesus answered, “This voice hasn’t come for my sake, but for your sakes.

Now is the judgment of this world. Now the prince of this world will be cast out.

And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

But he said this, signifying by what kind of death he should die.

The multitude answered him, “We have heard out of the law that the Christ remains forever.(f) How do you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?”

Jesus therefore said to them, “Yet a little while the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, that darkness doesn’t overtake you. He who walks in the darkness doesn’t know where he is going.

While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become children of light.” Jesus said these things, and he departed and hid himself from them.

Belief and Unbelief

But though he had done so many signs before them, yet they didn’t believe in him,

that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke: “Lord, who has believed our report? To whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”(g)

For this cause they couldn’t believe, for Isaiah said again:

“He has blinded their eyes and he hardened their heart, lest they should see with their eyes, and perceive with their heart, and would turn, and I would heal them.”(h)

Isaiah said these things when he saw his glory, and spoke of him. (i)

Nevertheless, even many of the rulers believed in him, but because of the Pharisees they didn’t confess it, so that they wouldn’t be put out of the synagogue,

for they loved men’s praise more than God’s praise.

Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me, believes not in me, but in him who sent me.

He who sees me sees him who sent me.

I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in me may not remain in the darkness.

If anyone listens to my sayings and doesn’t believe, I don’t judge him. For I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.

He who rejects me, and doesn’t receive my sayings, has one who judges him. The word that I spoke will judge him in the last day.

For I spoke not from myself, but the Father who sent me gave me a commandment, what I should say and what I should speak.

I know that his commandment is eternal life. The things therefore which I speak, even as the Father has said to me, so I speak.”

Footnotes

(a)12:3 a Roman pound of 12 ounces, or about 340 grams

(b)12:5 300 denarii was about a year’s wages for an agricultural laborer.

(d)12:13 ℘ Psalms 118:25-26

(e)12:15 ℘ Zechariah 9:9

(f)12:34 ℘ Isaiah 9:7; Daniel 2:44; See Isaiah 53:8

(g)12:38 ℘ Isaiah 53:1

(h)12:40 ℘ Isaiah 6:10

(i)12:41 ℘ Isaiah 6:1