12 At Bethany
(Matthew 26. 6-13; Mark 14. 3-9)
Six days before Passover Jesus went back to Bethany, where he had raised
Lazarus from death. 2 A meal had been prepared for Jesus, Martha was doing the
serving, and Lazarus himself was there.
3 Mary took a bottle of perfume(b) and poured it on Jesus' feet. She wiped
them with her hair, and the sweet smell of perfume filled the house.
4 A disciple named Judas Iscariot(c) was there. He was the one who was
going to betray Jesus, and he asked, 5 "Why wasn't this perfume sold for
three hundred silver coins and the money given to the poor?" 6 Judas did
not really care about the poor. He asked this because he carried the moneybag
and sometimes he would steal from it.
7 Jesus replied, "Leave her alone! She has kept this perfume for the
day of my burial. 8 You will always have the poor with you, but you won't always
have me."
(b) very expensive bottle of perfume: The Greek text has "expensive
perfume made of pure spikenard," a plant used to make perfume. (c)
Iscariot: This may mean "a man from Kerioth" (a place in Judea). But
more probably it means "a man who was a liar" or "a man who was a
betrayer."
A Plot To Kill Lazarus
9 A lot of people came when they heard that Jesus was there. They also
wanted to see Lazarus, because Jesus had raised him from death. 10 So the chief
priests made plans to kill Lazarus. 11 He was the reason that many of the Jewish
people were turning and putting their faith in Jesus.
Jesus Enters Jerusalem
(Matthew 21. 1-11; Mark 11 1-11; Luke 19. 28-40)
12 The next day a large crowd was in Jerusalem for Passover. When they
heard that Jesus was coming for the festival, 13 they took palm branches and
went out to greet him.(d) They shouted, "Hooray!(e) God bless the one
who comes in the name of the Lord! God bless the King of Israel!"
14 Jesus found a donkey and rode on it, Just as the Scriptures say, 15 "People
of Jerusalem, don't be afraid! Your King is now coming, and he is riding in a
donkey."
16 At first, Jesus' disciples did not understand. But after he had been
given his glory,(f) they remembered all this. Everything had happened exactly as
the Scriptures said it would.
17-18 A crowd had come to meet Jesus because they had seen him call Lazarus
out of the tomb. They kept talking about him and this miracle.(g) 19 But the
Pharisees said to each other, "There is nothing that can be done! Everyone
in the world is following Jesus."
(d) took palm branches and went out to greet him: This was one way that the
Jewish people welcomed a famous person (e) Hooray: This translates a word that
can mean "please save us." But is most often used as a shout of praise
to God. (f) had been given his glory: See the note at 7. 39. (g) miracle: See
the note at 2. 11.
Some Greeks Want to Meet Jesus
20 Some Greeks(h) had gone to Jerusalem to worship during Passover. 21
Philip from Bethsaida in Galilee was there too. So they went to him and said, "Sir,
we would like to meet Jesus." 22 Philip told Andrew. Then the two of them
went to Jesus and told him.
(h) Greeks: Perhaps gentiles who worshipped with the Jews. See the note at
7. 35.
The Son of Man Must Be Lifted Up
23 Jesus said: The time has come for the Son of Man to be given his
glory.(i) 24 I tell you for certain that a grain of wheat that falls on the
ground will never be more than one grain unless it dies. But if it dies, it will
produce lots of wheat. 25 If you love your life, you will lose it. If you give
it up in this world, you will be given eternal life. 26 If you serve me, you
must go with me. My servants will be with me wherever I am. If you serve me, my
Father will honour you.
27 Now I am deeply troubled, and I don't know what to say. But I must not
ask my Father to keep me from this time of suffering. In fact, I came into the
world to suffer. 28 So Father, bring glory to yourself.
A voice from heaven then said, "I have already brought glory to
myself, and I will do it again!" 29 When the crowd heard the voice, some of
them thought it was thunder. Others thought an angel had spoken to Jesus.
30 Then Jesus told the crowd, "That voice spoke to help you, not me."
31 This world's people are now being judged, and the ruler of this world(j) is
already being thrown out! 32 If I am lifted up above the earth, I will make
everyone want to come to me." 33 Jesus was talking about the way he was to
be put to death.
34 The crowd said to Jesus, "The Scriptures teach that the Messiah
will live for ever. How can you say the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is
this Son of Man?"
35 Jesus answered, "The light will be with you for only a little
longer. Walk in the light while you can. Then you won't be caught walking
blindly in the dark. 36 Have faith in the light while it is with you, and you
will be children of the light."
(i) be given his glory: See the note at 7. 39. (j) world: in the Gospel of
John "world" sometimes refers to the people who live in this world and
to the evil forces that control their lives.
The People Refuse to Have Faith in Jesus
After Jesus had said these things, he left and went into hiding. He had
worked lots of miracles(k) among the people, but they were still not willing to
have faith in him. 38 This happened so that what the prophet Isaiah had said
would come true,
"Lord, who has believed our message? And who has seen your mighty
strength?"
39 The people could not have faith in Jesus because Isaiah had also said,
40 "The Lord has blinded the eyes of the people, and he has made the
people stubborn. He did this so they could not see or understand, and so they
would not turn to the Lord and be healed."
41 Isaiah said this, because he saw the glory of Jesus and spoke about
him.(l) 42 Even many of the leaders put their faith in Jesus, but they did not
tell anyone about it. The Pharisees had already given orders for the people not
to have anything to do with anyone who had faith in Jesus. 43 And besides, the
leaders liked praise from others more than they liked praise from God.
(k) miracles: See the note at 2. 11. (l) he saw the glory of Jesus and
spoke about him: Or "he saw the glory of God and spoke about Jesus."
Jesus Came to Save the World
44 In a loud voice Jesus said: Everyone who has faith in me also has
faith in the one who sent me. 45 And everyone who has seen me has seen the one
who sent me. 46 I am the light that has come into the world. No one who has
faith in me will stay in the dark.
47 I am not the one who will judge those who refuse to obey my teachings. I
came to save the people of this world, not to be their judge. 48 But everyone
who rejects me and my teachings will be judged on the last day(m) by what I have
said. 49 I don't speak on my own. I say only what the Father who sent me has
told me to say. 50 I know that his commands will bring eternal life. That is why
I tell you exactly what the Father has told me.
(m) the last day: When God will judge all people.
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