João 12

¹ Six days before the Passover Jesus traveled to Bethany. This was where Lazarus lived. He was the man Jesus raised from the dead.

² Jesus ate supper there. He and Lazarus sat at the meal while Martha served.

³ Mary took a pound of very precious ointment of pure nard and anointed the feet of Jesus. She wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the odor of the ointment.

⁴ Judas Iscariot, the disciple who would betray him said:

⁵ »Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred danarii, and given to the poor?«

⁶ He did not say this because he cared for the poor. He was a thief. He had the moneybox and took away what was put in it.

⁷ Jesus therefore replied: »Let her alone that she may preserve it for the day of my burial.

⁸ »You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.«

⁹ The common people of the Jews learned that he was there. So they came to see Jesus and Lazarus, whom he raised from the dead.

¹⁰ The chief priests took counsel that they might put Lazarus also to death.

¹¹ This is because by reason of Lazarus many of the Jews believed in Jesus.

¹² The next day a great crowd came to the feast. They heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem.

¹³ They took palm branches and met him. They cried out, »Hosanna: Blessed is he who comes in the name of Jehovah, even the King of Israel!« (Psalm 118:26)

¹⁴ Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it just as it is written:

¹⁵ »Do not fear daughter of Zion. Behold, your King comes sitting on a donkey’s colt.« (Zechariah 9:9)

¹⁶ His disciples did not understand these things at first. However when Jesus was glorified they remembered the things that were written about him. They also remembered the things that had been done to him.

¹⁷ The crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb, and raised him from the dead, gave witness.

¹⁸ For this reason also the crowd met him, for they heard that he had performed this miracle.

¹⁹ The Pharisees spoke among themselves: »You see that you are not accomplishing anything. Look the world has gone after him.«

²⁰ Now there were Greeks among those who went up to worship at the feast.

²¹ They approached Philip, who was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and told him: »We wish to see Jesus.«

²² Philip and Andrew told Jesus.

²³ Jesus answered: »The time has come for the Son of man to be glorified.

²⁴ »Truly I tell you unless a grain of wheat falls to the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies it bears much fruit.

²⁵ »He that loves his life in this world loses it; and he that detests does not love his life in this world shall save it for everlasting life.

²⁶ »If you want to serve me follow me! My servant will be where I am and the Father will honor my servant.

²⁷ »I am troubled! What should I say? Father, save me out of this hour? It is for this purpose that I came to this hour! (Hebrews 5:7)

²⁸ »Father, glorify your name.« A voice came from heaven: »I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.«

²⁹ The crowd near him only heard thunder. Some said an angel spoke to him.

³⁰ Jesus said: »This voice came for your sake and not for mine.

³¹ »Now judgment is on this world. Now the ruler of this world will be cast out.

³² »When I am lifted up from the earth I will draw all men to myself.«

³³ He said this indicating the type of death he would experience.

³⁴ The crowd answered him: »We have heard from the law that the Christ lives forever. Why do you say the Son of man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of man?«

³⁵ Jesus said to them: »The light will be with you for a little while. Walk while you have the light, that darkness does not overtake you. He who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes.

³⁶ »While you have the light, exert active faith in the light, that you may become sons of light.« Jesus said this and then he departed and hid himself from them.

³⁷ Even though he performed many miracles in front of them they did not believe in him.

³⁸ The word of Isaiah the prophet was fulfilled: »Jehovah who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of Jehovah been revealed?« (Isaiah 53:1)

³⁹ Isaiah revealed the reason they could not believe:

⁴⁰ »He has blinded their eyes. He hardened their heart. Otherwise they would see with their eyes and perceive with their heart. Then they would turn and I would heal them.«

⁴¹ Isaiah said these things because he saw and spoke about his glory.

⁴² Many of the rulers believed in him, although they did not confess their faith because of the Pharisees, for they would be expelled from the synagogue.

⁴³ They loved the glory from men more than the glory from God.

⁴⁴ Jesus cried out: »He, who believes in me, believes not in me, but in him who sent me.

⁴⁵ »He that sees me sees perceivesdiscernsexperiences the one who sent me.

⁴⁶ »I have come as a light to the world. Everyone who believes in me will not remain in darkness.

⁴⁷ »If any man hears my sayings and does not obey them I will not judge him. I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.

⁴⁸ »He that rejects me and does not accept my message has one that judges him. The word divine expressionGod’s Word that I spoke shall judge him now and in the last day. (Deuteronomy 18:19)

⁴⁹ »I spoke not from myself but from the Father who sent me. He has given me a commandment concerning what I should say when I speak.

⁵⁰ »I know that his commandment means everlasting life. Therefore I say the things the Father tells me to say.«