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At Bethany

(Matthew 26.6-13; Mark 14.3-9)

12 Six days before Passover Jesus went back to Bethany, where he had raised Lazarus from death. A meal had been prepared for Jesus. Martha was doing the serving, and Lazarus himself was there.

(A) Mary took a very expensive bottle of perfume[a] and poured it on Jesus' feet. She wiped them with her hair, and the sweet smell of the perfume filled the house.

A disciple named Judas Iscariot[b] was there. He was the one who was going to betray Jesus, and he asked, “Why wasn't this perfume sold for 300 silver coins and the money given to the poor?” Judas did not really care about the poor. He asked this because he carried the moneybag and sometimes would steal from it.

Jesus replied, “Leave her alone! She has kept this perfume for the day of my burial. (B) You will always have the poor with you, but you won't always have me.”

A Plot To Kill Lazarus

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 people were turning from them 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 (C) they took palm branches and went out to greet him.[c] They shouted,

“Hooray![d]
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 (D) “People of Jerusalem,
    don't be afraid!
Your King is now coming,
and he is riding
    on a donkey.”

16 At first, Jesus' disciples did not understand. But after he had been given his glory,[e] 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.[f] 19 But the Pharisees said to each other, “There is nothing we can do! Everyone in the world is following Jesus.”

Some Greeks Want To Meet Jesus

20 Some Greeks[g] 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.

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.[h] 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 (E) 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 honor you.

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Footnotes

  1. 12.3 very expensive bottle of perfume: The Greek text has “expensive perfume made of pure spikenard,” a plant used to make perfume.
  2. 12.4 Iscariot: See the note at 6.71.
  3. 12.13 took palm branches and went out to greet him: This was one way the people welcomed a famous person.
  4. 12.13 Hooray: This translates a word that can mean “please save us.” But it is most often used as a shout of praise to God.
  5. 12.16 had been given his glory: See the note at 7.39.
  6. 12.17,18 miracle: See the note at 2.11.
  7. 12.20 Greeks: Perhaps Gentiles who worshiped with the Jews. See the note at 7.35.
  8. 12.23 be given his glory: See the note at 7.39.

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