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12 Jesus, therefore, six days before the passover, came to Bethany, where was Lazarus, who had died, whom he raised out of the dead;

they made, therefore, to him a supper there, and Martha was ministering, and Lazarus was one of those reclining together (at meat) with him;

Mary, therefore, having taken a pound of ointment of spikenard, of great price, anointed the feet of Jesus and did wipe with her hair his feet, and the house was filled from the fragrance of the ointment.

Therefore saith one of his disciples -- Judas Iscariot, of Simon, who is about to deliver him up --

`Wherefore was not this ointment sold for three hundred denaries, and given to the poor?'

and he said this, not because he was caring for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and what things were put in he was carrying.

Jesus, therefore, said, `Suffer her; for the day of my embalming she hath kept it,

for the poor ye have always with yourselves, and me ye have not always.'

A great multitude, therefore, of the Jews knew that he is there, and they came, not because of Jesus only, but that Lazarus also they may see, whom he raised out of the dead;

10 and the chief priests took counsel, that also Lazarus they may kill,

11 because on account of him many of the Jews were going away, and were believing in Jesus.

12 On the morrow, a great multitude that came to the feast, having heard that Jesus doth come to Jerusalem,

13 took the branches of the palms, and went forth to meet him, and were crying, `Hosanna, blessed [is] he who is coming in the name of the Lord -- the king of Israel;'

14 and Jesus having found a young ass did sit upon it, according as it is written,

15 `Fear not, daughter of Sion, lo, thy king doth come, sitting on an ass' colt.'

16 And these things his disciples did not know at the first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were having been written about him, and these things they did to him.

17 The multitude, therefore, who are with him, were testifying that he called Lazarus out of the tomb, and did raise him out of the dead;

18 because of this also did the multitude meet him, because they heard of his having done this sign,

19 the Pharisees, therefore, said among themselves, `Ye see that ye do not gain anything, lo, the world did go after him.'

20 And there were certain Greeks out of those coming up that they may worship in the feast,

21 these then came near to Philip, who [is] from Bethsaida of Galilee, and were asking him, saying, `Sir, we wish to see Jesus;'

22 Philip cometh and telleth Andrew, and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.

23 And Jesus responded to them, saying, `The hour hath come that the Son of Man may be glorified;

24 verily, verily, I say to you, if the grain of the wheat, having fallen to the earth, may not die, itself remaineth alone; and if it may die, it doth bear much fruit;

25 he who is loving his life shall lose it, and he who is hating his life in this world -- to life age-during shall keep it;

26 if any one may minister to me, let him follow me, and where I am, there also my ministrant shall be; and if any one may minister to me -- honour him will the Father.

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Jesus Anointed at Bethany(A)

12 Six days before the Passover,(B) Jesus came to Bethany,(C) where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served,(D) while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took about a pint[a] of pure nard, an expensive perfume;(E) she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair.(F) And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him,(G) objected, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.[b] He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag,(H) he used to help himself to what was put into it.

“Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial.(I) You will always have the poor among you,[c](J) but you will not always have me.”

Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.(K) 10 So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, 11 for on account of him(L) many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him.(M)

Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King(N)

12 The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13 They took palm branches(O) and went out to meet him, shouting,

“Hosanna![d]

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”[e](P)

“Blessed is the king of Israel!”(Q)

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

15 “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion;
    see, your king is coming,
    seated on a donkey’s colt.”[f](R)

16 At first his disciples did not understand all this.(S) Only after Jesus was glorified(T) did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him.

17 Now the crowd that was with him(U) when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. 18 Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign,(V) went out to meet him. 19 So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!”(W)

Jesus Predicts His Death

20 Now there were some Greeks(X) among those who went up to worship at the festival. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida(Y) in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.

23 Jesus replied, “The hour(Z) has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.(AA) 24 Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies,(AB) it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25 Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it(AC) for eternal life.(AD) 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be.(AE) My Father will honor the one who serves me.

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Footnotes

  1. John 12:3 Or about 0.5 liter
  2. John 12:5 Greek three hundred denarii
  3. John 12:8 See Deut. 15:11.
  4. John 12:13 A Hebrew expression meaning “Save!” which became an exclamation of praise
  5. John 12:13 Psalm 118:25,26
  6. John 12:15 Zech. 9:9