John 12

Mary Anoints Jesus

1Six days before Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, the man Jesus had raised from the dead. 2They gave a dinner for him there. Martha was serving, and Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with him. 3Mary took a pound of expensive perfume made from pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples—the one who was about to hand him over—said, 5“Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” 6He said this not because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief. He kept the moneybag and used to take what was put into it. 7Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. 8For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.” 9A large crowd of Jewish people learned Jesus was there, and they came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10The chief priests then planned to kill Lazarus too, 11because on account of him many Jewish people were going away and trusting in Jesus.

Jesus Enters Jerusalem

12The next day the large crowd that had come to the festival heard Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. 13They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,
“Hosanna!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord,
the King of Israel!” 14Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written, 15“Do not be afraid, daughter of Zion.
Look, your king is coming,
sitting on a donkey’s colt.” 16His disciples did not understand these things at first. But when Jesus was glorified, they remembered that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him. 17The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued testifying. 18This is also why the crowd went out to meet him: they had heard he had done this sign. 19The Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are accomplishing nothing. Look—the world has gone after him!”

Greeks Seek Jesus

20Some Greeks were among those who went up to worship at the festival. 21They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we want to see Jesus.” 22Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24Truly, truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25Whoever loves their life loses it, and whoever hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26If anyone serves me, they must follow me; and where I am, my servant will be there also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor them.

The Son of Man Must Be Lifted Up

27“Now my life is troubled. And what should I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But this is why I came to this hour. 28Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” 29The crowd standing there heard it and said it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” 30Jesus answered, “This voice did not come for my sake but for yours. 31Now is the judgment of this world. Now the ruler of this world will be cast out. 32And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw everyone to myself.” 33He said this to indicate what kind of death he was about to die. 34The crowd answered, “We heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” 35Jesus said, “The light is among you a little longer. Walk while you have the light so that darkness does not overtake you. Whoever walks in darkness does not know where they are going. 36While you have the light, trust in the light so that you may become children of light.” Jesus said these things, then went away and was hidden from them.

Unbelief and Isaiah

37Although Jesus had done so many signs in front of them, they did not trust in him, 38so that the word spoken by Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled:
“Lord, who has trusted our message?
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” 39For this reason they were not able to trust, because Isaiah also said, 40“He has blinded their eyes
and hardened their heart,
so that they might not see with their eyes,
understand with their heart,
turn,
and I would heal them.” 41Isaiah said these things because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him. 42Nevertheless, many even among the rulers trusted in Jesus, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing him, so they would not be put out of the synagogue. 43For they loved human glory more than God’s glory.

Jesus’ Final Public Appeal

44Jesus cried out, “Whoever trusts in me does not trust in me alone but in the one who sent me. 45Whoever sees me sees the one who sent me. 46I have come into the world as light so that everyone who trusts in me will not remain in darkness. 47If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge that person, because I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. 48Whoever rejects me and does not receive my words has one who judges: the word I spoke will judge that person on the last day. 49For I did not speak from myself, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a command about what to say and what to speak. 50I know his command is eternal life. Therefore what I speak, I speak just as the Father has told me.”