John 12 :: New King James Version (NKJV)

The Anointing at Bethany

Jesus Rides into Jerusalem

(Matt. 26:6–13; Mark 14:3–9 )

Jhn 12:1Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead,[fn] whom He had raised from the dead.

Jhn 12:2

Jhn 12:2There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him.

Jhn 12:3

Jhn 12:3Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.

Jhn 12:4

Jhn 12:4But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said,

Jhn 12:5

Jhn 12:5“Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii[fn] and given to the poor?”

Jhn 12:6

Jhn 12:6This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.

Jhn 12:7

Jhn 12:7But Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kept[fn] this for the day of My burial.

Jhn 12:8

Jhn 12:8“For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.”

The Plot to Kill Lazarus

Jhn 12:9

Jhn 12:9Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead.

Jhn 12:10

Jhn 12:10But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also,

Jhn 12:11

Jhn 12:11because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.

The Triumphal Entry

(Matt. 21:1–11; Mark 11:1–11; Luke 19:28–40 )

Jhn 12:12

Jhn 12:12The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,

Jhn 12:13

Jhn 12:13took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out:

“Hosanna!
‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’[fn]
The King of Israel!”

Jhn 12:14

Jhn 12:14Then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written:

Jhn 12:15

Jhn 12:15“Fear not, daughter of Zion;
Behold, your King is coming,
Sitting on a donkey’s colt.”[fn]

Jhn 12:16

Jhn 12:16His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him.

Jhn 12:17

Jhn 12:17Therefore the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of his tomb and raised him from the dead, bore witness.

Jhn 12:18

Jhn 12:18For this reason the people also met Him, because they heard that He had done this sign.

Jhn 12:19

Jhn 12:19The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, “You see that you are accomplishing nothing. Look, the world has gone after Him!”

The Fruitful Grain of Wheat

Jhn 12:20

Jhn 12:20Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast.

Jhn 12:21

Jhn 12:21Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”

Jhn 12:22

Jhn 12:22Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn Andrew and Philip told Jesus.

Jhn 12:23

Jhn 12:23But Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified.

Jhn 12:24

Jhn 12:24“Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.

Jhn 12:25

Jhn 12:25“He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

Jhn 12:26

Jhn 12:26“If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.

Jesus Predicts His Death on the Cross

Jhn 12:27

Jhn 12:27“Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour.

Jhn 12:28

Jhn 12:28“Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, saying, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.”

Jhn 12:29

Jhn 12:29Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to Him.”

Jhn 12:30

Jhn 12:30Jesus answered and said, “This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake.

Jhn 12:31

Jhn 12:31“Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.

Jhn 12:32

Jhn 12:32“And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.”

Jhn 12:33

Jhn 12:33This He said, signifying by what death He would die.

Jhn 12:34

Jhn 12:34The people answered Him, “We have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever; and how can You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?”

Jhn 12:35

Jhn 12:35Then Jesus said to them, “A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going.

Jhn 12:36

Jhn 12:36“While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.

Who Has Believed Our Report?

Jhn 12:37

Jhn 12:37But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him,

Jhn 12:38

Jhn 12:38that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke:

“Lord, who has believed our report?
And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?”[fn]

Jhn 12:39

Jhn 12:39Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again:

Jhn 12:40

Jhn 12:40“He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts,
Lest they should see with their eyes,
Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,
So that I should heal them.”[fn]

Jhn 12:41

Jhn 12:41These things Isaiah said when[fn] he saw His glory and spoke of Him.

Walk in the Light

Jhn 12:42

Jhn 12:42Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue;

Jhn 12:43

Jhn 12:43for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

Jhn 12:44

Jhn 12:44Then Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me.

Jhn 12:45

Jhn 12:45“And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me.

Jhn 12:46

Jhn 12:46“I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.

Jhn 12:47

Jhn 12:47“And if anyone hears My words and does not believe,[fn] I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world.

Jhn 12:48

Jhn 12:48“He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.

Jhn 12:49

Jhn 12:49“For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak.

Jhn 12:50

Jhn 12:50“And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.”

See the NKJV Preface (Especially for Parenthesis, Brackets, & Asterisks).

NKJV Footnotes

(12:1)

NU-Text omits who had been dead.

(12:5)

About one year’s wages for a worker

(12:7)

NU-Text reads that she may keep.

NU-Text reads because.

(12:47)

NU-Text reads keep them.

The text of the New King James Version (NKJV) appearing on or deriving from this or any other web page is for personal use only. Any other use of the NKJV must be in conformity with the Quotation Policy for the New King James Version. For more information about the New King James Version, the Quotation Policy, and for inquiries about permission to use the New King James Version, go to Thomas Nelson, Inc..

For more information on this translation, see the NKJV Preface.