John 12 :: New Living Translation (NLT)

Jesus Anointed at Bethany

(Mat 26:6–13; Mar 14:3–9 )

Jhn 12:1Six days before the Passover celebration began, Jesus arrived in Bethany, the home of Lazarus—the man he had raised from the dead.

Jhn 12:2

Jhn 12:2A dinner was prepared in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, and Lazarus was among those who ate[fn] with him.

Jhn 12:3

Jhn 12:3Then Mary took a twelve-ounce jar[fn] of expensive perfume made from essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet with it, wiping his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance.

Jhn 12:4

Jhn 12:4But Judas Iscariot, the disciple who would soon betray him, said,

Jhn 12:5

Jhn 12:5“That perfume was worth a year’s wages.[fn] It should have been sold and the money given to the poor.”

Jhn 12:6

Jhn 12:6Not that he cared for the poor—he was a thief, and since he was in charge of the disciples’ money, he often stole some for himself.

Jhn 12:7

Jhn 12:7Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. She did this in preparation for my burial.

Jhn 12:8

Jhn 12:8You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”

Jhn 12:9

Jhn 12:9When all the people[fn] heard of Jesus’ arrival, they flocked to see him and also to see Lazarus, the man Jesus had raised from the dead.

Jhn 12:10

Jhn 12:10Then the leading priests decided to kill Lazarus, too,

Jhn 12:11

Jhn 12:11for it was because of him that many of the people had deserted them[fn] and believed in Jesus.

Jesus’ Triumphant Entry

(Mat 21:1–11; Mar 11:1–11; Luk 19:28–40 )

Jhn 12:12

Jhn 12:12The next day, the news that Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem swept through the city. A large crowd of Passover visitors

Jhn 12:13

Jhn 12:13took palm branches and went down the road to meet him. They shouted,
“Praise God![fn]
Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the LORD!
Hail to the King of Israel!”[fn]

Jhn 12:14

Jhn 12:14Jesus found a young donkey and rode on it, fulfilling the prophecy that said:

Jhn 12:15

Jhn 12:15“Don’t be afraid, people of Jerusalem.[fn]
Look, your King is coming,
riding on a donkey’s colt.”[fn]

Jhn 12:16

Jhn 12:16His disciples didn’t understand at the time that this was a fulfillment of prophecy. But after Jesus entered into his glory, they remembered what had happened and realized that these things had been written about him.

Jhn 12:17

Jhn 12:17Many in the crowd had seen Jesus call Lazarus from the tomb, raising him from the dead, and they were telling others[fn] about it.

Jhn 12:18

Jhn 12:18That was the reason so many went out to meet him—because they had heard about this miraculous sign.

Jhn 12:19

Jhn 12:19Then the Pharisees said to each other, “There’s nothing we can do. Look, everyone[fn] has gone after him!”

Jesus Predicts His Death

Jhn 12:20

Jhn 12:20Some Greeks who had come to Jerusalem for the Passover celebration

Jhn 12:21

Jhn 12:21paid a visit to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee. They said, “Sir, we want to meet Jesus.”

Jhn 12:22

Jhn 12:22Philip told Andrew about it, and they went together to ask Jesus.

Jhn 12:23

Jhn 12:23Jesus replied, “Now the time has come for the Son of Man[fn] to enter into his glory.

Jhn 12:24

Jhn 12:24I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives.

Jhn 12:25

Jhn 12:25Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity.

Jhn 12:26

Jhn 12:26Anyone who wants to be my disciple must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me.

Jhn 12:27

Jhn 12:27“Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But this is the very reason I came!

Jhn 12:28

Jhn 12:28Father, bring glory to your name.”
Then a voice spoke from heaven, saying, “I have already brought glory to my name, and I will do so again.”

Jhn 12:29

Jhn 12:29When the crowd heard the voice, some thought it was thunder, while others declared an angel had spoken to him.

Jhn 12:30

Jhn 12:30Then Jesus told them, “The voice was for your benefit, not mine.

Jhn 12:31

Jhn 12:31The time for judging this world has come, when Satan, the ruler of this world, will be cast out.

Jhn 12:32

Jhn 12:32And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.”

Jhn 12:33

Jhn 12:33He said this to indicate how he was going to die.

Jhn 12:34

Jhn 12:34The crowd responded, “We understood from Scripture[fn] that the Messiah would live forever. How can you say the Son of Man will die? Just who is this Son of Man, anyway?”

Jhn 12:35

Jhn 12:35Jesus replied, “My light will shine for you just a little longer. Walk in the light while you can, so the darkness will not overtake you. Those who walk in the darkness cannot see where they are going.

Jhn 12:36

Jhn 12:36Put your trust in the light while there is still time; then you will become children of the light.”
After saying these things, Jesus went away and was hidden from them.

The Unbelief of the People

Jhn 12:37

Jhn 12:37But despite all the miraculous signs Jesus had done, most of the people still did not believe in him.

Jhn 12:38

Jhn 12:38This is exactly what Isaiah the prophet had predicted:
“LORD, who has believed our message?
To whom has the LORD revealed his powerful arm?”[fn]

Jhn 12:39

Jhn 12:39But the people couldn’t believe, for as Isaiah also said,

Jhn 12:40

Jhn 12:40“The Lord has blinded their eyes
and hardened their hearts—
so that their eyes cannot see,
and their hearts cannot understand,
and they cannot turn to me
and have me heal them.”[fn]

Jhn 12:41

Jhn 12:41Isaiah was referring to Jesus when he said this, because he saw the future and spoke of the Messiah’s glory.

Jhn 12:42

Jhn 12:42Many people did believe in him, however, including some of the Jewish leaders. But they wouldn’t admit it for fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue.

Jhn 12:43

Jhn 12:43For they loved human praise more than the praise of God.

Jhn 12:44

Jhn 12:44Jesus shouted to the crowds, “If you trust me, you are trusting not only me, but also God who sent me.

Jhn 12:45

Jhn 12:45For when you see me, you are seeing the one who sent me.

Jhn 12:46

Jhn 12:46I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark.

Jhn 12:47

Jhn 12:47I will not judge those who hear me but don’t obey me, for I have come to save the world and not to judge it.

Jhn 12:48

Jhn 12:48But all who reject me and my message will be judged on the day of judgment by the truth I have spoken.