1 J esus, therefore, six days before the Passover, came to Bethany where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.

It was six days before the special religious gathering to remember how the Jews left Egypt. Jesus came to Bethany where Lazarus lived. Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead.

2 S o they made Him a supper there, and Martha was serving; but Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with Him.

They made supper for Him. Martha put the food on the table. Lazarus was at the table with Him.

3 M ary then took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

Mary took a jar of special perfume that cost much money and poured it on the feet of Jesus. She dried His feet with her hair. The house was filled with the smell of the special perfume.

4 B ut Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, who was intending to betray Him, said,

Judas Iscariot was one of the followers. He was about to hand Jesus over to the leaders of the country. He said,

5 “ Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and given to poor people ?”

“Why was not this special perfume sold for much money and given to poor people?”

6 N ow he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it.

He did not say this because he cared for poor people. He said this because he was a robber. He carried the bag of money and would steal some of it for himself.

7 T herefore Jesus said, “Let her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of My burial.

Jesus said, “Let her alone. She has kept it for the time when I will be buried.

8 F or you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me.”

You will always have poor people with you. You will not always have Me.” The Jews Talk about Having Lazarus Killed

9 T he large crowd of the Jews then learned that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He raised from the dead.

Many Jews came to the place because they knew Jesus was there. They came not only to see Jesus, but to see Lazarus also. Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead.

10 B ut the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death also;

The religious leaders of the Jews talked together about having Lazarus killed also.

11 b ecause on account of him many of the Jews were going away and were believing in Jesus. Jesus Enters Jerusalem

Because of Lazarus, many Jews were leaving their own religion. They were putting their trust in Jesus. The Last Time Jesus Goes to Jerusalem

12 O n the next day the large crowd who had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,

The next day many people were in Jerusalem for the religious gathering. They heard Jesus was coming.

13 t ook the branches of the palm trees and went out to meet Him, and began to shout, “ Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel.”

They took branches of trees and went to meet Him. They spoke with a loud voice, “Greatest One! Great and honored is He Who comes in the name of the Lord, the King of the Jews!”

14 J esus, finding a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written,

Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it. The Holy Writings say,

15 “ Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your King is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.”

“Do not be afraid, people of Jerusalem. See! Your King comes sitting on a young donkey!”

16 T hese things His disciples did not understand at the first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written of Him, and that they had done these things to Him.

His followers did not understand what this meant at first. When Jesus had gone back to heaven to receive great honor, they remembered these things were written about Him. They remembered they had done this to Him.

17 S o the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead, continued to testify about Him.

The people who had been with Jesus when He had called Lazarus from the grave kept telling of this powerful work to others. They had seen Lazarus raised from the dead.

18 F or this reason also the people went and met Him, because they heard that He had performed this sign.

Because of this the people went to meet Jesus. They had heard He had done this powerful work.

19 S o the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are not doing any good; look, the world has gone after Him.” Greeks Seek Jesus

The proud religious law-keepers said among themselves, “Look, we are losing followers. Everyone is following Jesus!” The Greek People Want to See Jesus

20 N ow there were some Greeks among those who were going up to worship at the feast;

Some Greek people had come to worship at the religious gathering. They were among the others who had come to worship.

21 t hese then came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and began to ask him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”

These Greek people came to Philip. He was from the city of Bethsaida in the country of Galilee. They said to him, “Sir, we want to see Jesus!”

22 P hilip came and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip came and told Jesus.

Philip went and told Andrew. Then Andrew and Philip told Jesus. The Law of Life

23 A nd Jesus answered them, saying, “ The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

Jesus said to them, “The hour is near for the Son of Man to be taken to heaven to receive great honor.

24 T ruly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.

For sure, I tell you, unless a seed falls into the ground and dies, it will only be a seed. If it dies, it will give much grain.

25 H e who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal.

Anyone who loves his life will lose it. Anyone who hates his life in this world will keep it forever.

26 I f anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him. Jesus Foretells His Death

If anyone wants to serve Me, he must follow Me. So where I am, the one who wants to serve Me will be there also. If anyone serves Me, My Father will honor him.

27 “ Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, ‘ Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour.

“Now My soul is troubled. Should I say, ‘Father, save Me from this time of trouble and pain’? No, this is why I came to this time.

28 F ather, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came out of heaven: “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.”

Father, honor Your name!” The People Hear the Voice of God Then a voice from heaven came, saying, “I have already honored My name. I will honor it again!”

29 S o the crowd of people who stood by and heard it were saying that it had thundered; others were saying, “ An angel has spoken to Him.”

The people heard the voice. Some who stood there said, “It was thunder.” Others said, “An angel spoke to Him.”

30 J esus answered and said, “ This voice has not come for My sake, but for your sakes.

Jesus said, “The voice did not come for Me, but it came to be a help to you. Jesus Tells How He Will Die

31 N ow judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.

“Now this world is being told it is guilty. Now the leader of this world will be thrown out.

32 A nd I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.”

And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will attract all people toward Me.”

33 B ut He was saying this to indicate the kind of death by which He was to die.

He said this to tell the kind of death He was going to die.

34 T he crowd then answered Him, “We have heard out of the Law that the Christ is to remain forever; and how can You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’ ? Who is this Son of Man?”

The people said to Him, “The Law of Moses says that the Christ is to live forever. Why do you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?”

35 S o Jesus said to them, “ For a little while longer the Light is among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes.

Jesus said to them, “The Light will be with you for a little while yet. Go on your way while you have the Light so you will not be in the dark. When a man is walking in the dark, he does not know where he is going.

36 W hile you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light.” These things Jesus spoke, and He went away and hid Himself from them.

While you have the Light, put your trust in the Light. Then you will be the sons of the Light.” Jesus said these things and then went away. He hid Himself from them. The People Do Not Believe

37 B ut though He had performed so many signs before them, yet they were not believing in Him.

Jesus had done many powerful works in front of them, but they did not put their trust in Him.

38 T his was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet which he spoke: “ Lord, who has believed our report ? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed ?”

This happened as the words of the early preacher Isaiah said it would happen. He had said, “Lord, has anyone believed our preaching? Has the Lord shown His power to anyone?”

39 F or this reason they could not believe, for Isaiah said again,

The reason they could not believe is written again in Isaiah.

40 “ He has blinded their eyes and He hardened their heart, so that they would not see with their eyes and perceive with their heart, and be converted and I heal them.”

It says, “He has blinded their eyes and made their hearts hard. Then they would not see with their eyes. They would not understand with their heart. They would not turn to Me. I could not heal them.”

41 T hese things Isaiah said because he saw His glory, and he spoke of Him.

This is what Isaiah said when he saw the shining-greatness of Jesus and spoke of Him.

42 N evertheless many even of the rulers believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue;

Even among the leaders of the people there were many who believed in Jesus. But because of the proud religious law-keepers, they did not tell about it. If they had, they would have been put out of the Jewish place of worship.

43 f or they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God.

They loved to have the respect from men more than honor from God. Jesus and His Father Are One

44 A nd Jesus cried out and said, “ He who believes in Me, does not believe in Me but in Him who sent Me.

Then Jesus spoke with a loud voice, “Anyone who puts his trust in Me, puts his trust not only in Me, but in Him Who sent Me.

45 H e who sees Me sees the One who sent Me.

Anyone who sees Me, sees Him Who sent Me.

46 I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness.

I came to the world to be a Light. Anyone who puts his trust in Me will not be in darkness.

47 I f anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.

If anyone hears My Words but does not believe them, I do not say he is guilty. I did not come to say the world is guilty. I came to save the world from the punishment of sin.

48 H e who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day.

Anyone who does not receive Me and does not receive My teaching has One Who will say he is guilty. The Word that I have spoken will say he is guilty on the last day.

49 F or I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak.

I have not spoken by My own power. The Father Who sent Me has told Me what to say and speak.

50 I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me.”

I know that His Word is life that lasts forever. I speak the things the Father has told Me to speak.”