The Gospel According to St. John

⭑ Unlocked Dynamic Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 12 -

(Matthew 26:6–13; Mark 14:3–9; Luke 7:36–50)

Jesus arrived in Bethany six days before the Passover Festival began. Bethany was the village where Lazarus lived, the man Jesus made alive again after he had died.

There in Bethany, they gave a dinner to honor Jesus. Martha made preparations for the dinner, and Lazarus was among those who were sitting together and eating.

Then Mary took a bottle of expensive perfume (called nard) and, to honor Jesus, she poured it out on his feet and then wiped his feet with her hair. The fragrance of the perfume filled the entire house.

However, one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, (he was the one who broke the trust Jesus had in him, and soon he would give Jesus up to his enemies), he objected and said,

“We should have sold this perfume for three hundred days’ wages and given the money to the poor.”

He said this, not because he cared about the poor people, but because he was a thief. He kept charge of the bag that held their money, but he would take money for his own use whenever he wanted.

Then Jesus said, “Leave her alone! She bought this perfume for the day when I would die and they would bury me.

You will always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me.”

The Plot to Kill Lazarus

A large crowd of Jews in Jerusalem heard that Jesus was in Bethany, so they went there. They came not only because Jesus was there, but also to see Lazarus, whom Jesus had made alive.

Then the chief priests decided it was necessary to put Lazarus to death, as well,

for it was because of him that many of the Jews were no longer believing in what the chief priests were teaching; instead, they were putting their trust in Jesus.

The Triumphal Entry

(Zechariah 9:9–13; Matthew 21:1–11; Mark 11:1–11; Luke 19:28–40)

The next day the large crowd that had come for the Passover Festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem.

So they cut branches from palm trees and went out to welcome him as he came into the city. They were shouting, “Hosanna! Praise God! God bless the One who comes in the Name of the Lord! Welcome, King of Israel!”

When Jesus came near to Jerusalem, he found a young donkey and sat on it, riding into the city. By doing this, he fulfilled what had been written in scripture:

“Do not be afraid, you who live in Jerusalem. Look! Your King is coming. He is riding on a donkey’s colt!”

When this happened, his disciples did not understand that this was a fulfillment of prophecy. However, after Jesus had finished his work and had received again his full powers as God, they looked back and remembered what the prophets had written about him and what people had done to him.

The crowd that was following along with Jesus kept telling others what they had seen: That Jesus had called Lazarus out of the tomb and had made him alive again.

The other crowd of people, those who went out of the city gate to meet Jesus, did so because they heard he had done great things to show them his power.

So the Pharisees said to each other, “See! We are gaining no advantage here. Look! The whole world is following him!”

Jesus Predicts His Death

Among those who went up to Jerusalem during the Passover Festival were some Greeks.

They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in the district of Galilee. They had something to ask him; they said, “Sir, would you introduce us to Jesus?”

So Philip reported this to Andrew, and they both went and told Jesus.

Jesus answered Philip and Andrew, “It is time for God to show the people everything that I, the Son of Man, have done and to tell them all that I have said.

I am telling you the truth: Unless a seed of wheat is planted in the earth and dies, it remains only one seed; but after it dies in the ground, then it will grow and produce a harvest of many seeds.

Anyone who tries to live to please himself will fail, but anyone who does not live to please himself will keep his life forever.

If anyone wants to serve me, he must also follow me because my servant must be where I am. The Father will honor everyone who serves me.

Now my soul is greatly troubled. Should I say, ‘Father, save me from this time when I will suffer and die!’? No, for this is the very reason I came into this world.

My Father, show how powerful you are in all you have said, in all you have done, and in all you are!” Then God spoke from heaven, “I have already displayed my nature, my words, and my works; and I will do it again!”

The crowd that was there heard the voice of God, but some said it was just thunder. Others said an angel had spoken to Jesus.

Jesus replied to them, “The voice you heard speaking was God’s voice. However, he spoke not for my benefit, but for yours!

Now is the time for God to judge the world. Now is the time when he will drive out Satan, the one who rules this world.

As for me, when people raise me high on a cross, I will draw everyone to myself.”

He said this to let the people know how he would die.

Someone in the crowd answered him, “We understand from the scriptures that the Messiah will live forever. So why do you say that the Son of Man will die? Who is this ‘Son of Man’?”

Jesus answered, “My light will shine on you for just a little longer. Walk in the light while you have my light, or the darkness will overtake you. Those who walk in the darkness cannot see where they are going!

Trust in that light while you have the light; then you will belong to the light. After he said those things, Jesus left them and hid from them.

Belief and Unbelief

Although Jesus had done many miracles, most of the people did not believe what he had told them.

This was to make come true what Isaiah the prophet had written long ago: “Lord, who has believed anything that they have heard from us? The Lord has shown us how he can powerfully rescue us!”

Yet, they could not trust in him for the reason that Isaiah had written:

“The Lord has made them so they cannot see, and he has made them stubborn; they cannot even see with their eyes. If they could, they would understand; they would repent and pray for me to forgive them. For this reason, I cannot heal them!”

Isaiah wrote those words long ago because he understood that the Messiah would serve God powerfully.

Although this was true, many of the leaders of the Jewish people put their trust in Jesus. Nevertheless, they greatly feared that the Pharisees would ban them from the synagogues, so they did not speak out about trusting in Jesus.

They preferred that other people praise and respect them rather than that God would praise them.

Jesus shouted out to the crowd that had gathered, “Those who put their trust in me are not only putting their trust in me but also are putting their trust in the Father who sent me.

When you see me, you are also seeing the one who sent me.

I have come into the world as the light of the world; whoever puts his trust in me will not remain in the darkness.

I do not judge those who listen to my words but refuse to obey me. I did not come into the world to condemn the world.

Yet, there is something that will condemn those who reject me and do not follow my message. They are condemned by the message I have spoken to them.

When I taught about God, I was not merely saying what I thought. The Father, who sent me, gave me clear instructions on what I should say and how I should say it.

I know that the Father’s most important instructions are the ones that teach people how to live forever, and I have said exactly what my Father has told me to say.”

(Matthew 26:6–13; Mark 14:3–9; Luke 7:36–50)

Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, who had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.

So they made him a supper there. Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with him.

Therefore Mary took a pound

(a)

of ointment of pure nard, very precious, and anointed Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment.

Then Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, one of his disciples, who would betray him, said,

“Why wasn’t this ointment sold for three hundred denarii

(b)

and given to the poor?”

Now he said this, not because he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and having the money box, used to steal what was put into it.

But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She has kept this for the day of my burial.

For you always have the poor with you, but you don’t always have me.”

The Plot to Kill Lazarus

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

But the chief priests conspired to put Lazarus to death also,

because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.

The Triumphal Entry

(Zechariah 9:9–13; Matthew 21:1–11; Mark 11:1–11; Luke 19:28–40)

On the next day a great multitude had come to the feast. When they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,

they took the branches of the palm trees and went out to meet him, and cried out, “Hosanna!(c) Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord,(d) the King of Israel!”

Jesus, having found a young donkey, sat on it. As it is written,

“Don’t be afraid, daughter of Zion. Behold, your King comes, sitting on a donkey’s colt.”(e)

His disciples didn’t 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.

The multitude therefore that was with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead was testifying about it.

For this cause also the multitude went and met him, because they heard that he had done this sign.

The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, “See how you accomplish nothing. Behold, the world has gone after him.”

Jesus Predicts His Death

Now there were certain Greeks among those who went up to worship at the feast.

Therefore, these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, “Sir, we want to see Jesus.”

Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn, Andrew came with Philip, and they told Jesus.

Jesus answered them, “The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

Most certainly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit.

He who loves his life will lose it. He who hates his life in this world will keep it to eternal life.

If anyone serves me, let him follow me. Where I am, there my servant will also be. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

“Now my soul is troubled. What shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this time’? But I came to this time for this cause.

Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came out of the sky, saying, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.”

Therefore the multitude who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.”

Jesus answered, “This voice hasn’t come for my sake, but for your sakes.

Now is the judgment of this world. Now the prince of this world will be cast out.

And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

But he said this, signifying by what kind of death he should die.

The multitude answered him, “We have heard out of the law that the Christ remains forever.(f) How do you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?”

Jesus therefore said to them, “Yet a little while the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, that darkness doesn’t overtake you. He who walks in the darkness doesn’t know where he is going.

While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become children of light.” Jesus said these things, and he departed and hid himself from them.

Belief and Unbelief

But though he had done so many signs before them, yet they didn’t believe in him,

that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke: “Lord, who has believed our report? To whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”(g)

For this cause they couldn’t believe, for Isaiah said again:

“He has blinded their eyes and he hardened their heart, lest they should see with their eyes, and perceive with their heart, and would turn, and I would heal them.”(h)

Isaiah said these things when he saw his glory, and spoke of him. (i)

Nevertheless, even many of the rulers believed in him, but because of the Pharisees they didn’t confess it, so that they wouldn’t be put out of the synagogue,

for they loved men’s praise more than God’s praise.

Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me, believes not in me, but in him who sent me.

He who sees me sees him who sent me.

I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in me may not remain in the darkness.

If anyone listens to my sayings and doesn’t believe, I don’t judge him. For I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.

He who rejects me, and doesn’t receive my sayings, has one who judges him. The word that I spoke will judge him in the last day.

For I spoke not from myself, but the Father who sent me gave me a commandment, what I should say and what I should speak.

I know that his commandment is eternal life. The things therefore which I speak, even as the Father has said to me, so I speak.”

Footnotes

(a)12:3 a Roman pound of 12 ounces, or about 340 grams

(b)12:5 300 denarii was about a year’s wages for an agricultural laborer.

(d)12:13 ℘ Psalms 118:25-26

(e)12:15 ℘ Zechariah 9:9

(f)12:34 ℘ Isaiah 9:7; Daniel 2:44; See Isaiah 53:8

(g)12:38 ℘ Isaiah 53:1

(h)12:40 ℘ Isaiah 6:10

(i)12:41 ℘ Isaiah 6:1