John 12
1 Then six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus raised from the dead.
Six days before the Passover [celebration started], Jesus arrived in Bethany [village, along with us]. That was where Lazarus lived. He was the man Jesus [previously] caused to be alive again after he died.
2 So they prepared a dinner for him there; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with him.
There they gave a dinner to [honor] Jesus. Martha served the meal. [Her younger brother], Lazarus, was among the people who were eating with Jesus.
3 Mary, therefore, took a pound of ointment of pure nard, very precious, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment.
Then Mary took [a bottle] of expensive perfume [called] nard and poured it on Jesus’ feet [to honor him]. Then she wiped his feet with her hair. The whole house was filled with the [beautiful] smell of the perfume.
4 Then Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples, who would betray him, said,
But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, (OR, Judas, the man from Kerioth [Town]) objected. He was the one who later enabled Jesus’ enemies to seize him.
5 "Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii, and given to the poor?"
He said, “(We should have sold this perfume and given [the money] to poor people!/Why did [we] not sell this perfume and give [the money for it] to the poor people?) [RHQ] We could have gotten 300 days’ wages for it!”
6 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.
He said that, not because he cared about the poor people, but instead, because he was a thief. He was the one who kept the bag [of funds that people gave to help Jesus and us his disciples], and he often stole some of the money that was {that [people]} put into it.
7 But Jesus said, "Leave her alone, that she may keep this for the day of my burial.
Then Jesus said, “Do not bother her! [She bought this perfume] in order to save it until the day when they will bury me [after I die].
8 For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me."
There will always be poor people among you, [so you can help them whenever you want to]. But I will not be with you much longer, [so it is good that she showed right now how much she appreciates me].”
9 A large crowd therefore of the Judeans 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.
A large crowd of Jews heard [people say] that Jesus was there [in Bethany]. So they came, not only [to see] Jesus but also to see Lazarus, the man whom he had caused to become alive again after he died.
10 But the chief priests plotted to kill Lazarus also,
So the chief priests decided to kill Lazarus also,
11 because on account of him many of the Jewish people went away and believed in Jesus.
because many of the Jews were [deserting them and] going to Jesus and believing in him because of [Jesus causing] Lazarus [to be alive again].
12 On the next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,
The next day the huge crowd of people that had come [to Jerusalem] for the [Passover] celebration heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem.
13 they took the branches of the palm trees, and went out to meet him, and were shouting, "Hosanna. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel."
So they [cut] branches from some palm trees and took the branches out [of the city] to [wave them when they] met him. Some of them were shouting things like, “Hooray!” “May the Lord [God] bless the one who is coming with his authority [MTY]!” Some other people were shouting, “[May God bless] the King of Israel!”
14 And Jesus, having found a young donkey, sat on it. As it is written,
When Jesus [came near to Jerusalem], he got a young donkey and sat on it [as he rode into the city]. By doing this, [he fulfilled] what had been written {what [a prophet] had written} [in Scripture],
15 "Do not be afraid, daughter of Zion. Look, your King comes, sitting on a donkey's colt."
You people of Jerusalem, do not be afraid! Look! Your king is coming! He is riding on a donkey’s colt!
16 His 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.
At first [we] disciples did not understand those things. But after Jesus had returned to heaven, we realized that those things had been written {that [a prophet] had written those things} about him, and that [by] doing those things for him [the people had fulfilled what the prophet prophesied].
17 The crowd therefore that was with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb, and raised him from the dead, was testifying about it.
The crowd that was with him continued to tell other people that he called Lazarus to come out of the tomb, [and that Lazarus had then become alive again].
18 For this cause also the crowd went and met him, because they heard that he had done this sign.
Because of that, many people, because they heard [others say] that he had performed this miracle, went to meet him.
19 The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, "See how you accomplish nothing. Look, the whole world has gone after him."
So the Pharisees said to each other, “It is obvious that we are making no progress [in trying to stop him! It looks like] [HYP] everyone [MTY] is becoming his disciple!”
20 Now there were certain Greeks among those that went up to worship at the feast.
Among those who went up [to Jerusalem] to worship [God] during the [Passover] celebration were some Greeks.
21 These, therefore, came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, "Sir, we want to see Jesus."
They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida [town] in Galilee [province]. They [wanted him] to do something for them. They said, “Sir, we would like to talk with Jesus.”
22 Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn, Andrew came with Philip, and they told Jesus.
So after Philip went and told that to Andrew, they both went and told Jesus.
23 And Jesus answered them, "The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
Then, [to show them that he must die in order to give eternal life to non-Jews like those Greeks], Jesus replied to them, “It is time for [God] to honor me, the one who came from heaven. [That will happen when I die].
24 Truly, truly, 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.
Listen to this carefully: [My life is like a seed] [MET]. If [someone] does not plant a kernel of grain in the ground, it does not change. It remains only one [seed]. But if it changes [after it is planted in the ground, it will grow and] produce many seeds.
25 He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to everlasting life. (aiōnios g166)
Anyone who strongly wants to keep on living [here on earth] will surely lose his life forever. But anyone who is willing to die [HYP] [for my sake] will surely gain eternal life. (aiōnios g166)
26 If anyone serves me, let him follow me; and where I am, there will my servant also be. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
If [any of these Greeks or] anyone [else] wants to serve me, they must become my disciples. Then, [after they die], they will be where I am, [in heaven]. My Father will honor all those who serve me.
27 "Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say? 'Father, save me from this hour?' But for this cause I came to this hour.
Now I am deeply disturbed. (I do not know what to say./What shall I say?) [RHQ] Should I say, ‘[My] Father, save me from this time [when I will suffer and die!’]? No, [I should not say that, because] the reason I came ([into this world/from heaven]) was that I would [suffer] [MTY] now.
28 Father, glorify your name." Then there came a voice out of the sky, saying, "I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again."
My Father, show how great you are!” John 12:28b-36a Then [God] spoke [EUP] from heaven, saying, “I have already shown how great [I am], and I will do it again!”
29 The crowd therefore, who stood by and heard it, said that it had thundered. Others said, "An angel has spoken to him."
The crowd that was there heard [it but they did not understand the words. Some said] it was thunder. Others said an angel had spoken to him.
30 Jesus answered, "This voice hasn't come for my sake, but for your sakes.
Jesus replied to them, “The voice that you heard speaking [was God’s voice, but] it was not for my benefit. It was for your benefit!
31 Now is the judgment of this world. Now the prince of this world will be cast out.
Now is the time for [God] to judge [the people in] [MTY] the world. Now is the time when [I] will destroy [the power of Satan], the one who rules this world.
32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw everyone to myself."
But as for me, when I am lifted {when [men] lift me} up from the ground [on a cross, I will make a way for] gathering everyone to myself.”
33 But he said this, signifying by what kind of death he should die.
He said this to show us the way in which he was going to die.
34 The crowd answered him, "We have heard out of the law that the Christ remains forever. Then how can you say, 'The Son of Man must be lifted up?' Who is this Son of Man?" (aiōn g165)
[Someone in] the crowd answered him, “We understand from the Scriptures that the Messiah will live forever. So why do you say that the one who came from heaven, [who is the Messiah], will be lifted up {that [men] will lift up the one who came from heaven, [who is the Messiah], } on a cross? What kind of man who came from heaven are you [talking about]? (OR, That’s not the [kind] of Messiah [we are expecting]!)” (aiōn g165)
35 Jesus therefore said to them, "Yet a little while the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, that darkness does not overtake you. He who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.
Then Jesus said to them, “[My message is like] [MET] a light for you. [I] will be with you for only a little while longer. Live and act [as you should] while I am still with you, [because suddenly you will have no more opportunity to hear my message! You do not want to be like] [MET] [someone] who cannot see where he is going any more [when it suddenly] becomes dark!
36 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.
Believe in my message [MET] while you still have an opportunity to do it, in order that you may become people who have accepted my truth [MET]!” John 12:36b-43 After Jesus said those things, he left them and hid from them.
37 But though he had done so many signs before them, yet they did not believe in him,
Although he had done many miracles while people were watching, [most of] them refused to believe that he [is] ([the Messiah/from God]).
38 that 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?"
[Their stubbornness and refusal to believe was similar to the stubbornness of the people that] the prophet Isaiah wrote about long ago: Lord, (hardly anyone has believed our message!/who has believed our message?) [RHQ] Most people refused to accept it, even though you showed them your power!
39 For this cause they could not believe, for Isaiah said again,
That was the reason why they were unable to believe. [It was like] Isaiah wrote somewhere else that God said:
40 He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they should see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and turn, and I would heal them.
They have [refused to understand; they acted as though they were] blind people! They were insensible in their inner beings! As a result, they have not perceived [my truth]! They have not understood it in their inner beings! They have not turned [from their sinful lives], and because of that I cannot help them!
41 Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory, and spoke of him.
Isaiah wrote that because [it was as though] he saw [ahead of time] how great Jesus would be, and he prophesied [those things] about him.
42 Nevertheless even of the rulers many believed in him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue,
Although most of the Jewish [leaders] [SYN] did not believe that Jesus is ([the Messiah/from God]), some of them believed in him. But they would not tell anyone that they believed in him, because [they were afraid that if they said that], the Pharisees would not let them worship in the synagogues.
43 for they loved praise from people more than praise from God.
They wanted people to praise them more than they wanted God to praise them.
44 Then Jesus shouted out and said, "Whoever believes in me, believes not in me, but in him who sent me.
[Another day, when] Jesus [was teaching the people, he] shouted, “Those who believe in me, they are not believing in [me alone]. Instead, [it is as though] they also believe in the one who sent me.
45 And he who sees me sees him who sent me.
When they see me [and what I am doing, it is as though] they are seeing the one who sent me.
46 I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in me may not remain in the darkness.
I have come into the world [to show people God’s truth], as a light [shows people what is around them]. I have come in order that people who believe in me will not remain [ignorant of God’s truth] [MET], [as those who are] in the darkness [are ignorant of what is around them].
47 And if anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.
As for those who hear my message but do not obey [its commands], I am not [the one who] judges them. [The main reason] that I came ([into the world/from heaven]) was not to judge [the people of] [MTY] the world. Instead, I came to save them [from being punished for their sins].
48 He who rejects me, and does not accept my words, has one who judges him. The word that I spoke will judge him on the last day.
There is something that will judge those who reject me and do not accept my message. On the judgment day [God] will condemn them [because they rejected] the message that I have told them.
49 For I spoke not from myself, but the Father who sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.
I have not said things from my own [authority]. Instead, [my] Father, the one who sent me, instructed me what to say and how I should say it.
50 I know that his commandment is everlasting life. The things therefore which I speak, even as the Father has said to me, so I speak." (aiōnios g166)
I know that [paying attention to] what he has instructed us [leads to] eternal life. So whatever I say is exactly (OR, only) what [my] Father has told me to say.” (aiōnios g166)
