John 12
1 Jesus, therefore, six days before the passover, came to Bethany, where was Lazarus, who had died, whom he raised out of the dead;
Six days before the Passover Jesus went to Bethany, to the home of Lazarus who had been raised from the dead.
2 they made, therefore, to him a supper there, and Martha was ministering, and Lazarus was one of those reclining together (at meat) with him;
There a dinner was arranged in his honor. Martha helped serve the food while Lazarus sat at the table with Jesus and the others guests.
3 Mary, therefore, having taken a pound of ointment of spikenard, of great price, anointed the feet of Jesus and did wipe with her hair his feet, and the house was filled from the fragrance of the ointment.
Mary brought a pint of pure nard perfume and anointed Jesus' feet, wiping them dry with her hair. The scent of the perfume filled the whole house.
4 Therefore saith one of his disciples — Judas Iscariot, of Simon, who is about to deliver him up —
But one of the disciples, Judas Iscariot, who would later betray Jesus, asked,
5 'Wherefore was not this ointment sold for three hundred denaries, and given to the poor?'
“Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth three hundred denarii.”
6 and he said this, not because he was caring for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and what things were put in he was carrying.
He wasn't saying this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief. He was the one who looked after the disciples' money and he often took some for himself.
7 Jesus, therefore, said, 'Suffer her; for the day of my embalming she hath kept it,
“Don't criticize her,” Jesus replied. “She did this in preparation for the day of my burial.
8 for the poor ye have always with yourselves, and me ye have not always.'
You'll always have the poor here with you, but you won't always have me here.”
9 A great multitude, therefore, of the Jews knew that he is there, and they came, not because of Jesus only, but that Lazarus also they may see, whom he raised out of the dead;
A large crowd had found out that he was there. They came there not just to see Jesus but because they wanted to see Lazarus, the man Jesus had raised from the dead.
10 and the chief priests took counsel, that also Lazarus they may kill,
So the chief priests planned to kill Lazarus as well,
11 because on account of him many of the Jews were going away, and were believing in Jesus.
since it was because of him that many Jews were no longer following them but putting their trust in Jesus.
12 On the morrow, a great multitude that came to the feast, having heard that Jesus doth come to Jerusalem,
The following day the crowds of people who had come for the Passover festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem.
13 took the branches of the palms, and went forth to meet him, and were crying, 'Hosanna, blessed [is] he who is coming in the name of the Lord — the king of Israel;'
They cut off palm branches and went to welcome him, shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is the one coming in the name of the Lord. Blessed is the king of Israel.”
14 and Jesus having found a young ass did sit upon it, according as it is written,
Jesus found a young donkey and rode on it, as Scripture says:
15 'Fear not, daughter of Sion, lo, thy king doth come, sitting on an ass' colt.'
“Don't be afraid, daughter of Zion. Look, your king is coming, riding a donkey's colt.”
16 And these things his disciples did not know at the first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were having been written about him, and these things they did to him.
At the time, Jesus' disciples did not understand what these things meant. It was only later when he was glorified that they realized what had happened had been prophesied and applied to him.
17 The multitude, therefore, who are with him, were testifying that he called Lazarus out of the tomb, and did raise him out of the dead;
Many in the crowd had seen Jesus call Lazarus from the tomb and raise him from the dead and were telling the story.
18 because of this also did the multitude meet him, because they heard of his having done this sign,
That was the reason so many people went to meet Jesus—because they had heard about this miracle.
19 the Pharisees, therefore, said among themselves, 'Ye see that ye do not gain anything, lo, the world did go after him.'
The Pharisees said to one other, “Look, we're getting nowhere. Everyone's running after him.”
20 And there were certain Greeks out of those coming up that they may worship in the feast,
Now some Greeks had come to the festival to worship.
21 these then came near to Philip, who [is] from Bethsaida of Galilee, and were asking him, saying, 'Sir, we wish to see Jesus;'
They came to Philip of Bethsaida in Galilee, and said, “Sir, we'd like to see Jesus.”
22 Philip cometh and telleth Andrew, and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.
Philip went and told Andrew. Then they both went to Jesus and told him.
23 And Jesus responded to them, saying, 'The hour hath come that the Son of Man may be glorified;
Jesus replied, “The time has come for the Son of man to be glorified.
24 verily, verily, I say to you, if the grain of the wheat, having fallen to the earth, may not die, itself remaineth alone; and if it may die, it doth bear much fruit;
I tell you the truth: unless a grain of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains just one grain. But if it dies, it produces many more grains of wheat.
25 he who is loving his life shall lose it, and he who is hating his life in this world — to life age-during shall keep it; (aiōnios g166)
If you love your own life you will lose it, but if you don't love your own life in this world you will keep your life forever. (aiōnios g166)
26 if any one may minister to me, let him follow me, and where I am, there also my ministrant shall be; and if any one may minister to me — honour him will the Father.
If you want to serve me you need to follow me. My servants will be where I am, and my Father will honor anyone who serves for me.
27 'Now hath my soul been troubled, and what? shall I say — Father, save me from this hour? — but because of this I came to this hour;
Now I am troubled. What should I say? ‘Father, save me from this coming time of suffering?’ No, for this is why I came—to go through this time of suffering.
28 Father, glorify Thy name.' There came, therefore, a voice out of the heaven, 'I both glorified, and again I will glorify [it];'
Father, show the glory of your character.” A voice came from heaven, saying, “I have shown its glory, and I will show it again.”
29 the multitude, therefore, having stood and heard, were saying that there hath been thunder; others said, 'A messenger hath spoken to him.'
The crowd that was standing there heard it. Some said it thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.
30 Jesus answered and said, 'Not because of me hath this voice come, but because of you;
Jesus told them, “This voice spoke not for my sake, but for yours.
31 now is a judgment of this world, now shall the ruler of this world be cast forth;
Now is the judgment of this world; now the prince of this world will be thrown out.
32 and I, if I may be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto myself.'
But when I am lifted up from the earth I will attract everyone to me.”
33 And this he said signifying by what death he was about to die;
(He said this to point out the kind of death he was going to die.)
34 the multitude answered him, 'We heard out of the law that the Christ doth remain — to the age; and how dost thou say, That it behoveth the Son of Man to be lifted up? who is this — the Son of Man?' (aiōn g165)
The crowd responded, “The Law tells us that the Messiah will live forever, so how can you say the Son of man must be ‘lifted up’? Who is this ‘Son of man’?” (aiōn g165)
35 Jesus, therefore, said to them, 'Yet a little time is the light with you; walk while ye have the light, that darkness may not overtake you; and he who is walking in the darkness hath not known where he goeth;
Jesus replied, “The light is here with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light so that the darkness doesn't overtake you. Those who walk in the dark don't know where they're going.
36 while ye have the light, believe in the light, that sons of light ye may become.' These things spake Jesus, and having gone away, he was hid from them,
Put your trust in the light while you still have it so that you can become children of light.” When Jesus had told them this, he left and hid himself from them.
37 yet he having done so many signs before them, they were not believing in him,
But despite all the miracles he had done in their presence, they still did not trust in Jesus.
38 that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he said, 'Lord, who gave credence to our report? and the arm of the Lord — to whom was it revealed?'
This fulfilled the message of Isaiah the prophet who said, “Lord, who has believed what we told them? To whom has the Lord's power been revealed?”
39 Because of this they were not able to believe, that again Isaiah said,
They were not able to trust him, and as a result they fulfilled what Isaiah also said:
40 'He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart, that they might not see with the eyes, and understand with the heart, and turn back, and I might heal them;'
“He blinded their eyes, and made their minds dull, so that their eyes would not see, and their minds would not think, and they would not turn to me—for if they did I would heal them.”
41 these things said Isaiah, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.
Isaiah saw Jesus' glory and said this in reference to him.
42 Still, however, also out of the rulers did many believe in him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing, that they might not be put out of the synagogue,
Even so many of the leaders did trust in him. However, they did not openly admit it because they did not want the Pharisees to expel them from the synagogue,
43 for they loved the glory of men more than the glory of God.
loving human admiration more than God's approval.
44 And Jesus cried and said, 'He who is believing in me, doth not believe in me, but in Him who sent me;
Jesus called out, “If you trust in me you're not just trusting in me but also in the one who sent me.
45 and he who is beholding me, doth behold Him who sent me;
When you see me, you're seeing the one who sent me.
46 I a light to the world have come, that every one who is believing in me — in the darkness may not remain;
I have come as a light shining into the world, so if you trust in me you won't remain in the dark.
47 and if any one may hear my sayings, and not believe, I — I do not judge him, for I came not that I might judge the world, but that I might save the world.
I don't judge anyone who hears my words but doesn't do what I say. I came to save the world, not to judge it.
48 'He who is rejecting me, and not receiving my sayings, hath one who is judging him, the word that I spake, that will judge him in the last day,
Anyone who rejects me and does not accept my words will be judged at the end-time judgment in accordance with what I have said.
49 because I spake not from myself, but the Father who sent me, He did give me a command, what I may say, and what I may speak,
For I'm not speaking for myself but for my Father who sent me. He is the one who instructed me what to say and how to say it.
