John 12 : 1 (NLT)
Six days before the Passover celebration began, Jesus arrived in Bethany, the home of Lazarus-- the man he had raised from the dead.
John 12 : 2 (NLT)
A dinner was prepared in Jesus' honor. Martha served, and Lazarus was among those who ate with him.
John 12 : 3 (NLT)
Then Mary took a twelve-ounce jar 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.
John 12 : 4 (NLT)
But Judas Iscariot, the disciple who would soon betray him, said,
John 12 : 5 (NLT)
"That perfume was worth a year's wages. It should have been sold and the money given to the poor."
John 12 : 6 (NLT)
Not 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.
John 12 : 7 (NLT)
Jesus replied, "Leave her alone. She did this in preparation for my burial.
John 12 : 8 (NLT)
You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me."
John 12 : 9 (NLT)
When all the people heard of Jesus' arrival, they flocked to see him and also to see Lazarus, the man Jesus had raised from the dead.
John 12 : 10 (NLT)
Then the leading priests decided to kill Lazarus, too,
John 12 : 11 (NLT)
for it was because of him that many of the people had deserted them and believed in Jesus.
John 12 : 12 (NLT)
The next day, the news that Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem swept through the city. A large crowd of Passover visitors
John 12 : 13 (NLT)
took palm branches and went down the road to meet him. They shouted, "Praise God! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the LORD! Hail to the King of Israel!"
John 12 : 14 (NLT)
Jesus found a young donkey and rode on it, fulfilling the prophecy that said:
John 12 : 15 (NLT)
"Don't be afraid, people of Jerusalem. Look, your King is coming, riding on a donkey's colt."
John 12 : 16 (NLT)
His 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.
John 12 : 17 (NLT)
Many in the crowd had seen Jesus call Lazarus from the tomb, raising him from the dead, and they were telling others about it.
John 12 : 18 (NLT)
That was the reason so many went out to meet him-- because they had heard about this miraculous sign.
John 12 : 19 (NLT)
Then the Pharisees said to each other, "There's nothing we can do. Look, everyone has gone after him!"
John 12 : 20 (NLT)
Some Greeks who had come to Jerusalem for the Passover celebration
John 12 : 21 (NLT)
paid a visit to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee. They said, "Sir, we want to meet Jesus."
John 12 : 22 (NLT)
Philip told Andrew about it, and they went together to ask Jesus.
John 12 : 23 (NLT)
Jesus replied, "Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory.
John 12 : 24 (NLT)
I 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.
John 12 : 25 (NLT)
Those 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.
John 12 : 26 (NLT)
Anyone 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.
John 12 : 27 (NLT)
"Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, 'Father, save me from this hour'? But this is the very reason I came!
John 12 : 28 (NLT)
Father, 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."
John 12 : 29 (NLT)
When the crowd heard the voice, some thought it was thunder, while others declared an angel had spoken to him.
John 12 : 30 (NLT)
Then Jesus told them, "The voice was for your benefit, not mine.
John 12 : 31 (NLT)
The time for judging this world has come, when Satan, the ruler of this world, will be cast out.
John 12 : 32 (NLT)
And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself."
John 12 : 33 (NLT)
He said this to indicate how he was going to die.
John 12 : 34 (NLT)
The crowd responded, "We understood from Scripture that the Messiah would live forever. How can you say the Son of Man will die? Just who is this Son of Man, anyway?"
John 12 : 35 (NLT)
Jesus 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.
John 12 : 36 (NLT)
Put 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.
John 12 : 37 (NLT)
But despite all the miraculous signs Jesus had done, most of the people still did not believe in him.
John 12 : 38 (NLT)
This is exactly what Isaiah the prophet had predicted: "LORD, who has believed our message? To whom has the LORD revealed his powerful arm?"
John 12 : 39 (NLT)
But the people couldn't believe, for as Isaiah also said,
John 12 : 40 (NLT)
"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."
John 12 : 41 (NLT)
Isaiah was referring to Jesus when he said this, because he saw the future and spoke of the Messiah's glory.
John 12 : 42 (NLT)
Many 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.
John 12 : 43 (NLT)
For they loved human praise more than the praise of God.
John 12 : 44 (NLT)
Jesus shouted to the crowds, "If you trust me, you are trusting not only me, but also God who sent me.
John 12 : 45 (NLT)
For when you see me, you are seeing the one who sent me.
John 12 : 46 (NLT)
I 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.
John 12 : 47 (NLT)
I 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.
John 12 : 48 (NLT)
But all who reject me and my message will be judged on the day of judgment by the truth I have spoken.
John 12 : 49 (NLT)
I don't speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it.
John 12 : 50 (NLT)
And I know his commands lead to eternal life; so I say whatever the Father tells me to say."
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