John

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

1Six days before the Passover feast, Jesus came to Bethany. That was where Lazarus lived, the man Jesus had raised from the dead.

2There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him.

2There they gave a dinner for Jesus. Martha served the food, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him.

3Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.

3Then Mary took about a pint of perfume made from pure nard, which cost a great deal. She poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. The whole house was filled with the smell of it.

NoteThe KJV says "a pound of ointment of spikenard." This was thick perfume, not medicine, made from a plant called nard. A pound here is about a pint.

4Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray him,

4Then one of his disciples spoke up. It was Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, the one who would later hand Jesus over to his enemies.

5Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?

5He said, "Why wasn't this perfume sold for three hundred silver coins, with the money given to the poor?"

NoteThe KJV says "three hundred pence." These were denarii, Roman silver coins. One coin was about a day's pay, so this was close to a year's wages.

6This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.

6He did not say this because he cared about the poor. He said it because he was a thief. He kept the money bag, and he took what was put in it.

7Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this.

7Then Jesus said, "Leave her alone. She has saved this perfume for the day I am buried.

8For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.

8You will always have poor people with you. But you will not always have me."

9Much people of the Jews therefore knew 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.

9A large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there. They came not only to see Jesus, but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.

10But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death;

10So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus too.

11Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.

11They did this because many Jews were leaving them on account of Lazarus, and were believing in Jesus.

12On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,

12The next day, the big crowd that had come for the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem.

13Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.

13They took branches from palm trees and went out to meet him. They shouted, "Hosanna! Blessed is the King of Israel, who comes in the name of the Lord!"

Note"Hosanna" is an old Hebrew shout meaning "save us now." By this time people used it as a cheer of welcome for a king.

14And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written,

14Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it. This matched what was written long before:

15Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass’s colt.

15"Do not be afraid, people of Zion. Look, your King is coming, seated on a young donkey."

16These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him.

16His disciples did not understand any of this at the time. But after Jesus was raised to glory, they remembered. They saw that these things had been written about him, and that they had happened to him.

17The people therefore that was with him when he called Lazarus out of his grave, and raised him from the dead, bare record.

17The people who were with Jesus when he called Lazarus out of the tomb kept telling others what they had seen.

18For this cause the people also met him, for that they heard that he had done this miracle.

18That is why the crowd went out to meet him. They had heard that he had done this miracle.

19The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after him.

19So the Pharisees said to each other, "Look, we are getting nowhere. The whole world has gone after him!"

20And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast:

20Some Greeks were among the people who had come up to worship at the feast.

21The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.

21They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee. They asked him, "Sir, we would like to see Jesus."

22Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.

22Philip went and told Andrew. Then Andrew and Philip went together and told Jesus.

23And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.

23Jesus answered them, "The time has come for the Son of Man to be raised to glory.

24Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

24I tell you the truth. Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it stays just one seed. But if it dies, it grows and produces much grain.

25He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.

25Whoever loves his own life will lose it. Whoever hates his life in this world will keep it forever.

26If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

26Anyone who serves me must follow me. And where I am, my servant will be there too. My Father will honor anyone who serves me.

27Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.

27"Right now my heart is deeply troubled. What should I say? Should I say, 'Father, save me from this hour'? No. This is the very reason I came to this hour.

28Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.

28Father, bring honor to your name." Then a voice came from heaven: "I have brought honor to it, and I will bring honor to it again."

29The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him.

29The crowd standing there heard it. Some said it was thunder. Others said an angel had spoken to him.

30Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.

30Jesus said, "That voice came for your sake, not for mine.

31Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.

31Now is the time when this world is judged. Now the ruler of this world will be thrown out.

32And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

32And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all people to myself."

33This he said, signifying what death he should die.

33He said this to show what kind of death he was going to die.

34The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man?

34The crowd answered him, "We have heard from the Scriptures that the Christ stays forever. So how can you say the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?"

35Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.

35Then Jesus said to them, "The light will be with you only a little longer. Walk while you have the light, or the dark will catch you. A person walking in the dark does not know where he is going.

36While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.

36While you have the light, believe in the light, so you may belong to the light." After Jesus said these things, he left and hid himself from them.

37But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him:

37Even though he had done so many miracles right in front of them, they still did not believe in him.

38That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?

38This happened so the words of the prophet Isaiah would come true: "Lord, who has believed what we told them? And to whom has the Lord's power been shown?"

39Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again,

39They were not able to believe, because Isaiah also said this:

40He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.

40"He has made their eyes blind and their hearts hard. So they cannot see with their eyes or understand with their hearts, and turn back to me, and let me heal them."

41These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.

41Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus' glory, and he was speaking about him.

42Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue:

42Even so, many of the leaders did believe in Jesus. But they would not say so out loud, because they were afraid of the Pharisees. They did not want to be shut out of the synagogue.

43For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

43They cared more about being praised by people than about being praised by God.

44Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me.

44Then Jesus called out, "Whoever believes in me is not only believing in me, but in the One who sent me.

45And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me.

45And whoever sees me sees the One who sent me.

46I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.

46I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me has to stay in the dark.

47And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.

47If anyone hears my words and does not believe them, I am not the one who judges him. I did not come to judge the world, but to save it.

48He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

48There is a judge for the person who turns me away and will not accept my words. The very message I have spoken will judge him on the last day.

49For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.

49I have not spoken on my own. The Father who sent me told me what to say and how to say it.

50And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.

50And I know that what he commands leads to life that never ends. So whatever I say is exactly what the Father told me to say."