John 12

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 Passover, Jesus came to the town of Bethany. Passover was a holiday the Jewish people kept each year. Lazarus lived there. He was the man Jesus had brought back to life.

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

2The people there made a dinner for Jesus. Martha served the food. Lazarus sat at the table with Jesus.

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.

3Mary brought about a pint of sweet-smelling oil called nard. It cost a lot of money. She poured it on Jesus' feet. Then she wiped his feet with her hair. The whole house smelled like the oil.

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

4Then one of Jesus' followers spoke up. It was Judas Iscariot. He was 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 oil sold for three hundred silver coins? The money could have been given to poor people."

Note"Three hundred pence" means three hundred denarii. One denarius was about one day's pay for a worker, so this oil was worth almost a year of work.

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.

6Judas did not say this because he cared about poor people. He said it because he was a thief. He carried the money bag, and he took money out of it.

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

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

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

8"Poor people will always be with you. But I will not always be here with you."

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 big crowd of Jewish people heard that Jesus was in Bethany. They came to see Jesus. They also came to see Lazarus, the man Jesus raised from the dead.

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

10So the chief priests, the top leaders at the temple, made a plan to kill Lazarus too.

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

11Because of Lazarus, many Jewish people were leaving those leaders and 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 a huge crowd was in Jerusalem for the holiday. They heard that Jesus was coming.

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! God bless the one who comes in the Lord's name! God bless the King of Israel!"

Note"Hosanna" is an old Hebrew shout that means "please save us now." People used it to welcome someone with joy.

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 words written long ago:

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

15"Do not be afraid, city of Zion. Look, your King is coming. He is riding on a young donkey."

Note"Daughter of Sion" is an old way of saying the city of Jerusalem and the people who lived there.

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.

16At first Jesus' followers did not understand any of this. Later, after Jesus was given glory, they remembered. Then they saw that these words had been written about him. They saw that they had done these things for him.

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

17Some people had been there when Jesus called Lazarus out of his grave. They kept telling others what they saw.

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

18That is why the crowd came out to meet Jesus. They had heard about this wonderful thing he did.

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, "See? Nothing we do is working. The whole world is going after him!" The Pharisees were teachers who cared very much about keeping the rules.

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

20Some Greeks had come to worship at the holiday too.

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, one of Jesus' followers. He was from the town of Bethsaida in Galilee. They said, "Sir, we want to see Jesus."

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

22Philip went and told Andrew. Then Andrew and Philip both went 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 given glory." Son of Man was a name Jesus used for himself.

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.

24"I am telling you the truth. A grain of wheat must fall into the ground and die. If it does not, it stays just one seed. But if it dies, it grows and makes much fruit.

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

25"Anyone who loves his own life will lose it. Anyone who 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.

26"Anyone who serves me must follow me. My servant will be where I am. 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"My heart is troubled right now. 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.

28"Father, show everyone how great your name is." Then a voice came from heaven. It said, "I have shown it, and I will show 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 the sound. 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 you, not for me.

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

31"Now 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.

32"And 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, "Our law says the Christ will live forever. The Christ is the King God promised to send. So why do 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.

35Jesus said to them, "The light will be with you only a little longer. Walk while you have the light. Then the dark will not 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.

36"Believe in the light while you have it. Then you will be children of light." After Jesus said this, he went away and hid from them.

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

37Jesus had done many wonderful things while they watched. Even so, they 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 Isaiah would come true. Isaiah was a prophet, someone who told people what God said. He wrote: "Lord, who has believed what we told them? Who has seen the Lord's strong arm at work?"

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

39They were not able to believe. 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. He has made their hearts hard. So they do not see with their eyes. They do not understand with their hearts. They do not turn to me, and I do not heal them."

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

41Isaiah said these things because he saw Jesus' glory. 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 did not say so out loud, because of the Pharisees. They were afraid of being put out of the synagogue. That was the place where Jewish people met to pray and learn.

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

43They wanted praise from people more than praise from 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 just believing in me. He is also believing in the One who sent me.

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

45"And 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.

46"I came into the world as a light. So anyone who believes in me will not 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.

47"Someone may hear my words and not believe them. I do not judge that person. I did not come to judge the world. I came to save the world.

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.

48"Someone may turn me away and not take in my words. There is still something that judges him. The words 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.

49"I have not said these things 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.

50"And I know that what he tells me brings life that lasts forever. So I say exactly what the Father tells me to say."