1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead, was. 2 So they made him a dinner there, and Martha was serving, but Lazarus was one of those who was lying down at the table with Jesus. 3 Then Mary took a litra of perfume made of very precious pure nard, anointed the feet of Jesus with it, and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples, the one who would betray him, said, 5 “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” 6 Now he said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief. He had the moneybag and would steal from what was put in it. 7 Jesus said, “Allow her to keep what she has for the day of my burial. 8 You will always have the poor with you. But you will not always have me.” 9 Now a large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus was there, and they came, not only for Jesus, but also to see Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 10 The chief priests conspired together so that they might also put Lazarus to death; 11 for it was because of him that many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus. 12 On the next day a great crowd came to the festival. When they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13 they took the branches of the palm trees and went out to meet him and cried out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel.” 14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it; as it was written, 15 “Do not fear, daughter of Zion; see, your King is coming, sitting on the colt of a donkey.” 16 His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, they remembered that these things had been written about him and that they had done these things to him. 17 Now the crowd testified that they had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him up from the dead. 18 It was also for this reason that the crowd went out to meet him, because they heard that he had done this sign. 19 The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, “Look, you can do nothing; see, the world has gone after him.” 20 Now certain Greeks were among those who were going up to worship at the festival. 21 These went to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, saying, “Sir, we want to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew went with Philip, and they told Jesus. 23 Jesus answered them and said, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone; but if it dies, it will bear much fruit. 25 He who loves his life will lose it; but he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 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. 27 Now my soul is troubled and what should I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? But for this reason I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven and said, “I have glorified it and I will glorify it again.” 29 Then the crowd that stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” 30 Jesus answered and said, “This voice did not come for me, but for you. 31 Now is the judgment of this world: Now will the ruler of this world be thrown out. 32 When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.” 33 He said this to indicate what kind of death he would die. 34 The crowd answered him, “We have heard from the law that the Christ will stay forever. How can you say, 'The Son of Man must be lifted up'? Who is this Son of Man?” 35 Jesus then said to them, “The light will still be with you for a short amount of time. Walk while you have the light, so that darkness does not overtake you. He who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. 36 While you have the light, believe in the light so that you may be sons of light.” Jesus said these things and then departed and hid from them. 37 Although Jesus had done so many signs before them, yet they did not believe in him 38 so that the word of Isaiah the prophet would be fulfilled, in which he said: “Lord, who has believed our report, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” 39 For this reason they could not believe, for Isaiah had also said, 40 “He has blinded their eyes, and he has hardened their hearts; otherwise they would see with their eyes and understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.” 41 Isaiah said these things because he saw the glory of Jesus and spoke of him. 42 But despite that, many of the rulers believed in Jesus; but because of the Pharisees, they did not admit it so that they would not be banned from the synagogue. 43 They loved the praise that comes from people more than the praise that comes from God. 44 Jesus cried out and said, “The one who believes in me, believes not only in me but also in him who sent me, 45 and the one who sees me sees him who sent me. 46 I have come as a light into the world, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in the darkness. 47 If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I have not come to judge the world, but to save the world. 48 The one who rejects me and who does not receive my words, has one who judges him. The word I have spoken will judge him on the last day. 49 For I did not speak for myself, but it is the Father who sent me, who has given me the command about what to say and what to speak. 50 I know that his command is eternal life, so that is what I say—just as the Father has spoken to me, so I speak.”
John 12 Unlocked Literal Bible
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Lazarus
A man of Bethany, brother of Mary and Martha, whom Jesus loved and raised from the dead and who was later at table with Him.
Cited in the guide: John 11:1; John 11:5; John 12:1
Places
Bethany
Bethany was Jesus' lodging near Jerusalem during Passion week and the home of Lazarus. Luke sets the Ascension close by.
Cited in the guide: John 11:1; John 12:1; Luke 24:50
Cross references (50)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Mark 14:3–8; Luke 24:50; John 11:1; Matthew 21:17; John 11:55
- 2 Luke 22:27; Revelation 3:20; Luke 10:38–42; John 12:9–10; Mark 14:3
- 3 Mark 14:3–9; John 11:2; Luke 10:38–39; Luke 7:37–38; Matthew 26:6–13
- 4 Matthew 10:4; 1 Samuel 17:28–29; John 18:2–5; John 13:2; Luke 6:16
- 5 Luke 12:33; Luke 18:22; Mark 14:4–5; Matthew 26:8–9; Luke 6:41
- 6 John 13:29; Psalm 50:16–20; James 2:6; James 2:2; 2 Kings 5:20–27
- 7 Matthew 26:12; Mark 14:6; Matthew 27:57–60; Matthew 26:10; Mark 15:42–47
- 8 Deuteronomy 15:11; Mark 14:7; Matthew 26:11; John 12:35; John 13:33
- 9 Acts 4:14; John 11:43–45; Acts 3:10–11
- 10 Luke 16:31; Genesis 4:4–10; Matthew 2:16; John 11:47–53; Job 40:8–9
- 11 John 11:45; Acts 13:45; James 3:14–16; John 12:18; John 15:18–25
- 12 Mark 11:7–10; Luke 19:35–38; Matthew 21:4–9; John 11:55–56
- 13 Psalm 118:25–26; Revelation 15:3; Luke 19:35–38; Matthew 21:9–11; Revelation 7:9
- 14 Zechariah 9:9; Mark 11:1–7; Matthew 21:1–7; Luke 19:29–35
- 15 Zechariah 9:9; Isaiah 62:11; Zephaniah 3:16–17; Isaiah 35:4–5; 2 Samuel 16:2
- 16 John 2:22; John 14:26; John 7:39; John 12:23; Acts 2:36
- 17 1 John 5:9–12; Revelation 1:2; Acts 1:22; John 12:9; Acts 5:32
- 18 John 12:11
- 19 Acts 17:6; Psalm 22:27; Acts 4:16–17; 1 John 2:2; John 3:26
- 20 John 7:35; Isaiah 11:10; Acts 17:4; 1 Kings 8:41–43; Mark 7:26
- 21 Matthew 2:2; Luke 19:2–4; John 14:8–9; John 6:40; Matthew 11:21
- 22 Luke 9:49–50; John 1:40–41; Mark 10:13–14; John 6:8; Matthew 10:5
- 23 John 13:31–32; John 17:1–5; Mark 14:41; 1 Peter 2:9–10; Isaiah 49:5–6
- 24 1 Corinthians 15:36–38; Hebrews 2:9–10; Isaiah 53:10–12; John 12:32–33; Psalm 72:16
- 25 Matthew 10:39; Luke 9:23–24; Mark 8:35; Luke 17:33; Matthew 16:25
- 26 Colossians 3:24; Galatians 1:10; 1 Samuel 2:30; John 10:27; John 17:24
- 27 John 12:23; Isaiah 38:15; Hebrews 5:7; Mark 14:33–36; Matthew 26:42
- 28 John 13:31–32; Matthew 26:42; Revelation 5:9–14; John 11:40–44; Isaiah 49:3–7
- 29 Job 37:2–5; Revelation 6:1; Revelation 14:2; Exodus 19:16; Ezekiel 10:5
- 30 John 11:42; 2 Corinthians 8:9; John 11:15; John 5:34
- 31 2 Corinthians 4:4; 1 John 3:8; 1 John 5:19; John 14:30; Ephesians 6:12
- 32 John 3:14; John 8:28; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 2:2; John 1:7
- 33 John 18:32; John 21:19
- 34 Ezekiel 37:24–25; Isaiah 9:7; Daniel 7:14; Psalm 110:4; Daniel 2:44
- 35 John 12:46; John 16:16; Ephesians 5:8; 1 John 1:6–7; John 8:12
- 36 Ephesians 5:8; 1 Thessalonians 5:5; John 8:59; Luke 16:8; John 1:7
- 37 Luke 16:31; John 1:11; John 15:24; Matthew 11:20; John 11:42
- 38 Isaiah 53:1; Romans 10:16; Romans 10:20; 1 Corinthians 1:24; 2 Corinthians 4:3–6
- 39 John 5:44; Isaiah 6:9–10; 2 Peter 2:14; John 10:38; John 6:44
- 40 Isaiah 6:10; Matthew 13:13–15; Luke 8:10; Mark 4:12; Isaiah 57:18–19
- 41 Isaiah 6:1–5; John 1:14; Isaiah 6:9–10; John 1:18; John 5:39
- 42 John 7:13; Isaiah 51:7; John 9:22; Proverbs 29:25; Matthew 10:32
- 43 John 5:44; Matthew 23:5–7; John 5:41; Luke 16:15; 2 Corinthians 10:18
- 44 Matthew 10:40; John 5:24; John 13:20; Mark 9:37; John 7:28
- 45 John 14:9–10; 2 Corinthians 4:6; Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3; John 12:41
- 46 John 8:12; Psalm 36:9; John 9:5; Isaiah 42:7; John 12:35–36
- 47 John 3:17; John 12:48; John 8:15–16; 1 Timothy 1:15–16; 1 John 4:14
- 48 Luke 10:16; Hebrews 9:27–28; Romans 2:16; 2 Thessalonians 1:8; John 3:17–20
- 49 John 14:10; John 8:26; John 5:30; John 17:8; Deuteronomy 18:18
- 50 John 17:3; John 6:68; 1 John 5:20; John 6:63; 1 Timothy 1:16
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
What is it, Brethren, which we have heard the Lord saying, "He that believeth on Me, believeth not on Me, but on Him that sent Me"?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
After our Lord's raising of one to life, who had been four days dead, to the utter amazement of the Jews, some of whom believed on seeing it, and others perished in their envy, because of that sweet savor which is unto life to some, and to others unto death; after He had sat down to meat with Lazarus--the one …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 7 (1888)
As wealth is wont to hurl into destruction those who are not heedful, so also is power; the first leads into covetousness, the second into pride.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 14 (1889)
… again, was indicated when He said, "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death;" her fear by the words, "Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me;" and her perplexity, too, when He said, "And what I shall say, I know not."
For there is yet a little light in men; let them walk--let them "walk," that the "darkness" seize them not.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)