Mary anoints Jesus' feet1Six days before the Passover, Jesus returned to Bethany where Lazarus, who had been raised from the dead, lived.2A dinner was given in Jesus' honour and Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with Jesus.3Mary took a pint of very expensive perfume, pure nard, poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped them with her hair. The whole house was filled with the perfume's fragrance.4-5However, Judas Iscariot, the disciple who was to betray Jesus later, objected: "This perfume is worth so much that it could have been sold and the money distributed to the poor."6He did not say this out of concern for the poor but because he was a thief. He had the responsibility for keeping the money purse and used to help himself from it.7Jesus replied: "Do not trouble her. She is doing what it was intended that she should do by saving this perfume for the time of My burial.8The poor will always be with you, but you will not always have Me."More Jews put their faith in Jesus9A large number of Jewish people discovered that Jesus was there at Bethany and so came, not only to see Him but also to see Lazarus who He had raised from the dead.10This caused the chief priests to plan to kill Lazarus as well as Jesus.11Because of the way he was raised from the dead, many Jews were turning to Jesus and putting their faith in Him.Entrance of the King12On the following day, the great crowd that had come to the city for the feast heard that Jesus was making His way to Jerusalem.13Taking palm branches they went to meet Him, shouting: "The Lord our Saviour!" "Blessed is He who comes in the Lord's name!" "Blessed be Israel's King!"14-15Jesus was riding on a young donkey that had been provided for Him, fulfilling what was written, "Daughter of Zion, do not fear. Look, your King comes seated on a young donkey."16His disciples did not understand what was happening at first. It was only after Jesus had been glorified that they realised that these things had been done to Jesus to fulfil what had been written prophetically about Him.17All those who had witnessed the way Jesus had called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to tell about what they had seen.18Many others, on hearing of such a wonderful miraculous sign, went out to greet Jesus.19The Pharisees were exasperated further. "We are getting nowhere," they said. "Look at what is happening now. The whole world is turning to Him!"Jesus predicts His death20Some Greeks were among those who had come to worship at the feast.21They came to Philip, who was a Galilean from Bethsaida, with a request: "Sir, we want to see Jesus."22Philip told Andrew this and then both went to tell Jesus.23He replied: "Now the time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.24I tell you most emphatically, unless a seed of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies it reproduces itself many times over.25Anyone who lives his life for himself will lose it, but anyone who hates the idea of living in the world for himself, will inherit eternal life.26So whoever chooses to serve Me must follow Me. Where I choose to go, My servant will also go. And My Father will honour all who serve Me.27"Yet now I feel troubled. So what shall I say? 'Father save me from this hour?' No, this was the very reason for which I came.28Father, glorify Your name!" Then a voice from heaven was heard saying: "I have glorified it and will glorify it again."29The crowd said that it had thundered, but others said an angel had spoken to Jesus.30"This voice was for your benefit, not mine," Jesus said. "The time of judgment on this world has come.31Now the prince of this world, the devil, will be driven out.32But when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men to Myself."33This was a veiled reference to the way in which He was going to die.34Then the crowd responded: "In the law we are told that the Christ will be eternal. How can you say, then, that the Son of Man has to be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man to whom you refer?"35Jesus answered: "The Light is going to be with you for only a little longer. Walk in the Light while it is here with you, before the darkness comes to overtake you. For anyone who walks in the dark cannot see where he is going.36While the Light is here with you, trust in that Light, and then you will become sons of that Light." When He had said this, Jesus left them and went away secretly.Unbelief in Jesus37-39Despite the fact that Jesus had performed so many miraculous signs before their eyes, still they would not believe in Him, as was predicted by the prophet Isaiah, "Lord, who has believed the message you gave Me, and to whom has Your arm of power been revealed?" Isaiah explains why the people could not believe:40"God has blinded the eyes of their perception and their hearts are spiritually dead, so they cannot see with their eyes nor can they understand with their hearts and repent, for then they would be healed and set free."41Prophetically Isaiah was shown God's glory and so could speak about Him hundreds of years before He became man.42Although many did not believe in Jesus, some of their leaders did. But because of the animosity of the Pharisees, they would not express their faith publicly or they would have been excommunicated from the synagogue.43Being accepted by others meant more to them than doing what was acceptable to God.44Jesus shouted: "When anyone believes in Me, he not only believes in Me, but also in the Father who sent Me.45To look at Me is to look at the Father who sent Me.46I came to bring light into the world, to deliver from darkness those who believe in Me.47"When someone hears what I say but does not act on My words, I do not judge him for his disobedience. My purpose in coming was not to judge people now, but to save them from the judgment they deserve.48"However, anyone who rejects Me and the words I speak will be judged. The Word I have spoken will be his judge and he will finally be condemned because of his unbelief.49"I do not say this as My own opinion. The Father who sent Me has told Me what to say and even how to say it.50I know that whatever He commands people to do will result in eternal life. So you can be sure that I only say what the Father has commanded Me to say."
Scripture quoted by permission. The passage above is taken from THE TRUTH VERSION. Copyright © 2009 by Colin Urquhart. All rights reserved worldwide. (The Truth New Testament)