1   Six days before the Passover festival Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived whom he had raised from the dead. 2   There a supper was given in his honour, at which Martha served, and Lazarus sat among the guests with Jesus. 3   Then Mary brought a pound of very costly perfume, pure oil of nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped them with her hair, till the house was filled with the fragrance. 4   At this, Judas Iscariot, a disciple of his—the one who was to betray him—said, 5   ‘Why was this perfume not sold for thirty pounds ^note and given to the poor?’ 6   He said this, not out of any care for the poor, but because he was a thief; he used to pilfer the money put into the common purse, which was in his charge. 7   ‘Leave her alone’, said Jesus. ‘Let her keep it till the day when she prepares for my burial; 8   for you have the poor among you always, but you will not always have me.’ ^note

9   A great number of the Jews heard that he was there, and came not only to see Jesus but also Lazarus whom he had raised from the dead.

Victory over death 10   The chief priests then resolved to do away with Lazarus as well, 11   since on his account many Jews were going over to Jesus and putting their faith in him.

12   The next day the great body of pilgrims who had come to the festival, 13   hearing that Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem, took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, ‘Hosanna! Blessings on him who comes in the name of the Lord! God bless the king of Israel!’ 14   Jesus found a donkey and mounted it, in accordance with the text of Scripture: 15   ‘Fear no more, daughter of Zion; see, your king is coming, mounted on an ass's colt.’

16   At the time his disciples did not understand this, but after Jesus had been glorified they remembered that this had been written about him, and that this had happened to him. 17   The people who were present when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead told what they had seen and heard. 18   That is why the crowd went to meet him; they had heard of this sign that he had performed. 19   The Pharisees said to one another, ‘You see you are doing no good at all; why, all the world has gone after him!’

20   Among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. 21   They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, ‘Sir, we should like to see Jesus.’ 22   So Philip went and told Andrew, and the two of them went to tell Jesus. 23   Then Jesus replied: ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24   In truth, in very truth I tell you, a grain of wheat remains a solitary grain unless it falls into the ground and dies; but if it dies, it bears a rich harvest. 25   The man who loves himself is lost, but he who hates himself in this world will be kept safe for eternal life. 26   If anyone serves me, he must follow me; where I am, my servant will be. Whoever serves me will be honoured by my Father.

27   ‘Now my soul is in turmoil, and what am I to say? Father, save me from this hour. ^noteNo, it was for this that I came to this hour. Father, glorify thy name.’ 28   A voice sounded from heaven: ‘I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.’ 29   The crowd standing by said it was thunder, while others said, ‘An angel has spoken to him.’ 30   Jesus replied, ‘This voice spoke for your sake, not mine. 31   Now is the hour of judgement for this world; now shall the Prince of this world be

Victory over death driven out. 32   And I shall draw all men to myself, when I am lifted up from the earth.’ 33   This he said to indicate the kind of death he was to die.

34   The people answered, ‘Our Law teaches us that the Messiah continues for ever. What do you mean by saying that the Son of Man must be lifted up? 35   What Son of Man is this?’ Jesus answered them: ‘The light is among you still, but not for long. Go on your way while you have the light, so that darkness may not overtake you. He who journeys in the dark does not know where he is going. 36   While you have the light, trust to the light, so that you may become men of light.’ After these words Jesus went away from them into hiding.

37   In spite of the many signs which Jesus had performed in their presence they would not believe in him, 38   for the prophet Isaiah's utterance had to be fulfilled: ‘Lord, who has believed what we reported, and to whom has the Lord's power been revealed?’ 39   So it was that they could not believe, for there is another saying of Isaiah's: ‘He has blinded their eyes and dulled their minds, 40   lest they should see with their eyes, and perceive with their minds, and turn to me to heal them.’ 41   Isaiah said this because ^note he saw his glory and spoke about him.

42   For all that, even among those in authority a number believed in him, but would not acknowledge him on account of the Pharisees, for fear of being banned from the synagogue. 43   For they valued their reputation with men rather than the honour which comes from God.

44   So Jesus cried aloud: ‘When a man believes in me, he believes in him who sent me rather than in me; 45   seeing me, he sees him who sent me. 46   I have come into the world as light, so that no one who has faith in me should remain in darkness. 47   But if anyone hears my words and pays no regard to them, I am not his judge; I have not come to judge the world, but to save the world. 48   There is a judge for the man who rejects me and does not accept my words; the word that I spoke will be his judge on the last day. 49   I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself commanded me what to say and how to speak. 50   I know that his commands are eternal life. What the Father has said to me, therefore—that is what I speak.’

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