Knox Bible

1

Six days before the paschal feast, Jesus went to Bethany. Bethany was the home of Lazarus, the dead man whom Jesus raised to life.

2

And a feast was made for him there, at which Martha was waiting at table, while Lazarus was one of his fellow guests.

3

And now Mary brought in a pound of pure spikenard ointment, which was very precious, and poured it over Jesus’ feet, wiping his feet with her hair; the whole house was scented with the ointment.

4

One of his disciples, the same Judas Iscariot who was to betray him, said when he saw it,

5

Why should not this ointment have been sold? It would have fetched three hundred silver pieces, and alms might have been given to the poor.

6

He said this, not from any concern for the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse, and took what was put into it.

7

And Jesus said, Let her alone; enough that she should keep it for the day when my body is prepared for burial.

8

You have the poor among you always; I am not always among you.✻

9

A great number of the Jews heard that he was there and went out there, not only on account of Jesus, but so as to have sight of Lazarus, whom he raised from the dead;

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and the chief priests made a plot against Lazarus’ life too,

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because so many of the Jews, on his account, were beginning to go off and find faith in Jesus.

12

Next day, a great multitude of those who had come up for the feast, hearing that Jesus was coming into Jerusalem,

13

took palm branches with them and went out to meet him, crying aloud, Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, blessed is the king of Israel.

14

And Jesus took an ass’s foal, and mounted on it; so it is written,

15

Do not be afraid, daughter of Sion; behold, thy king is coming to thee, riding on an ass’s colt.✻

16

The disciples did not understand all this at the time: only after Jesus had attained his glory did they remember what they had done, and how it fulfilled the words written of him.✻

17

There were many who had been with him, when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him to life, and these too bore witness of him.

18

Indeed, that was why the multitude went out to meet him, because they had heard of his performing this miracle.

19

And the Pharisees said to one another, Do you see how vain are our efforts? Look, the whole world has turned aside to follow him.

20

And there were certain Gentiles, among those that had come up to worship at the feast,

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who approached Philip, the man from Bethsaida in Galilee, and made a request of him; Sir, they said, we desire to see Jesus.

22

Philip came and told Andrew, and together Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.

23

And Jesus answered them thus, The time has come now for the Son of Man to achieve his glory.

24

Believe me when I tell you this; a grain of wheat must fall into the ground and die,

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or else it remains nothing more than a grain of wheat; but if it dies, then it yields rich fruit. He who loves his life will lose it; he who is an enemy to his own life in this world will keep it, so as to live eternally.

26

If anyone is to be my servant, he must follow my way; so shall my servant too be where I am. If anyone serves me, my Father will do him honour.

27

And now my soul is distressed. What am I to say? I will say,✻ Father, save me from undergoing this hour of trial; and yet, I have only reached this hour of trial that I might undergo it.

28

Father, make thy name known. And at this, a voice came from heaven, I have made it known, and will yet make it known.

29

Thereupon the multitude which stood listening declared that it had thundered; but some of them said, An angel has spoken to him.

30

Jesus answered, It was for your sake, not for mine, that this utterance was made.

31

Sentence is now being passed on this world; now is the time when the prince of this world is to be cast out.

32

Yes, if only I am lifted up from the earth, I will attract all men to myself.

33

(In saying this, he prophesied the death he was to die.)

34

The multitude answered him, We have been told, out of the law, that Christ is to remain undisturbed for ever;✻ what dost thou mean by saying that the Son of Man must be lifted up? What Son of Man is this?

35

And Jesus said to them, The light is among you still, but only for a short time. Finish your journey while you still have the light, for fear darkness should overtake you; he who journeys in darkness cannot tell which way he is going.

36

While you still have the light, have faith in the light, that so you may become children of the light. So much Jesus told them, and then went away, and was lost to their view.

37

Such great miracles he did in their presence, and still they did not believe in him;

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this was in fulfilment of the words spoken by the prophet Isaias, Lord, is there anyone who has believed our message, to whom the power of God has been made known?✻

39

So it was that they could not believe; and indeed, Isaias has said elsewhere:

40

He has blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart, so that they could not see with those eyes, and understand with that heart, and turn back to me, and win healing from me.✻

41

Isaias said this, as one who had seen his glory; it was of him that he spoke.

42

There were, for all that, many of the rulers who had learned to believe in him; but they would not profess it because of the Pharisees, afraid of being forbidden the synagogue.

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They valued their credit with men higher than their credit with God.

44

And Jesus cried out, If a man believes in me, it is in him who sent me, not in me, that he believes;

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to see me is to see him who sent me.

46

I have come into the world as a light, so that all those who believe in me may continue no longer in darkness.

47

If a man hears my words, and does not keep true to them, I do not pass sentence on him; I have come to save the world, not to pass sentence on the world.

48

The man who makes me of no account, and does not accept my words, has a judge appointed to try him; it is the message I have uttered that will be his judge at the last day.

49

And this, because it is not on my own authority that I have spoken; it was my Father, who sent me, that commanded me what words I was to say, what message I was to utter.

50

And I know well that what he commands is eternal life; everything then, which I utter, I utter as my Father has bidden me.