Mary Pours Perfume on Jesus

12 It was six days before the Passover Feast. Jesus arrived at Bethany, where Lazarus lived. Lazarus was the one Jesus had raised from the dead. 2A dinner was given at Bethany to honor Jesus. Martha served the food. Lazarus was among those at the table with Jesus.

3Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard. It was an expensive perfume. She poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the sweet smell of the perfume.

4But Judas Iscariot didn’t like what Mary did. He was one of Jesus’ disciples. Later he was going to hand Jesus over to his enemies. Judas said, 5“Why wasn’t this perfume sold? Why wasn’t the money given to poor people? It was worth a year’s pay.”

6He didn’t say this because he cared about the poor. He said it because he was a thief. Judas was in charge of the money bag. He used to help himself to what was in it.

7“Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “The perfume was meant for the day I am buried. 8You will always have the poor among you. But you won’t always have me.”

9Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there, so they came. But they did not come only because of Jesus. They also came to see Lazarus. After all, Jesus had raised him from the dead.

10So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus too. 11Because of Lazarus, many of the Jews were starting to follow Jesus. They were putting their faith in him.

Jesus Enters Jerusalem

12The next day the large crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13So they took branches from palm trees and went out to meet him. They shouted,

“Hosanna!”

“Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Psalm 118:25, 26)

“Blessed is the King of Israel!”

14Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it. This is just as it is written in Scripture. It says,

15 “City of Zion, do not be afraid.

See, your king is coming.

He is sitting on a donkey’s colt.” (Zechariah 9:9)

16At first, Jesus’ disciples did not understand all this. They realized it only after he had received glory. Then they realized that these things had been written about him. They realized that the people had done these things to him.

17A crowd had been with Jesus when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead. So they continued to tell everyone about what had happened. 18Many people went out to meet him. They had heard that he had done this miraculous sign.

19So the Pharisees said to one another, “This isn’t getting us anywhere. Look how the whole world is following him!”

Jesus Tells About His Coming Death

20There were some Greeks among the people who went up to worship during the Feast. 21They came to ask Philip for a favor. Philip was from Bethsaida in Galilee.

“Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.”

22Philip went to tell Andrew. Then Andrew and Philip told Jesus.

23Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to receive glory. 24What I’m about to tell you is true. Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only one seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.

25“Anyone who loves his life will lose it. But anyone who hates his life in this world will keep it and have eternal life. 26Anyone who serves me must follow me. And where I am, my servant will also be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

27“My heart is troubled. What should I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No. This is the very reason I came to this hour. 28Father, bring glory to your name!”

Then a voice came from heaven. It said, “I have brought glory to my name. I will bring glory to it again.”

29The crowd there heard the voice. Some said it was thunder. Others said an angel had spoken to Jesus.

30Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine. 31Now it is time for the world to be judged. Now the prince of this world will be thrown out. 32But I am going to be lifted up from the earth. When I am, I will bring all people to myself.” 33He said this to show them how he was going to die.

34The crowd spoke up. “The Law tells us that the Christ will remain forever,” they said. “So how can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this ‘Son of Man’?”

35Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light. Do this before darkness catches up with you. Anyone who walks in the dark does not know where he is going. 36While you have the light, put your trust in it. Then you can become sons of light.”

When Jesus had finished speaking, he left and hid from them.

The Jews Still Do Not Believe

37Jesus had done all these miraculous signs in front of them. But they still would not believe in him. 38This happened as Isaiah the prophet had said it would. He had said,

“Lord, who has believed what we’ve been saying?

Who has seen the Lord’s saving power?” (Isaiah 53:1)

39For this reason, they could not believe. As Isaiah says in another place,

40 “The Lord has blinded their eyes.

He has closed their minds.

So they can’t see with their eyes.

They can’t understand with their minds.

They can’t turn to the Lord. If they could, he would heal them.” (Isaiah 6:10)

41Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him.

42At the same time that Jesus did those miracles, many of the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees, they would not admit they believed. They were afraid they would be thrown out of the synagogue. 43They loved praise from people more than praise from God.

44Then Jesus cried out, “Anyone who believes in me does not believe in me only. He also believes in the One who sent me. 45When he looks at me, he sees the One who sent me.

46“I have come into the world to be a light. No one who believes in me will stay in darkness.

47“I don’t judge a person who hears my words but does not obey them. I didn’t come to judge the world. I came to save it. 48But there is a judge for anyone who does not accept me and my words. The very words I have spoken will judge him on the last day.

49“I did not speak on my own. The Father who sent me commanded me what to say. He also told me how to say it. 50I know that his command leads to eternal life. So everything I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”

Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet

13 It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world. It was time for him to go to the Father. Jesus loved his disciples who were in the world. So he now showed them how much he really loved them.

2The evening meal was being served. The devil had already tempted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon. He had told Judas to hand Jesus over to his enemies. 3Jesus knew that the Father had put everything under his power. He also knew he had come from God and was returning to God.

4So he got up from the meal and took off his outer clothes. He wrapped a towel around his waist. 5After that, he poured water into a large bowl. Then he began to wash his disciples’ feet. He dried them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

6He came to Simon Peter.

“Lord,” Peter said to him, “are you going to wash my feet?”

7Jesus replied, “You don’t realize now what I am doing. But later you will understand.”

8“No,” said Peter. “You will never wash my feet.”

Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you can’t share life with me.”

9“Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet! Wash my hands and my head too!”

10Jesus answered, “A person who has had a bath needs to wash only his feet. The rest of his body is clean. And you are clean. But not all of you are.”

11Jesus knew who was going to hand him over to his enemies. That was why he said not every one was clean.

12When Jesus finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes. Then he returned to his place.

“Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13“You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord.’ You are right. That is what I am. 14I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet. So you also should wash one another’s feet. 15I have given you an example. You should do as I have done for you.

16“What I’m about to tell you is true. A servant is not more important than his master. And a messenger is not more important than the one who sends him. 17Now you know these things. So you will be blessed if you do them.

Jesus Tells What Judas Will Do

18“I am not talking about all of you. I know those I have chosen. But this will happen so that Scripture will come true. It says, ‘The one who shares my bread has deserted me.’ (Psalm 41:9)

19“I am telling you now, before it happens. When it does happen, you will believe that I am he. 20What I’m about to tell you is true. Anyone who accepts someone I send accepts me. And anyone who accepts me accepts the One who sent me.”

21After he had said this, Jesus’ spirit was troubled. Here is the witness he gave. “What I’m about to tell you is true,” he said. “One of you is going to hand me over to my enemies.”

22His disciples stared at one another. They had no idea which one of them he meant. 23The disciple Jesus loved was next to him at the table. 24Simon Peter motioned to that disciple. He said, “Ask Jesus which one he means.”

25The disciple was leaning back against Jesus. He asked him, “Lord, who is it?”

26Jesus answered, “It is the one I will give this piece of bread to. I will give it to him after I have dipped it in the dish.”

He dipped the piece of bread. Then he gave it to Judas Iscariot, son of Simon. 27As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.

“Do quickly what you are going to do,” Jesus told him.

28But no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. 29Judas was in charge of the money. So some of the disciples thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the Feast. Others thought Jesus was talking about giving something to poor people.

30As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night.

Jesus Says That Peter Will Fail

31After Judas was gone, Jesus spoke. He said, “Now the Son of Man receives glory. And he brings glory to God. 32If the Son brings glory to God, God himself will bring glory to the Son. God will do it at once.

33“My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me. Just as I told the Jews, so I am telling you now. You can’t come where I am going.

34“I give you a new command. Love one another. You must love one another, just as I have loved you. 35If you love one another, everyone will know you are my disciples.”

36Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?”

Jesus replied, “Where I am going you can’t follow now. But you will follow me later.”

37“Lord,” Peter asked, “why can’t I follow you now? I will give my life for you.”

38Then Jesus answered, “Will you really give your life for me? What I’m about to tell you is true. Before the rooster crows, you will say three times that you don’t know me!

Jesus Comforts His Disciples

14 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God. Trust in me also.

2“There are many rooms in my Father’s house. If this were not true, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3If I go and do that, I will come back. And I will take you to be with me. Then you will also be where I am.

4“You know the way to the place where I am going.”

Jesus Is the Way to the Father

5Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going. So how can we know the way?”

6Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7If you really knew me, you would know my Father also. From now on, you do know him. And you have seen him.”

8Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father. That will be enough for us.”

9Jesus answered, “Don’t you know me, Philip? I have been among you such a long time! Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. So how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

10“Don’t you believe that I am in the Father? Don’t you believe that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. The Father lives in me. He is the One who is doing his work. 11Believe me when I say I am in the Father. Also believe that the Father is in me. Or at least believe what the miracles show about me.

12“What I’m about to tell you is true. Anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. In fact, he will do even greater things. That is because I am going to the Father.

13“And I will do anything you ask in my name. Then the Son will bring glory to the Father. 14You may ask me for anything in my name. I will do it.

The Father Will Send the Holy Spirit

15“If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16I will ask the Father. And he will give you another Friend to help you and to be with you forever. 17The Friend is the Spirit of truth. The world can’t accept him. That is because the world does not see him or know him. But you know him. He lives with you, and he will be in you.

18“I will not leave you like children who don’t have parents. I will come to you.

19“Before long, the world will not see me anymore. But you will see me. Because I live, you will live also. 20On that day you will realize that I am in my Father. You will know that you are in me, and I am in you.

21“Anyone who has my commands and obeys them loves me. My Father will love the one who loves me. I too will love him. And I will show myself to him.”

22Then Judas spoke. “Lord,” he said, “why do you plan to show yourself only to us? Why not also to the world?” The Judas who spoke those words was not Judas Iscariot.

23Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love him. We will come to him and make our home with him. 24Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. The words you hear me say are not my own. They belong to the Father who sent me.

25“I have spoken all these things while I am still with you. 26But the Father will send the Friend in my name to help you. The Friend is the Holy Spirit. He will teach you all things. He will remind you of everything I have said to you.

27“I leave my peace with you. I give my peace to you. I do not give it to you as the world does. Do not let your hearts be troubled. And do not be afraid.

28“You heard me say, ‘I am going away. And I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad I am going to the Father. The Father is greater than I am. 29I have told you now before it happens. Then when it does happen, you will believe.

30“I will not speak with you much longer. The prince of this world is coming. He has no power over me. 31But the world must learn that I love the Father. They must also learn that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me to do.

“Come now. Let us leave.

The Vine and the Branches

15 “I am the true vine. My Father is the gardener. 2He cuts off every branch joined to me that does not bear fruit. He trims every branch that does bear fruit. Then it will bear even more fruit.

3“You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4Remain joined to me, and I will remain joined to you. No branch can bear fruit by itself. It must remain joined to the vine. In the same way, you can’t bear fruit unless you remain joined to me.

5“I am the vine. You are the branches. If anyone remains joined to me, and I to him, he will bear a lot of fruit. You can’t do anything without me. 6If anyone does not remain joined to me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and dries up. Branches like those are picked up. They are thrown into the fire and burned.

7“If you remain joined to me and my words remain in you, ask for anything you wish. And it will be given to you. 8When you bear a lot of fruit, it brings glory to my Father. It shows that you are my disciples.

9“Just as the Father has loved me, I have loved you. Now remain in my love. 10If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love. In the same way, I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11I have told you this so that my joy will be in you. I also want your joy to be complete.

12“Here is my command. Love each other, just as I have loved you. 13No one has greater love than the one who gives his life for his friends. 14You are my friends if you do what I command.

15“I do not call you servants anymore. Servants do not know their master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends. I have told you everything I learned from my Father.

16“You did not choose me. Instead, I chose you. I appointed you to go and bear fruit. It is fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you anything you ask for in my name.

17“Here is my command. Love each other.

The World Hates the Disciples

18“Does the world hate you? Remember that it hated me first. 19If you belonged to the world, it would love you like one of its own. But you do not belong to the world. I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.

20“Remember the words I spoke to you. I said, ‘A servant is not more important than his master.’ (John 13:16) If people hated me and tried to hurt me, they will do the same to you. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 21They will treat you like that because of my name. They do not know the One who sent me.

22“If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have no excuse for their sin. 23Those who hate me hate my Father also.

24“I did miracles among them that no one else did. If I hadn’t, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have seen those miracles. And still they have hated both me and my Father. 25This has happened so that what is written in their Law would come true. It says, ‘They hated me without any reason.’ (Psalms 35:19; 69:4)

26“I will send the Friend to you from the Father. He is the Spirit of truth, who comes out from the Father. When the Friend comes to help you, he will give witness about me.

27“You also must give witness. This is because you have been with me from the beginning.