Chapter 12

  Jesus, however, six days before the Passover, came to Bethany, where Lazarus was whom He had raised from the dead.

  So they gave a dinner there in honour of Jesus, at which Martha waited at table, but Lazarus was one of the guests who were with Him.

  Availing herself of the opportunity, Mary took a pound weight of pure spikenard, very costly, and poured it over His feet, and wiped His feet with her hair, so that the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

  Then said Judas (the Iscariot, one of the Twelve--the one who afterwards betrayed Jesus),

  'Why was not that perfume sold for 300 shillings and the money given to the poor?'

  The reason he said this was not that he cared for the poor, but that he was a thief, and that being in charge of the money-box, he used to steal what was put into it.

  But Jesus interposed. 'Do not blame her,' He said, 'allow her to have kept it for the time of my preparation for burial.

  For the poor you always have with you, but you have not me always.'

  Now it became widely known among the Jews that Jesus was there; but they came not only on His account, but also in order to see Lazarus whom He had brought back to life.

  The High Priests, however, consulted together to put Lazarus also to death,

  for because of him many of the Jews left them and became believers in Jesus.

  The next day a great crowd of those who had come to the Festival, hearing that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,

  took branches of the palm trees and went out to meet Him, shouting as they went, 'God save him! Blessings on him who comes in the name of the Lord--even on the King of Israel!'

  And Jesus, having procured a young ass, sat upon it, just as the Scripture says,

  'Fear not, Daughter of Zion! See, thy King is coming riding on an ass's colt.'

  The meaning of this His disciples did not understand at the time; but after Jesus was glorified they recollected that this was written about Him, and that they had done this to Him.

  The large number of people, however, who had been present when He called Lazarus out of the tomb and brought him back to life, related what they had witnessed.

  This was also why the crowd came to meet Him, because they had heard of His having performed that miracle.

  The result was that the Pharisees said among themselves, 'Observe how idle all your efforts are! The world is gone after him!'

  Now some of those who used to come up to worship at the Festival were Greeks.

  They came to Philip, of Bethsaida in Galilee, with the request, 'Sir, we wish to see Jesus.'

  Philip came and told Andrew: Andrew and Philip told Jesus.

  His answer was, 'The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

  In most solemn truth I tell you that unless the grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains what it was--a single grain; but that if it dies, it yields a rich harvest.

  He who holds his life dear, is destroying it; and he who makes his life of no account in this world shall keep it to the Life of the Ages.

  If a man wishes to be my servant, let him follow me; and where I am, there too shall my servant be. If a man wishes to be my servant, the Father will honour him.

  Now is my soul full of trouble; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour. But for this purpose I have come to this hour.

  Father, glorify Thy name.' Thereupon there came a voice from the sky, 'I have glorified it and will also glorify it again.'

  The crowd that stood by and heard it, said that there had been thunder. Others said, 'An angel spoke to him.'

  'It is not for my sake,' said Jesus, 'that that voice came, but for your sakes.

  Now is a judgement of this world: now will the Prince of this world be driven out.

  And I-- if I am lifted up from the earth--will draw all men to me.'

  He said this to indicate the kind of death He would die.

  The crowd answered Him, 'We have heard out of the Law that the Christ remains for ever. In what sense do you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is that Son of Man?'

  'Yet a little while,' He replied, 'the light is among you. Be faithful to the light that you have, for fear darkness should overtake you; for a man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going.

  In the degree that you have light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light.' Jesus said this, and went away and hid Himself from them.

  But though He had performed such great miracles in their presence, they did not believe in Him--

  in order that the words of Isaiah the Prophet might be fulfilled, 'Lord, who has believed our preaching? And the arm of the Lord--to whom has it been unveiled?'

  For this reason they were unable to believe--because Isaiah said again,

  'He has blinded their eyes and made their minds callous, lest they should see with their eyes and perceive with their minds, and should turn, and I should heal them.'

  Isaiah uttered these words because he saw His glory; and he spoke of Him.

  Nevertheless even from among the Rulers many believed in Him. But because of the Pharisees they did not avow their belief, for fear they should be shut out from the synagogue.

  For they loved the glory that comes from men rather than the glory that comes from God.

  But Jesus cried aloud, 'He who believes in me, believes not so much in me, as in Him who sent me;

  and he who sees me sees Him who sent me.

  I have come like light into the world, in order that no one who believes in me may remain in the dark.

  And if any one hears my teachings and regards them not, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.

  He who sets me at naught and does not receive my teachings is not left without a judge: the Message which I have spoken will judge him on the last day.

  Because I have not spoken on my own authority; but the Father who sent me, Himself gave me a command what to say and in what words to speak.

  And I know that His command is the Life of the Ages. What therefore I speak, I speak just as the Father has bidden me.'