New Revised Standard NRS
The Message Bible MSG
1 Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.
1
Six days before Passover, Jesus entered Bethany where Lazarus, so recently raised from the dead, was living.
2 There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him.
2
Lazarus and his sisters invited Jesus to dinner at their home. Martha served. Lazarus was one of those sitting at the table with them.
3 Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus' feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
3
Mary came in with a jar of very expensive aromatic oils, anointed and massaged Jesus' feet, and then wiped them with her hair. The fragrance of the oils filled the house.
4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said,
4
Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples, even then getting ready to betray him, said,
5 "Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?"
5
"Why wasn't this oil sold and the money given to the poor? It would have easily brought three hundred silver pieces."
6 (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.)
6
He said this not because he cared two cents about the poor but because he was a thief. He was in charge of their common funds, but also embezzled them.
7 Jesus said, "Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial.
7
Jesus said, "Let her alone. She's anticipating and honoring the day of my burial.
8 You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me."
8
You always have the poor with you. You don't always have me."
9 When the great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, they came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.
9
Word got out among the Jews that he was back in town. The people came to take a look, not only at Jesus but also at Lazarus, who had been raised from the dead.
10 So the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death as well,
10
So the high priests plotted to kill Lazarus
11 since it was on account of him that many of the Jews were deserting and were believing in Jesus.
11
because so many of the Jews were going over and believing in Jesus on account of him. See How Your King Comes
12 The next day the great crowd that had come to the festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem.
12
The next day the huge crowd that had arrived for the Feast heard that Jesus was entering Jerusalem.
13 So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, shouting, "Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord— the King of Israel!"
13
They broke off palm branches and went out to meet him. And they cheered: Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in God's name! Yes! The King of Israel!
14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it; as it is written:
14
Jesus got a young donkey and rode it, just as the Scripture has it:
15 "Do not be afraid, daughter of Zion. Look, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey's colt!"
15
No fear, Daughter Zion: See how your king comes, riding a donkey's colt.
16 His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written of him and had been done to him.
16
The disciples didn't notice the fulfillment of many Scriptures at the time, but after Jesus was glorified, they remembered that what was written about him matched what was done to him.
17 So the crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to testify.
17
The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb, raising him from the dead, was there giving eyewitness accounts.
18 It was also because they heard that he had performed this sign that the crowd went to meet him.
18
It was because they had spread the word of this latest God-sign that the crowd swelled to a welcoming parade.
19 The Pharisees then said to one another, "You see, you can do nothing. Look, the world has gone after him!"
19
The Pharisees took one look and threw up their hands: "It's out of control. The world's in a stampede after him." A Grain of Wheat Must Die
20 Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks.
20
There were some Greeks in town who had come up to worship at the Feast.
21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus."
21
They approached Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee: "Sir, we want to see Jesus. Can you help us?"
22 Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.
22
Philip went and told Andrew. Andrew and Philip together told Jesus.
23 Jesus answered them, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
23
Jesus answered, "Time's up. The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
24 Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
24
"Listen carefully: Unless a grain of wheat is buried in the ground, dead to the world, it is never any more than a grain of wheat. But if it is buried, it sprouts and reproduces itself many times over.
25 Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
25
In the same way, anyone who holds on to life just as it is destroys that life. But if you let it go, reckless in your love, you'll have it forever, real and eternal.
26 Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor.
26
"If any of you wants to serve me, then follow me. Then you'll be where I am, ready to serve at a moment's notice. The Father will honor and reward anyone who serves me.
27 "Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say—"Father, save me from this hour'? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour.
27
"Right now I am storm-tossed. And what am I going to say? 'Father, get me out of this'? No, this is why I came in the first place.
28 Father, glorify your name." Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again."
28
I'll say, 'Father, put your glory on display.'" A voice came out of the sky: "I have glorified it, and I'll glorify it again."
29 The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, "An angel has spoken to him."
29
The listening crowd said, "Thunder!" Others said, "An angel spoke to him!"
30 Jesus answered, "This voice has come for your sake, not for mine.
30
Jesus said, "The voice didn't come for me but for you.
31 Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out.
31
At this moment the world is in crisis. Now Satan, the ruler of this world, will be thrown out.
32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself."
32
And I, as I am lifted up from the earth, will attract everyone to me and gather them around me."
33 He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die.
33
He put it this way to show how he was going to be put to death.
34 The crowd answered him, "We have heard from the law that the Messiah remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?"
34
Voices from the crowd answered, "We heard from God's Law that the Messiah lasts forever. How can it be necessary, as you put it, that the Son of Man 'be lifted up'? Who is this 'Son of Man'?"
35 Jesus said to them, "The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going.
35
Jesus said, "For a brief time still, the light is among you. Walk by the light you have so darkness doesn't destroy you. If you walk in darkness, you don't know where you're going.
36 While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light." After Jesus had said this, he departed and hid from them.
36
As you have the light, believe in the light. Then the light will be within you, and shining through your lives. You'll be children of light."
37 Although he had performed so many signs in their presence, they did not believe in him.
37
All these God-signs he had given them and they still didn't get it, still wouldn't trust him.
38 This was to fulfill the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah: "Lord, who has believed our message, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?"
38
This proved that the prophet Isaiah was right: God, who believed what we preached? Who recognized God's arm, outstretched and ready to act?
39 And so they could not believe, because Isaiah also said,
39
First they wouldn't believe, then they couldn't - again, just as Isaiah said:
40 "He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, so that they might not look with their eyes, and understand with their heart and turn— and I would heal them."
40
Their eyes are blinded, their hearts are hardened, So that they wouldn't see with their eyes and perceive with their hearts, And turn to me, God, so I could heal them.
41 Isaiah said this because he saw his glory and spoke about him.
41
Isaiah said these things after he got a glimpse of God's cascading brightness that would pour through the Messiah.
42 Nevertheless many, even of the authorities, believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they did not confess it, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue;
42
On the other hand, a considerable number from the ranks of the leaders did believe. But because of the Pharisees, they didn't come out in the open with it. They were afraid of getting kicked out of the meeting place.
43 for they loved human glory more than the glory that comes from God.
43
When push came to shove they cared more for human approval than for God's glory.
44 Then Jesus cried aloud: "Whoever believes in me believes not in me but in him who sent me.
44
Jesus summed it all up when he cried out, "Whoever believes in me, believes not just in me but in the One who sent me.
45 And whoever sees me sees him who sent me.
45
Whoever looks at me is looking, in fact, at the One who sent me.
46 I have come as light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain in the darkness.
46
I am Light that has come into the world so that all who believe in me won't have to stay any longer in the dark.
47 I do not judge anyone who hears my words and does not keep them, for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.
47
"If anyone hears what I am saying and doesn't take it seriously, I don't reject him. I didn't come to reject the world;
48 The one who rejects me and does not receive my word has a judge; on the last day the word that I have spoken will serve as judge,
48
I came to save the world. But you need to know that whoever puts me off, refusing to take in what I'm saying, is willfully choosing rejection. The Word, the Word-made-flesh that I have spoken and that I am, that Word and no other is the last word.
49 for I have not spoken on my own, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment about what to say and what to speak.
49
I'm not making any of this up on my own. The Father who sent me gave me orders, told me what to say and how to say it.
50 And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I speak, therefore, I speak just as the Father has told me."
50
And I know exactly what his command produces: real and eternal life. That's all I have to say. What the Father told me, I tell you."
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.