1
Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.

2
There they gave a supper for Him, and Martha served, while Lazarus was one of those reclining at table with Jesus.

3
Then Mary took a pound of very costly pure nard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair; and the fragrance of the ointment filled the whole house.

4
But Judas Iscariot, one of Jesus’ disciples, who was about to betray Him, said:

5
“Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?”

6
He said this not because he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief; he often took money from the money box that was entrusted to him.

7
Then Jesus said: “Leave her alone, so that she may keep this for the day of My burial.

8
For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have Me.”

9
A large crowd of Jews learned that Jesus was there, and they came not only because of Jesus, but also to see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead.

10
So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus also,

11
because on account of him many of the Jews were leaving them and believing in Jesus.

12
The next day, when the crowd that had come for the feast heard that Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem,

13
they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, crying out:

“Hosanna!
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel!”

14
Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written:

15
“Do not be afraid, daughter of Zion; behold, your King is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt.”

16
At first His disciples did not understand these things, but after Jesus was glorified, they remembered that these things had been written about Him and that they had done these things to Him.

17
The crowd that had been with Him when He called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead bore witness.

18
For this reason the crowd went to meet Him, because they heard that He had done this sign.

19
So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are getting nowhere at all; look, the whole world has gone after Him.”

20
Among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks.

21
Those people went to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, “Sir, we want to see Jesus.”

22
Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip then told Jesus.

23
But Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

24
Truly, truly, I say to you: unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.

25
Whoever loves his life will lose it, but whoever does not love his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

26
If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me, and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.

27
Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? Father, save Me from this hour? No, for this reason I have come to this hour.

28
Father, glorify Your name!” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again!”

29
The crowd standing there and hearing it said that it was thunder. Others said, “An angel has spoken to Him.”

30
Jesus answered, “This voice came not for My sake, but for your sake.

31
Now judgment is taking place upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out;

32
and I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to Myself.”

33
He said this to show by what kind of death He was going to die.

34
Then 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?”

35
Jesus said to them, “The light is with you only a little while longer. While you have the light, believe in it, so that darkness may not overtake you; whoever walks in darkness does not know where he is going.

36
Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.”

After saying these things, Jesus went away and hid Himself from them.

37
And although Jesus had done so many signs before their eyes, yet they did not believe in Him,

38
so that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:

“Lord, who has believed our report?
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”

39
Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah had also said:

40
“He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so that they should not see with their eyes, and understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.”

41
Isaiah said these things because he saw His glory and spoke of Him.

42
Nevertheless, many even among the rulers believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess it openly, lest they be put out of the synagogue.

43
For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

44
But Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in Me, believes not in Me, but in Him who sent Me;

45
and whoever sees Me sees Him who sent Me.

46
I have come into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in Me should not remain in darkness.

47
And if anyone hears My words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I came not to judge the world, but to save it.

48
Whoever rejects Me and does not receive My words has one who judges him: the word that I have spoken, that will judge him in the last day.

49
For I have not spoken on My own authority, but the Father who sent Me has Himself given Me a commandment, what I should say and what I should speak.

50
And I know that His commandment is eternal life. Therefore, what I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me.”

📖 John 12 – Anointing, Glory, and Rejection

🧾 Summary of John 12

John 12 is an important transition in Jesus’ ministry. In this chapter, He draws ever nearer to the cross. Mary anoints Him, Jesus enters Jerusalem amid shouts of praise, and then speaks of His death as a seed of life. Yet even though many miracles were done by Him, many people still did not believe. Jesus delivers His final message before ending His public ministry.

1. Mary Anoints Jesus (verses 1–11)

Six days before Passover, Jesus came to Bethany and dined at Lazarus’ house.
Mary took a pound of pure, costly nard and anointed Jesus’ feet, wiping them with her hair.
Judas Iscariot criticized the act because, in his view, the ointment could have been sold for the poor (though he was stealing).
Jesus defended Mary:

“Leave her alone, that she may keep this for the day of My burial.” (verse 7)

Many people came, not only because of Jesus, but also to see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead.
The chief priests began to plan to kill Lazarus as well, because many people were believing in Jesus because of him.

2. Jesus Enters Jerusalem (verses 12–19)

This event is known as the Triumphal Entry: Jesus was welcomed as King by the crowd, who carried palm branches and cried out:

“Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel!” (verse 13)

He rode on a donkey, fulfilling the prophecy from Zechariah 9:9.
The disciples did not understand all this at the time, but later they remembered it after Jesus was glorified.
The Pharisees were frustrated because Jesus’ influence was growing greater.

3. Jesus Foretells His Death (verses 20–36)

Some Greeks wanted to meet Jesus; this showed that Jesus’ mission was beginning to reach the nations.
Jesus said:

“Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it produces much fruit.” (verse 24)

He described His death as the way to glory and new life.
Then a voice came from heaven (as at Jesus’ baptism), but the people thought it was thunder or the voice of an angel.
Jesus said that judgment upon the world had come, and:

“And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to Myself.” (verse 32)

4. Rejection Despite Many Signs (verses 37–43)

Though Jesus performed many miracles, many people still did not believe.
This fulfilled the prophet Isaiah’s prophecy that their hearts had been hardened.
Some of the leaders believed, but they were afraid of the Pharisees, because they loved human praise more than the praise of God.

5. Jesus’ Final Message to the World (verses 44–50)

Jesus said:

“Whoever believes in Me does not believe in Me only, but in Him who sent Me.”
“I have come as light into the world.”
“The word that I have spoken will judge him at the last day.”

This is Jesus’ final public call, before He entered the phase of suffering and crucifixion.

📘 Key Teachings of John 12

True sacrifice for Jesus is not in vain: Mary gave her best, even though she was criticized.
Jesus is a humble King – not conquering with a sword, but with love.
Death is the way to glory – both for Jesus, and for us who follow Him.
Acceptance or rejection of the light determines eternal destiny.
Human praise often becomes an obstacle to true faith (verse 43).

✨ Spiritual Meaning of John 12

Mary’s anointing is a pure act of worship—she gave the best to Jesus, beyond human logic.
When the world wanted a politically powerful King, Jesus came as the King of peace, entering on a donkey, not a warhorse.
The cross is God’s way that seems weak, yet is truly full of power—from death comes life.
We are called to be a seed willing to die in order to bear fruit, namely by letting go of selfish desires.
Believing in Jesus is not merely emotion, but a real act of rejecting or receiving His light and His word.