Mary Anoints Jesus
(Matthew 26:6–13; Mark 14:3–9; Luke 7:36–50)

1Then six days before the Passover, Jesus went to Bethania, where Lazarus had died, whom Jesus raised up. 2And they made a dinner for him there. And Martha was ministering. And truly, Lazarus was one of those who were sitting at table with him. 3And then Mary took twelve ounces of pure spikenard ointment, very precious, and she anointed the feet of Jesus, and she wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment. 4Then one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was soon to betray him, said, 5“Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the needy?” 6Now he said this, not out of concern for the needy, but because he was a thief and, since he held the purse, he used to carry what was put into it. 7But Jesus said: “Permit her, so that she may keep it against the day of my burial. 8For the poor, you have with you always. But me, you do always not have.”

The Plot to Kill Lazarus

9Now a great multitude of the Jews knew that he was in that place, and so they came, not so much because of Jesus, but so that they might see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10And the leaders of the priests planned to put Lazarus to death also. 11For many of the Jews, because of him, were going away and were believing in Jesus.

The Triumphal Entry
(Zechariah 9:9–13; Matthew 21:1–11; Mark 11:1–11; Luke 19:28–40)

12Then, on the next day, the great crowd that had come to the feast day, when they had heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13took branches of palm trees, and they went ahead to meet him. And they were crying out: “Hosanna! Blessed is he who arrives in the name of the Lord, the king of Israel!” 14And Jesus found a small donkey, and he sat upon it, just as it is written: 15“Do not be afraid, daughter of Zion. Behold, your king arrives, sitting on the colt of a donkey.” 16At first, his disciples did not realize these things. But when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about him, and that these things happened to him. 17And so the crowd that had been with him, when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead, offered testimony. 18Because of this, too, the crowd went out to meet him. For they heard that he had accomplished this sign. 19Therefore, the Pharisees said among themselves: “Do you see that we are accomplishing nothing? Behold, the entire world has gone after him.”

Jesus Predicts His Death

20Now there were certain Gentiles among those who went up so that they might worship on the feast day. 21Therefore, these approached Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and they petitioned him, saying: “Sir, we want to see Jesus.” 22Philip went and told Andrew. Next, Andrew and Philip told Jesus. 23But Jesus answered them by saying: “The hour arrives when the Son of man shall be glorified. 24Amen, amen, I say to you, unless the grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, 25it remains alone. But if it dies, it yields much fruit. Whoever loves his life, will lose it. And whoever hates his life in this world, preserves it unto eternal life. 26If anyone serves me, let him follow me. And where I am, there too my minister shall be. If anyone has served me, my Father will honor him.

27Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say? Father, save me from this hour? But it is for this reason that I came to this hour. 28Father, glorify your name!” And then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” 29Therefore, the crowd, which was standing near and had heard it, said that it was like thunder. Others were saying, “An Angel was speaking with him.” 30Jesus responded and said: “This voice came, not for my sake, but for your sakes. 31Now is the judgment of the world. Now will the prince of this world be cast out. 32And when I have been lifted up from the earth, I will draw all things to myself.” 33(Now he said this, signifying what kind of death he would die.) 34The crowd answered him: “We have heard, from the law, that the Christ remains forever. And so how can you say, ‘The Son of man must be lifted up?’ Who is this Son of man?” 35Therefore, Jesus said to them: “For a brief time, the Light is among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. But whoever walks in darkness does not know where is he going. 36While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may be sons of the Light.” Jesus spoke these things, and then he went away and hid himself from them.

Belief and Unbelief

37And although he had done such great signs in their presence, they did not believe in him, 38so that the word of the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled, which says: “Lord, who has believed in our hearing? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” 39Because of this, they were not able to believe, for Isaiah said again: 40“He has blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart, so that they may not see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and be converted: and then I would heal them.” 41These things Isaiah said, when he saw his glory and was speaking about him.

42Yet truly, many of the leaders also believed in him. But because of the Pharisees, they did not confess him, so that they would not be cast out of the synagogue. 43For they loved the glory of men more than the glory of God.

44But Jesus cried out and said: “Whoever believes in me, does not believe in me, but in him who sent me. 45And whoever sees me, sees him who sent me. 46I have arrived as a light to the world, so that all who believe in me might not remain in darkness. 47And if anyone has heard my words and not kept them, I do not judge him. For I did not come so that I may judge the world, but so that I may save the world. 48Whoever despises me and does not accept my words has one who judges him. The word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him on the last day. 49For I am not speaking from myself, but from the Father who sent me. He gave a commandment to me as to what I should say and how I should speak. 50And I know that his commandment is eternal life. Therefore, the things that I speak, just as the Father has said to me, so also do I speak.”