John 12
New Testament · English Majority Text Version with Greek parallel
John chapter 12 is given here in full, verse by verse, in the English Majority Text Version (EMTV), with the Byzantine Majority Text set beneath each verse. The text follows the Byzantine textual tradition used in the Orthodox Church.
9 patristic excerpts are attached to this chapter, from 3 Fathers — Saint John Chrysostom, Saint Augustine of Hippo, and Saint Augustine.
John 12
1Then Jesus, six days before the Passover, came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had died, whom He raised from the dead.Ὁ οὖν Ἰησοῦς πρὸ ἓξ ἡμερῶν τοῦ Πάσχα ἦλθεν εἰς Βηθανίαν, ὅπου ἦν Λάζαρος ὁ τεθνηκώς, ὃν ἤγειρεν ἐκ νεκρῶν.
2Then they made for Him a supper there; and Martha was serving, but Lazarus was one of those reclining to eat with Him.Ἐποίησαν οὖν αὐτῷ δεῖπνον ἐκεῖ, καὶ ἡ Μάρθα διηκόνει· ὁ δὲ Λάζαρος εἷς ἦν τῶν ἀνακειμένων σὺν αὐτῷ.
3Then Mary, having taken a pound of very costly pure nard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.Ἡ οὖν Μαρία λαβοῦσα λίτραν μύρου νάρδου πιστικῆς πολυτίμου, ἤλειψε τοὺς πόδας τοῦ Ἰησοῦ, καὶ ἐξέμαξε ταῖς θριξὶν αὐτῆς τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ· ἡ δὲ οἰκία ἐπληρώθη ἐκ τῆς ὀσμῆς τοῦ μύρου.
4Then one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, who was about to betray Him, said,Λέγει οὖν εἷς ἐκ τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ, Ἰούδας Σίμωνος Ἰσκαριώτης, ὁ μέλλων αὐτὸν παραδιδόναι,
5“Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?”Διὰ τί τοῦτο τὸ μύρον οὐκ ἐπράθη τριακοσίων δηναρίων, καὶ ἐδόθη πτωχοῖς;
6This he said, not because he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to pilfer the things which were placed in it.Εἶπε δὲ τοῦτο, οὐχ ὅτι περὶ τῶν πτωχῶν ἔμελεν αὐτῷ, ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι κλέπτης ἦν, καὶ τὸ γλωσσόκομον εἶχε, καὶ τὰ βαλλόμενα ἐβάσταζεν.
7But Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial.Εἶπεν οὖν ὁ Ἰησοῦς, Ἄφες αὐτήν· εἰς τὴν ἡμέραν τοῦ ἐνταφιασμοῦ μου τετήρηκεν αὐτό.
8For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.”Τοὺς πτωχοὺς γὰρ πάντοτε ἔχετε μεθ᾽ ἑαυτῶν, ἐμὲ δὲ οὐ πάντοτε ἔχετε.
9Now a large crowd from the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead.Ἔγνω οὖν ὄχλος πολὺς ἐκ τῶν Ἰουδαίων ὅτι ἐκεῖ ἐστι· καὶ ἦλθον οὐ διὰ τὸν Ἰησοῦν μόνον, ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα καὶ τὸν Λάζαρον ἴδωσιν, ὃν ἤγειρεν ἐκ νεκρῶν.
10But the chief priests took counsel, that they might also kill Lazarus,Ἐβουλεύσαντο δὲ οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς ἵνα καὶ τὸν Λάζαρον ἀποκτείνωσιν·
11because on account of him many of the Jews were going away, and were believing in Jesus.ὅτι πολλοὶ δι᾽ αὐτὸν ὑπῆγον τῶν Ἰουδαίων, καὶ ἐπίστευον εἰς τὸν Ἰησοῦν.
12On the next day a large crowd which was coming to the feast, having heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,Τῇ ἐπαύριον ὄχλος πολὺς ὁ ἐλθὼν εἰς τὴν ἑορτήν, ἀκούσαντες ὅτι ἔρχεται Ἰησοῦς εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα,
13took the branches of the palm trees and went out to meet Him, and they were crying out, “Hosanna! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ The King of Israel!”ἔλαβον τὰ βαΐα τῶν φοινίκων, καὶ ἐξῆλθον εἰς ὑπάντησιν αὐτῷ, καὶ ἔκραζον, Ὡσαννά· εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου, βασιλεὺς τοῦ Ἰσραήλ.
14Then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, He sat on it; as it is written:Εὑρὼν δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς ὀνάριον, ἐκάθισεν ἐπ᾽ αὐτό, καθώς ἐστι γεγραμμένον,
15“Do not fear, daughter of Zion; behold, your King is coming, sitting on the colt of a donkey.”Μὴ φοβοῦ, θύγατερ Σιών· ἰδού, ὁ βασιλεύς σου ἔρχεται, καθήμενος ἐπὶ πῶλον ὄνου.
16His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him, and that they did these things to Him.Ταῦτα δὲ οὐκ ἔγνωσαν οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ τὸ πρῶτον· ἀλλ᾽ ὅτε ἐδοξάσθη Ἰησοῦς, τότε ἐμνήσθησαν ὅτι ταῦτα ἦν ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ γεγραμμένα, καὶ ταῦτα ἐποίησαν αὐτῷ.
17Therefore the crowd which was with Him when He called Lazarus out of his tomb and raised him from the dead, was testifying.Ἐμαρτύρει οὖν ὁ ὄχλος ὁ ὢν μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ ὅτε τὸν Λάζαρον ἐφώνησεν ἐκ τοῦ μνημείου, καὶ ἤγειρεν αὐτὸν ἐκ νεκρῶν.
18On account of this the crowd also met Him, because they heard that He had done this sign.Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὑπήντησεν αὐτῷ ὁ ὄχλος, ὅτι ἤκουσε τοῦτο αὐτὸν πεποιηκέναι τὸ σημεῖον.
19The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, “You see that you are not doing any good. Look, the world has gone after Him!”Οἱ οὖν Φαρισαῖοι εἶπον πρὸς ἑαυτούς, Θεωρεῖτε ὅτι οὐκ ὠφελεῖτε οὐδέν· ἴδε ὁ κόσμος ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ ἀπῆλθεν.
20And there were some Greeks among those coming up, so that they might worship at the feast.Ἦσαν δέ τινες Ἕλληνες ἐκ τῶν ἀναβαινόντων ἵνα προσκυνήσωσιν ἐν τῇ ἑορτῇ·
21Then they approached Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and they asked him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”οὗτοι οὖν προσῆλθον Φιλίππῳ τῷ ἀπὸ Βηθσαϊδὰ τῆς Γαλιλαίας, καὶ ἠρώτων αὐτὸν λέγοντες, Κύριε, θέλομεν τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἰδεῖν.
22Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn Andrew and Philip told Jesus.Ἔρχεται Φίλιππος καὶ λέγει τῷ Ἀνδρέᾳ· καὶ πάλιν Ἀνδρέας καὶ Φίλιππος λέγουσι τῷ Ἰησοῦ.
23But Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified.Ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς ἀπεκρίνατο αὐτοῖς λέγων, Ἐλήλυθεν ἡ ὥρα ἵνα δοξασθῇ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου.
24Most assuredly 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.Ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ἐὰν μὴ ὁ κόκκος τοῦ σίτου πεσὼν εἰς τὴν γῆν ἀποθάνῃ, αὐτὸς μόνος μένει· ἐὰν δὲ ἀποθάνῃ, πολὺν καρπὸν φέρει.
25He that loves his life shall lose it, and he that hates his life in this world shall keep it for eternal life.Ὁ φιλῶν τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ἀπολέσει αὐτήν· καὶ ὁ μισῶν τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ τούτῳ εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον φυλάξει αὐτήν.
26And if anyone serve Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant shall be also. If anyone serve Me, him My Father will honor.Ἐὰν ἐμοὶ διακονῇ τις, ἐμοὶ ἀκολουθείτω· καὶ ὅπου εἰμὶ ἐγώ, ἐκεῖ καὶ ὁ διάκονος ὁ ἐμὸς ἔσται· καὶ ἐάν τις ἐμοὶ διακονῇ, τιμήσει αὐτὸν ὁ πατήρ.
27“Now My soul has been troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this reason I came to this hour.Νῦν ἡ ψυχή μου τετάρακται· καὶ τί εἴπω; Πάτερ, σῶσόν με ἐκ τῆς ὥρας ταύτης. Ἀλλὰ διὰ τοῦτο ἦλθον εἰς τὴν ὥραν ταύτην.
28Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came out of heaven, saying, “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.”Πάτερ, δόξασόν σου τὸ ὄνομα. Ἦλθεν οὖν φωνὴ ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, Καὶ ἐδόξασα, καὶ πάλιν δοξάσω.
29Therefore the crowd which was standing and heard were saying that it had thundered. Others were saying, “An angel has spoken to Him.”Ὁ οὖν ὄχλος ὁ ἑστὼς καὶ ἀκούσας ἔλεγε βροντὴν γεγονέναι· ἄλλοι ἔλεγον, Ἄγγελος αὐτῷ λελάληκεν.
30Jesus answered and said, “This voice did not come for My sake, but for your sake.Ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς καὶ εἶπεν, Οὐ δι᾽ ἐμὲ αὕτη ἡ φωνὴ γέγονεν, ἀλλὰ δι᾽ ὑμᾶς.
31Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world shall be cast out.Νῦν κρίσις ἐστὶ τοῦ κόσμου τούτου· νῦν ὁ ἄρχων τοῦ κόσμου τούτου ἐκβληθήσεται ἔξω.
32And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.”Κἀγὼ ἐὰν ὑψωθῶ ἐκ τῆς γῆς, πάντας ἑλκύσω πρὸς ἐμαυτόν.
33This He said, signifying by what kind of death He was about to die.Τοῦτο δὲ ἔλεγε, σημαίνων ποίῳ θανάτῳ ἔμελλεν ἀποθνῄσκειν.
34The crowd answered Him, “We heard from the law that the Christ abides forever; and so how do You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?”Ἀπεκρίθη αὐτῷ ὁ ὄχλος, Ἡμεῖς ἠκούσαμεν ἐκ τοῦ νόμου ὅτι ὁ Χριστὸς μένει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα· καὶ πῶς σὺ λέγεις, Δεῖ ὑψωθῆναι τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου; Τίς ἐστιν οὗτος ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου;
35Then Jesus said to them, “For yet a little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going.Εἶπεν οὖν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς, Ἔτι μικρὸν χρόνον τὸ φῶς μεθ᾽ ὑμῶν ἐστι. Περιπατεῖτε ἕως τὸ φῶς ἔχετε, ἵνα μὴ σκοτία ὑμᾶς καταλάβῃ· καὶ ὁ περιπατῶν ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ οὐκ οἶδε ποῦ ὑπάγει.
36While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become sons of light.” These things Jesus spoke, and departing, He was hidden from them.Ἕως τὸ φῶς ἔχετε, πιστεύετε εἰς τὸ φῶς, ἵνα υἱοὶ φωτὸς γένησθε. Ταῦτα ἐλάλησεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς, καὶ ἀπελθὼν ἐκρύβη ἀπ᾽ αὐτῶν.
37But even though He had done so many signs in their presence, they did not believe in Him,Τοσαῦτα δὲ αὐτοῦ σημεῖα πεποιηκότος ἔμπροσθεν αὐτῶν, οὐκ ἐπίστευον εἰς αὐτόν·
38that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he said: “Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”ἵνα ὁ λόγος Ἡσαΐου τοῦ προφήτου πληρωθῇ, ὃν εἶπε, Κύριε, τίς ἐπίστευσε τῇ ἀκοῇ ἡμῶν; Καὶ ὁ βραχίων Κυρίου τίνι ἀπεκαλύφθη;
39Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again:Διὰ τοῦτο οὐκ ἠδύναντο πιστεύειν, ὅτι πάλιν εἶπεν Ἡσαΐας,
40“He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, lest they should see with their eyes, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.”Τετύφλωκεν αὐτῶν τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς, καὶ πεπώρωκεν αὐτῶν τὴν καρδίαν· ἵνα μὴ ἴδωσι τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς, καὶ νοήσωσι τῇ καρδίᾳ, καὶ ἐπιστραφῶσι, καὶ ἰάσωμαι αὐτούς.
41These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke about Him.Ταῦτα εἶπεν Ἡσαΐας, ὅτε εἶδε τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐλάλησε περὶ αὐτοῦ.
42Nevertheless even from among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be excommunicated;Ὅμως μέντοι καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἀρχόντων πολλοὶ ἐπίστευσαν εἰς αὐτόν· ἀλλὰ διὰ τοὺς Φαρισαίους οὐχ ὡμολόγουν, ἵνα μὴ ἀποσυνάγωγοι γένωνται.
43for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.Ἠγάπησαν γὰρ τὴν δόξαν τῶν ἀνθρώπων μᾶλλον ἤπερ τὴν δόξαν τοῦ Θεοῦ.
44Then Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me.Ἰησοῦς δὲ ἔκραξε καὶ εἶπεν, Ὁ πιστεύων εἰς ἐμέ, οὐ πιστεύει εἰς ἐμέ, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς τὸν πέμψαντά με·
45And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me.καὶ ὁ θεωρῶν ἐμέ, θεωρεῖ τὸν πέμψαντά με.
46I have come as a light into the world, so that whoever believes in Me may not abide in darkness.Ἐγὼ φῶς εἰς τὸν κόσμον ἐλήλυθα, ἵνα πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων εἰς ἐμέ, ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ μὴ μείνῃ.
47And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come that I might judge the world, but that I might save the world.Καὶ ἐάν τίς μου ἀκούσῃ τῶν ῥημάτων καὶ μὴ πιστεύσῃ, ἐγὼ οὐ κρίνω αὐτόν· οὐ γὰρ ἦλθον ἵνα κρίνω τὸν κόσμον, ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα σώσω τὸν κόσμον.
48He that rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word which I spoke, that word will judge him in the last day.Ὁ ἀθετῶν ἐμὲ καὶ μὴ λαμβάνων τὰ ῥήματά μου, ἔχει τὸν κρίνοντα αὐτόν· ὁ λόγος ὃν ἐλάλησα, ἐκεῖνος κρινεῖ αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ.
49For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak.Ὅτι ἐγὼ ἐξ ἐμαυτοῦ οὐκ ἐλάλησα· ἀλλ᾽ ὁ πέμψας με πατήρ, αὐτός μοι ἐντολὴν ἔδωκε, τί εἴπω καὶ τί λαλήσω.
50And I know that His command is eternal life. Therefore, whatever I speak, as the Father has said to Me, so I speak.”Καὶ οἶδα ὅτι ἡ ἐντολὴ αὐτοῦ ζωὴ αἰώνιός ἐστιν· ἃ οὖν λαλῶ ἐγώ, καθὼς εἴρηκέ μοι ὁ πατήρ, οὕτω λαλῶ.
The Fathers on John 12
Saint John Chrysostom, Saint Augustine of Hippo, and Saint Augustine comment on this chapter. Each excerpt below is drawn from the full text held in the Fathers Library; follow the link on any entry to read the whole work.
On John 12:8Saint John Chrysostom“Much people of the Jews therefore knew that He was there, and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom He had raised from the dead.”
Read Homilies on the Gospel of John →
On John 12:25–26Saint John Chrysostom“He that loveth his life shall lose it, and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man serve Me, let him follow Me.”
Read Homilies on the Gospel of John →
On John 12:12–26Saint Augustine of Hippo1. After our Lord's raising of one to life, who had been four days dead, to the utter amazement of the Jews, some of whom believed on seeing it, and others perished in their envy, because of that sweet savor which is unto life to some, and to others unto death; 2 Corinthians 2:15 after He had sat down to meat with...
Read Tractates on the Gospel of John →
On John 12:34Saint John Chrysostom“The people answered Him, We have heard out of the Law that Christ abideth for ever; and how sayest thou, The Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?”
Read Homilies on the Gospel of John →
On John 12:27–36Saint Augustine of Hippo1. After the Lord Jesus Christ, in the words of yesterday's lesson, had exhorted His servants to follow Him, and had predicted His own passion in this way, that unless a grain of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides alone; but if it die, it brings forth much fruit; and also had stirred up those who wished to...
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On John 12:42–43Saint John Chrysostom“Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on Him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.”
Read Homilies on the Gospel of John →
On John 12:37–43Saint Augustine of Hippo1. When our Lord Christ, foretelling His own passion, and the fruitfulness of His death in being lifted up on the cross, said that He would draw all [things] after Him; and when the Jews, understanding that He spoke of His death, put to Him the question how He could speak of death as awaiting Him, when they heard out...
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On John 12:44Saint AugustineWhat is it, Brethren, which we have heard the Lord saying, “He that believeth on Me, believeth not on Me, but on Him that sent Me”?
Read Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament →
On John 12:44–50Open John 12 in the interactive reader Switch translations, hear the chapter read aloud, tap any verse for its patristic commentary, and study the Greek word by word.Saint Augustine of Hippo1. Whilst our Lord Jesus Christ was speaking among the Jews, and giving so many miraculous signs, some believed who were foreordained to eternal life, and whom He also called His sheep; but some did not believe, and could not believe, because that, by the mysterious yet not unrighteous judgment of God, they had been...
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