Samuel Anoints Saul

9 There was a Benjamite,^(A) a man of standing,^(B) whose name was Kish^(C) son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bekorath, the son of Aphiah of Benjamin. ² Kish had a son named Saul, as handsome^(D) a young man as could be found^(E) anywhere in Israel, and he was a head taller^(F) than anyone else.

³ Now the donkeys^(G) belonging to Saul’s father Kish were lost, and Kish said to his son Saul, “Take one of the servants with you and go and look for the donkeys.” ⁴ So he passed through the hill^(H) country of Ephraim and through the area around Shalisha,^(I) but they did not find them. They went on into the district of Shaalim, but the donkeys^(J) were not there. Then he passed through the territory of Benjamin, but they did not find them.

⁵ When they reached the district of Zuph,^(K) Saul said to the servant who was with him, “Come, let’s go back, or my father will stop thinking about the donkeys and start worrying^(L) about us.”

⁶ But the servant replied, “Look, in this town there is a man of God;^(M) he is highly respected, and everything^(N) he says comes true. Let’s go there now. Perhaps he will tell us what way to take.”

⁷ Saul said to his servant, “If we go, what can we give the man? The food in our sacks is gone. We have no gift^(O) to take to the man of God. What do we have?”

⁸ The servant answered him again. “Look,” he said, “I have a quarter of a shekel^[a] of silver. I will give it to the man of God so that he will tell us what way to take.” ⁹ (Formerly in Israel, if someone went to inquire^(P) of God, they would say, “Come, let us go to the seer,” because the prophet of today used to be called a seer.)^(Q)

¹⁰ “Good,” Saul said to his servant. “Come, let’s go.” So they set out for the town where the man of God was.

¹¹ As they were going up the hill to the town, they met some young women coming out to draw^(R) water, and they asked them, “Is the seer here?”

¹² “He is,” they answered. “He’s ahead of you. Hurry now; he has just come to our town today, for the people have a sacrifice^(S) at the high place.^{(T) 13} As soon as you enter the town, you will find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. The people will not begin eating until he comes, because he must bless^(U) the sacrifice; afterward, those who are invited will eat. Go up now; you should find him about this time.”

¹⁴ They went up to the town, and as they were entering it, there was Samuel, coming toward them on his way up to the high place.

¹⁵ Now the day before Saul came, the Lord had revealed this to Samuel: ¹⁶ “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint^(V) him ruler^(W) over my people Israel; he will deliver^(X) them from the hand of the Philistines.^(Y) I have looked on my people, for their cry^(Z) has reached me.”

¹⁷ When Samuel caught sight of Saul, the Lord said to him, “This^(AA) is the man I spoke to you about; he will govern my people.”

¹⁸ Saul approached Samuel in the gateway and asked, “Would you please tell me where the seer’s house is?”

¹⁹ “I am the seer,” Samuel replied. “Go up ahead of me to the high place, for today you are to eat with me, and in the morning I will send you on your way and will tell you all that is in your heart. ²⁰ As for the donkeys^(AB) you lost three days ago, do not worry about them; they have been found. And to whom is all the desire^(AC) of Israel turned, if not to you and your whole family line?”

²¹ Saul answered, “But am I not a Benjamite, from the smallest tribe^(AD) of Israel, and is not my clan the least^(AE) of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin?^(AF) Why do you say such a thing to me?”

²² Then Samuel brought Saul and his servant into the hall and seated them at the head of those who were invited—about thirty in number. ²³ Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the piece of meat I gave you, the one I told you to lay aside.”

²⁴ So the cook took up the thigh^(AG) with what was on it and set it in front of Saul. Samuel said, “Here is what has been kept for you. Eat, because it was set aside for you for this occasion from the time I said, ‘I have invited guests.’” And Saul dined with Samuel that day.

²⁵ After they came down from the high place to the town, Samuel talked with Saul on the roof^(AH) of his house. ²⁶ They rose about daybreak, and Samuel called to Saul on the roof, “Get ready, and I will send you on your way.” When Saul got ready, he and Samuel went outside together. ²⁷ As they were going down to the edge of the town, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to go on ahead of us”—and the servant did so—“but you stay here for a while, so that I may give you a message from God.”

Jesus Anointed at Bethany^(A)

12 Six days before the Passover,^(B) Jesus came to Bethany,^(C) where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. ² Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served,^(D) while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. ³ Then Mary took about a pint^[a] of pure nard, an expensive perfume;^(E) she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair.^(F) And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

⁴ But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him,^(G) objected, ⁵ “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.^[b]” ⁶ He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag,^(H) he used to help himself to what was put into it.

⁷ “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial.^{(I) 8} You will always have the poor among you,^[c](J) but you will not always have me.”

⁹ Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.^{(K) 10} So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, ¹¹ for on account of him^(L) many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him.^(M)

Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King^(N)

¹² The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. ¹³ They took palm branches^(O) and went out to meet him, shouting,

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

¹⁶ At first his disciples did not understand all this.^(S) Only after Jesus was glorified^(T) did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him.

¹⁷ Now the crowd that was with him^(U) when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. ¹⁸ Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign,^(V) went out to meet him. ¹⁹ So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!”^(W)

Jesus Predicts His Death

²⁰ Now there were some Greeks^(X) among those who went up to worship at the festival. ²¹ They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida^(Y) in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” ²² Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.

²³ Jesus replied, “The hour^(Z) has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.^{(AA) 24} Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies,^(AB) it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. ²⁵ Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it^(AC) for eternal life.^{(AD) 26} Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be.^(AE) My Father will honor the one who serves me.

²⁷ “Now my soul is troubled,^(AF) and what shall I say? ‘Father,^(AG) save me from this hour’?^(AH) No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. ²⁸ Father, glorify your name!”

Then a voice came from heaven,^(AI) “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” ²⁹ The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.

³⁰ Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit,^(AJ) not mine. ³¹ Now is the time for judgment on this world;^(AK) now the prince of this world^(AL) will be driven out. ³² And I, when I am lifted up^[g] from the earth,^(AM) will draw all people to myself.”^{(AN) 33} He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.^(AO)

³⁴ The crowd spoke up, “We have heard from the Law^(AP) that the Messiah will remain forever,^(AQ) so how can you say, ‘The Son of Man^(AR) must be lifted up’?^(AS) Who is this ‘Son of Man’?”

³⁵ Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light^(AT) just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light,^(AU) before darkness overtakes you.^(AV) Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going. ³⁶ Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.”^(AW) When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.^(AX)

Belief and Unbelief Among the Jews

³⁷ Even after Jesus had performed so many signs^(AY) in their presence, they still would not believe in him. ³⁸ This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet:

³⁹ For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere:

⁴¹ Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory^(BB) and spoke about him.^(BC)

⁴² Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him.^(BD) But because of the Pharisees^(BE) they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue;^{(BF) 43} for they loved human praise^(BG) more than praise from God.^(BH)

⁴⁴ Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me.^{(BI) 45} The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me.^{(BJ) 46} I have come into the world as a light,^(BK) so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.

⁴⁷ “If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.^{(BL) 48} There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them^(BM) at the last day. ⁴⁹ For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me^(BN) to say all that I have spoken. ⁵⁰ I know that his command leads to eternal life.^(BO) So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”^(BP)