The Plot to Kill Jesus

14 It^(A) was two days before the Passover^(B) and the Festival^(C) of Unleavened Bread.^(D) The chief priests and the scribes^(E) were looking for a cunning^(F) way to arrest Jesus and kill him.^{(G) 2} “Not during the festival,” they said, “so that there won’t be a riot among the people.”

The Anointing at Bethany

³ While^(H) he was in Bethany^(I) at the house of Simon the leper,^[a](J) as he was reclining at the table,^(K) a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured it on his head.^{(L) 4} But some were expressing indignation to one another: “Why has this perfume been wasted? ⁵ For this perfume might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii^[b](M) and given to the poor.”^(N) And they began to scold her.

⁶ Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. Why are you bothering her? She has done a noble thing^(O) for me. ⁷ You always have the poor^(P) with you, and you can do what is good for them whenever you want, but you do not always have me.^{(Q) 8} She has done what she could; she has anointed my body^(R) in advance for burial.^{(S) 9} Truly I tell you,^(T) wherever the gospel^(U) is proclaimed in the whole world,^(V) what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”

¹⁰ Then^(W) Judas Iscariot,^(X) one of the Twelve,^(Y) went to the chief priests^(Z) to betray Jesus^(AA) to them. ¹¹ And when they heard this, they were glad and promised to give him money.^(AB) So he started looking for a good opportunity to betray^(AC) him.

The Plot to Kill Jesus

22 The^(A) Festival of Unleavened Bread,^(B) which is called Passover,^(C) was approaching. ² The chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to put him to death,^(D) because they were afraid of the people.^(E)

³ Then^(F) Satan entered Judas,^(G) called Iscariot,^(H) who was numbered among the Twelve. ⁴ He went away and discussed with the chief priests and temple police^(I) how he could hand him over^(J) to them. ⁵ They were glad and agreed to give him silver.^{[a] 6} So he accepted the offer and started looking for a good opportunity to betray him to them when the crowd was not present.

Jesus Predicts His Crucifixion

²⁰ Now some Greeks were among those who went up to worship at the festival. ²¹ So they came to Philip,^(A) who was from Bethsaida^(B) in Galilee,^(C) and requested of him, “Sir,^(D) we want to see Jesus.” ²² Philip went and told Andrew;^(E) then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.

²³ Jesus replied to them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man^(F) to be glorified. ²⁴ Truly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat^(G) falls to the ground and dies, it remains by itself. But if it dies, it produces much fruit.^{(H) 25} The one who loves his life will lose it,^(I) and the one who hates^(J) his life^(K) in this world will keep it for eternal life. ²⁶ If anyone serves me, he must follow me. Where I am, there my servant^(L) also will be.^(M) If anyone serves me, the Father will honor^(N) him.

²⁷ “Now my soul is troubled. What should I say—Father, save me^(O) from this hour? But that is why I came to this hour. ²⁸ Father, glorify your name.”^[a](P)

Then a voice^(Q) came from heaven: ^(R) “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”^(S)

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

³⁰ Jesus responded, “This voice came, not for me, but for you.^{(T) 31} Now is the judgment of this world.^(U) Now the ruler of this world^(V) will be cast out.^{(W) 32} As for me, if I am lifted up^[b] from the earth I will draw all people to myself.”^{(X) 33} He said this to indicate what kind of death he was about to die.^(Y)

³⁴ Then the crowd replied to him, “We have heard from the law that the Messiah will remain forever.^(Z) So how can you say, ‘The Son of Man^(AA) must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?”

³⁵ Jesus answered, “The light will be with you only a little longer.^(AB) Walk while you have the light^(AC) so that darkness doesn’t overtake you.^(AD) The one who walks in darkness doesn’t know where he’s going.^{(AE) 36} While you have the light,^(AF) believe in the light so that you may become children of light.” Jesus said this, then went away and hid from them.^(AG)

Isaiah’s Prophecies Fulfilled

³⁷ Even though he had performed so many signs in their presence, they did not believe in him. ³⁸ This was to fulfill^(AH) the word of Isaiah^(AI) the prophet, who said:^[c]

³⁹ This is why they were unable to believe, because Isaiah also said:

⁴¹ Isaiah said these things because^[f] he saw his glory^(AP) and spoke about him.

⁴² Nevertheless, many did believe in him even among the rulers,^(AQ) but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, so that they would not be banned from the synagogue. ⁴³ For they loved human praise^(AR) more than praise from God.^(AS)

A Summary of Jesus’s Mission

⁴⁴ Jesus cried out, “The one who believes in me^(AT) believes not in me, but in him who sent me. ⁴⁵ And the one who sees me sees him^(AU) who sent me. ⁴⁶ I have come as light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me would not remain in darkness. ⁴⁷ If anyone hears my words and doesn’t keep^(AV) them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world^(AW) but to save the world.^{(AX) 48} The one who rejects me^(AY) and doesn’t receive my sayings has this as his judge: ^[g] The word I have spoken will judge him on the last day.^{(AZ) 49} For I have not spoken on my own, but the Father^(BA) himself who sent me has given me a command to say everything I have said. ⁵⁰ I know that his command is eternal life.^(BB) So the things that I speak, I speak just as the Father has told me.”^(BC)

Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet

13 Before the Passover Festival, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world to the Father.^(BD) Having loved his own who were in the world,^(BE) he loved them to the end.

² Now when it was time for supper, the devil^(BF) had already put it into the heart of Judas,^(BG) Simon Iscariot’s son,^[h] to betray^(BH) him. ³ Jesus knew that the Father had given everything into his hands,^(BI) that he had come from God,^(BJ) and that he was going back to God.^{(BK) 4} So he got up from supper, laid aside his outer clothing,^(BL) took a towel, and tied it around himself.^{(BM) 5} Next, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet and to dry them with the towel tied around him.

⁶ He came to Simon Peter,^(BN) who asked him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

⁷ Jesus answered him, “What I’m doing you don’t realize now, but afterward you will understand.”^(BO)

⁸ “You will never wash my feet,” Peter said.

Jesus replied, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with me.”

⁹ Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.”

¹⁰ “One who has bathed,” Jesus told him, “doesn’t need to wash anything except his feet, but he is completely clean. You are clean, but not all of you.” ¹¹ For he knew who would betray him. This is why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

The Meaning of Foot Washing

¹² When Jesus had washed their feet and put on his outer clothing, he reclined again and said to them, “Do you know what I have done for you? ¹³ You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are speaking rightly, since that is what I am. ¹⁴ So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.^{(BP) 15} For I have given you an example,^(BQ) that you also should do just as I have done for you.

¹⁶ “Truly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his master,^[i](BR) and a messenger is not greater than the one who sent him. ¹⁷ If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.^(BS)

¹⁸ “I’m not speaking about all of you; I know those I have chosen.^(BT) But the Scripture^(BU) must be fulfilled: ^(BV) The one who eats my bread^[j] has raised his heel against me.^{[k](BW) 19} I am telling you now before it happens,^(BX) so that when it does happen you will believe^(BY) that I am he.^{(BZ) 20} Truly I tell you, whoever receives anyone I send receives me, and the one who receives^(CA) me receives him who sent me.”

Judas’s Betrayal Predicted

²¹ When^(CB) Jesus had said this, he was troubled in his spirit^(CC) and testified,^(CD) “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.”

²² The disciples started looking at one another—uncertain which one he was speaking about. ²³ One of his disciples, the one Jesus loved,^(CE) was reclining close beside Jesus.^{[l] 24} Simon Peter motioned to him to find out who it was he was talking about. ²⁵ So he leaned back against Jesus and asked him, “Lord, who is it?”

²⁶ Jesus replied, “He’s the one I give the piece of bread to after I have dipped it.”^(CF) When he had dipped the bread,^(CG) he gave it to Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son.^{[m] 27} After Judas ate the piece of bread, Satan^(CH) entered him. So Jesus told him, “What you’re doing, do quickly.”

²⁸ None of those reclining at the table knew why he said this to him. ²⁹ Since Judas^(CI) kept the money-bag, some thought that Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the festival,”^(CJ) or that he should give something to the poor. ³⁰ After receiving the piece of bread, he immediately left. And it was night.^(CK)

The New Command

³¹ When^(CL) he had left, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man^(CM) is glorified, and God is glorified^(CN) in him.^{(CO) 32} If God is glorified in him,^[n] God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. ³³ Little children, I am with you a little while longer.^(CP) You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so now I tell you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’^(CQ)

³⁴ “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. ³⁵ By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love^(CR) one another.”

Peter’s Denials Predicted

³⁶ “Lord,” Simon Peter said to him, “where are you going?”

Jesus answered, “Where I am going^(CS) you cannot follow me now, but you will follow later.”

³⁷ “Lord,” Peter asked, “why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life^(CT) for you.”^(CU)

³⁸ Jesus replied, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly I tell you, a rooster will not crow until you have denied me three times.