Veritable King James Version
1Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.
2So they gave a dinner for Him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with Him at table.
3Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
4But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples (he who was about to betray Him), said,
5“Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?”
6He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it.
7Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of My burial.
8For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have Me.”
Translation notes
Greek Terms and Choices:
“Six days before the Passover” (pro hex hēmerōn tou pascha) timing, translated literally forchronological placement.
“Bethany” (Bēthania) village, retained.
“Lazarus...whom Jesus had raised” reference to chapter 11, translated as is.
“Dinner” (deipnon) supper, translated as “dinner” for modern context.
“Martha served” (diēkonei hē Martha) domestic role, translated as “served.”
“Reclining at table” (anakeimenōn) ancient dining posture, translated as “reclining with Him at table.”
“Pound of expensive ointment...pure nard” (litran pistikēs myrou nardou polytimous) costly perfume, translated with “pound” (about 12 ounces) and “pure nard” for specificity.
“Anointed...wiped” (ēleipsen...exemaxen) intimate act, translated as “anointed...wiped.”
“Fragrance of the perfume” (osmēs tou myrou) sensory detail, translated vividly.
“Judas Iscariot” (Ioudas ho Iskariōtēs) identified with parenthetical betrayal foreshadowing, retained.
“Three hundred denarii” (triakosiōn dēnariōn) year's wages, translated literally.
“Moneybag” (glōssokomon) purse, translated as “moneybag.”
“Leave her alone” (aphes autēn) defense, translated as “Leave her alone.”
“Day of My burial” (hēmera tou entaphiasmou mou) foreshadowing, translated as “day of My burial.”
“The poor you always have with you” alludes to Deuteronomy 15:11, translated literally.
Pronouns:
“Jesus,” “He,” “Him,” “His,” “I,” “Me,” “My,” “You” capitalized per VKJV deity convention (ho Iēsous, autos, egō).
“She,” “her” for Mary/Martha (autē, feminine) lowercase and gender-specific.
“He,” “him,” “his” for Judas/Lazarus (auton, masculine) lowercase and gender-specific.
“They,” “them,” “many” for crowd/Jews (*autoi*, *polloi*) gender-neutral as groups.
9When the large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus was there, they came, not only on account of Him but also to see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead.
10So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well,
11because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus.
Translation notes
Greek Terms and Choices:
“Large crowd of the Jews” (ochlos polus ek tōn Ioudaiōn) seekers, translated as “large crowd of the Jews.”
“Made plans to put Lazarus to death” (ebouleusanto ton Lazarion apokteinai) plot, translated as “made plans to put...to death.”
Pronouns:
“Jesus,” “He,” “Him,” “His” capitalized (ho Iēsous, autos).
“They,” “them,” “many” (*autoi*, *polloi*) gender-neutral for Jews.
“Him” for Lazarus (*auton*, masculine) lowercase and gender-specific.
12The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem.
13So 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, even the King of Israel!”
14And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written,
15“Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt!”
16His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about Him and had been done to Him.
17The crowd that had been with Him when He called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to bear witness.
18The reason why the crowd went to meet Him was that they heard He had done this sign.
19So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after Him.”
Translation notes
Greek Terms and Choices:
“Next day” (tē epaurion) timing, translated as “next day.”
“Large crowd” (ochlos polus) same as 12:9, translated consistently.
“Branches of palm trees” (ta baia tōn phoinikōn) triumphal symbol, translated as “branches of palm trees.”
“Hosanna” (hōsanna, Hebrew) “save now,” retained as exclamation.
“Blessed is He who comes...” quotes Psalm 118:26, translated literally.
“King of Israel” (basileus tou Israēl) messianic, capitalized as title.
“Young donkey” (onion) fulfills prophecy, translated as “young donkey.”
“Fear not, daughter of Zion” quotes Zechariah 9:9, translated literally.
“Did not understand...remembered” (ouk egnōsan...anemnēsthēsan, aorist) post-resurrection insight, translated as “did not understand...remembered.”
“Bear witness” (emartyrei, imperfect) ongoing testimony, translated as “continued to bear witness.”
“This sign” (touto to sēmeion) Lazarus raising, translated as “this sign.”
“Gaining nothing” (ouk ōphelei ouden) failure, translated as “gaining nothing.”
“The world has gone after Him” (opissō autou ho kosmos apēlthen) hyperbolic, translated as “the world has gone after Him.”
Pronouns:
“Jesus,” “He,” “Him,” “His” capitalized (*ho Iēsous*, *autos*).
“They,” “them” for crowd/disciples (*autoi*, *autois*) gender-neutral as groups.
“The one who comes” (*ho erchomenos*) from quote, gender-neutral.
20Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks.
21So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”
22Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.
23And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there will My servant be also. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.
27“Now is My soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to Him.” Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not Mine. Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to Myself.” He said this to show by what kind of death He was going to die. So the crowd answered Him, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can You say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” When Jesus had said these things, He departed and hid Himself from them.
Translation notes
Greek Terms and Choices:
“Greeks” (Hellēnes) Gentiles, translated as “Greeks.”
“Sir, we wish to see Jesus” (kyrie theloumen ton Iēsoun idein) request, translated as “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”
“Hour has come...glorified” (elēlythen hē hōra...doxasthē) divine timing fulfillment, translated as “hour has come...glorified.”
“Grain of wheat...dies...bears fruit” (kokkos tou sitou...apothanē...polyn karpon pherei) death/resurrection metaphor, translated literally.
“Loves his life...hates his life” (philōn tēn psychēn autou...misōn tēn psychēn autou) paradox, translated as “loves...hates” for intensity.
“Serves Me...follow Me” (diakonē moi...akoloutheitō moi) discipleship, translated directly.
“My soul troubled” (hē psychē mou tetaraktai) Gethsemane foreshadowing, translated as “My soul troubled.”
“Father, glorify Your name” (pater doxason sou to onoma) prayer, translated literally.
“Voice from heaven” (phōnē ek tou ouranou) divine affirmation, translated as “voice came from heaven.”
“I have glorified...glorify again” (edoxasa kai palin doxasō) past/future, translated literally.
“Thundered...angel” (brontēn gegonenai...angelos) interpretations, translated as “thundered...angel.”
“Judgment of this world” (krisis tou kosmou toutou) eschatological, translated as “judgment of this world.”
“Ruler of this world” (archōn tou kosmou toutou) Satan, translated as “ruler of this world.”
“Cast out” (ekblēthēsetai exō) expulsion, translated as “cast out.”
“Lifted up from the earth” (hypsōthō ek tēs gēs) crucifixion, translated as “lifted up from the earth.”
“Draw all people” (pantas helkysō) universal salvation, translated as “draw all people.”
“What kind of death” (poio thanatō) crucifixion, translated as “what kind of death.”
“We have heard from the Law” quotes Psalm 89:4, 110:4, translated as “from the Law.”
“Christ remains forever” (ho Christos menei eis ton aiōna) eternal reign, translated as “remains forever.”
“Son of Man” (ho huios tou anthrōpou) title, capitalized.
“Light is among you” (to phōs en hymin estin) repeats 8:12, translated as “light is among you.”
“Walk while you have the light” (peripateite hōs to phōs echete) urgency, translated as “Walk while you have the light.”
“Sons of light” (huioi phōtos) believers, gender-neutral as “sons of light” (inclusive).
“Hid Himself” (ekrybē, aorist) withdrawal, translated as “hid Himself.”
Pronouns:
“Jesus,” “He,” “Him,” “His,” “I,” “Me,” “My,” “You” capitalized per VKJV deity convention.
“They,” “them” for Greeks/disciples/crowd (*autoi*, *autois*) gender-neutral as groups.
“Whoever,” “the one,” “he,” “his” (*hos*, *ho*, masculine) gender-neutral in translation for lovers/servants.
37Though He had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in Him,
38so that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “Lord, who has believed what he heard from us, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”
39Therefore they could not believe. For again Isaiah said,
40“He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and turn, and I would heal them.”
41Isaiah said these things because he saw His glory and spoke of Him.
42Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in Him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue;
43for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.
Translation notes
Greek Terms and Choices:
“So many signs” (*tosauta sēmeia*) miracles, translated as “so many signs.”
“Word spoken by the prophet Isaiah” quotes Isaiah 53:1 (*kyrie tis episteusen*), translated literally.
“Arm of the Lord” (*brachion kyriou*) power, translated as “arm of the Lord.”
“Again Isaiah said” quotes Isaiah 6:10, translated as is.
“Blinded...hardened” (*tetyp lōken...epōrōsen*) divine judgment, translated as “blinded...hardened.”
“Saw His glory...spoke of Him” (*eiden tēn doxan autou...peri autou elalēsen*) Isaiah saw Christ, translated as “saw His glory...spoke of Him.”
“Many even of the authorities” (*polloi...kai ek tōn archontōn*) secret believers, translated as “many even of the authorities.”
“Confess it” (*homologein*) public acknowledgment, translated as “confess it.”
“Put out of the synagogue” (*aposynagōgos genētai*) excommunication, translated as “put out of the synagogue” (cf. 9:22).
“Loved the glory...from man” (*ēgapēsan tēn doxan tōn anthrōpōn...para tou theou*) human approval, translated as “loved the glory...from man.”
Pronouns:
“Jesus,” “He,” “Him,” “His” capitalized (*ho Iēsous*, *autos*).
“They,” “them,” “many” (*autoi*, *polloi*) gender-neutral for unbelievers/authorities.
44And Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me.
45And whoever sees Me sees Him who sent Me.
46I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in Me may not remain in darkness.
47If anyone hears My words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world.
48The one who rejects Me and does not receive My words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.
49For I have not spoken on My own authority, but the Father who sent Me has Himself given Me a commandment—what to say and what to speak.
50And I know that His commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told Me.”
Translation notes
Greek Terms and Choices:
“Cried out” (*ekraxen*) loud proclamation, translated as “cried out.”
“Believes in Me...sees Me” (*pisteuōn eis eme...theōrōn me*) faith/vision, translated as “believes in Me...sees Me.”
“I have come into the world as light” echoes 1:9, translated as “come into the world as light.”
“May not remain in darkness” (*mē meinē en tē skotia*) salvation, translated as “may not remain in darkness.”
“I do not judge” (*ou krinō*) current non-judgment, translated as “do not judge.”
“The one who rejects Me” (*ho athētōn eme*) rejection, translated as “the one who rejects Me.”
“Word...will judge” (*logos...krinei*) future judgment, translated as “word...will judge.”
“On My own authority” (*ex emautou*) independence, translated as “on My own authority.”
“Commandment...eternal life” (*entolē...zōē aiōnios*) obedience, translated as “commandment...eternal life.”
Pronouns:
“Jesus,” “He,” “Him,” “His,” “I,” “Me,” “My,” “You” capitalized (*ho Iēsous*, *autos*, *egō*).
“Whoever,” “anyone” (*hos*, *ean tis*) gender-neutral for believers.
“The one,” “him” (*ho*, *auton*, masculine) gender-neutral in translation for rejecters/judged.
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