Mary brought in a pint of expensive perfume made of pure nard. She poured the perfume on Jesus' feet. Then she wiped his feet with her hair. And the sweet smell from the perfume filled the whole house.
But Judas did not really care about the poor. He said this because he was a thief. He was the one who kept the money bag for the group of followers. And he often stole money from the bag.
They took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Jesus. They shouted, "'Praise Him!' 'Welcome! God bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord!' God bless the King of Israel!"
The followers of Jesus did not understand at that time what was happening. But after he was raised to glory, they understood that this was written about him. Then they remembered that they had done these things for him.
There were many people with Jesus when he raised Lazarus from death and told him to come out of the tomb. Now they were telling others about what Jesus did.
It is a fact that a grain of wheat must fall to the ground and die before it can grow and produce much more wheat. If it never dies, it will never be more than a single seed.
Whoever loves the life they have now will lose it. But whoever is willing to give up their life in this world will keep it. They will have eternal life.
"Now I am very troubled. What should I say? Should I say, 'Father save me from this time of suffering'? No, I came to this time so that I could suffer.
The people said, "But our law says that the Christ will live forever. So why do you say, 'The Son of Man must be lifted up'? Who is this 'Son of Man'?"
Then Jesus said, "The light will be with you for only a short time more. So walk while you have the light. Then the darkness will not catch you. People who walk in the darkness don't know where they are going.
So put your trust in the light while you still have it. Then you will be children of light." When Jesus finished saying these things, he went away to a place where the people could not find him.
"God made the people blind. He closed their minds. He did this so that they would not see with their eyes and understand with their minds. He did it so that they would not turn and be healed."
But many people believed in Jesus. Even many of the Jewish leaders believed in him, but they were afraid of the Pharisees, so they did not say openly that they believed. They were afraid they would be ordered to stay out of the synagogue.
"I did not come into the world to judge people. I came to save the people in the world. So I am not the one who judges those who hear my teaching and do not obey.
But there is a judge for all those who refuse to believe in me and do not accept what I say. The message I have spoken will judge them on the last day.