John 12 · Verse 1

John 12:1

Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.
John 12:1, King James Version

John 12:1 in other translations

BSBSix days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, the hometown of Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead.
WEBThen, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, who had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.
ASVJesus therefore six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus raised from the dead.
YLTJesus, therefore, six days before the passover, came to Bethany, where was Lazarus, who had died, whom he raised out of the dead;
DARBYJesus therefore, six days before the passover, came to Bethany, where was the dead man Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from among the dead.
BBEThen, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had made to come back from the dead.
WebsterThen Jesus, six days before the passover, came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.

What does John 12:1 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 12:1-8

Joh 12:1-11. The Anointing at Bethany.

(See on Mt 26:6-13). 1-8. six days before the passover--that is, on the sixth day before it; probably after sunset on Friday evening, or the commencement of the Jewish sabbath preceding the passover.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 1. Then Jesus came to Bethany. This was near to Jerusalem, and it was from this place that he made his triumphant entry into the city. Mt 21:1 and following.

(a) "Lazarus" Jn 11:1,43

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Introduction

Jesus sups at the house of Lazarus, and Mary anoints his feet, Joh 12:1-3. Judas Iscariot finds fault, and reproves her, Joh 12:4-6. Jesus vindicates Mary and reproves Judas, Joh 12:7, Joh 12:8. The chief priests consult to put Lazarus to death, because that through him many believed on Jesus, Joh 12:9-11. He enters Jerusalem in triumph; the people meet him, and the Pharisees are troubled, Joh 12:12-19. Greeks inquire after Jesus, Joh 12:20-22. Our Lord's discourse on the subject, Joh 12:23-26. Speaks of his passion, and is answered by a voice from heaven, Joh 12:27, Joh 12:28. The people are astonished at the voice, and Jesus explains it to them, and foretells his death, Joh 12:29-33. They question him concerning the perpetuity of the Messiah, and he instructs them, Joh 12:34-36. Many believe not; and in them the saying of Isaiah is fulfilled, Joh 12:37-41. Some of the chief rulers believe, but are afraid to confess him, Joh 12:42, Joh 12:43. He proclaims himself the light of the world, and shows the danger of rejecting his words, Joh 12:44-50. Verse 1 Six days before the Passover - Reckoning the day of the Passover to be the last of the six. Our Lord came on our Sabbath, the first day of the Jewish week, to Bethany, where he supped; and on the next day he made his public entry into Jerusalem: Joh 12:12. Calmet thinks that this was about two months after the resurrection of Lazarus, on the 9th of Nisan, (March 29), in the thirty-sixth year of our Lord's age. It has been observed before - that Calmet adds three years to the common account.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 12:1-11
Christ had formerly blamed Martha for being troubled with much serving. But she did not leave off serving, as some, who when found fault with for going too far in one way, peevishly run too far another way; she still served, but within hearing of Christ's gracious words. Mary gave a token of love to Christ, who had given real tokens of his love to her and her family. God's Anointed should be our Anointed. Has God poured on him the oil of gladness above his fellows, let us pour on him the ointment of our best affections. In Judas a foul sin is gilded over with a plausible pretence. We must not think that those do no acceptable service, who do it not in our way. The reigning love of money is heart-theft. The grace of Christ puts kind comments on pious words and actions, makes the best of what is amiss, and the most of what is good. Opportunities are to be improved; and those first and most vigorously, which are likely to be the shortest. To consult to hinder the further effect of the miracle, by putting Lazarus to death, is such wickedness, malice, and folly, as cannot be explained, except by the desperate enmity of the human heart against God. They resolved that the man should die whom the Lord had raised to life. The success of the gospel often makes wicked men so angry, that they speak and act as if they hoped to obtain a victory over the Almighty himself.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

John 12:1 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ὉHo<the>G3588
οὖνounThereforeG3767
ἸησοῦςIēsousJesusG2424
πρὸprobeforeG4253
ἓξhexsixG1803
ἡμερῶνhēmerōndaysG2250
τοῦtoutheG3588
πάσχαpaschaPassoverG3957
ἦλθενēlthencameG2064
εἰςeistoG1519
Βηθανίαν,BēthanianBethany,G963
ὅπουhopouwhereG3699
ἦνēnwasG1510
ΛάζαροςLazarosLazarusG2976
ὁhowhoG3588
τεθνηκώςtethnēkōshaving diedG2348
ὃνhonwhomG3739
ἤγειρενēgeirenraisedG1453
ἐκekout fromG1537
νεκρῶνnekrōn[the] deadG3498
Ἰησοῦς.IēsousJesus.G2424

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for John 12:1

  • Mark 14:3-8

    And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head. And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made? For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her. And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me. …

  • Luke 24:50

    And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.

  • John 11:1

    Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.

  • Matthew 21:17

    And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there.

  • John 11:55

    And the Jews’ passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the passover, to purify themselves.

  • Matthew 26:6-11

    Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat. But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste? For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor. …

  • John 11:44

    And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

  • Mark 11:11

    And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve.

  • John 12:20

    And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast:

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1 Jesus excuses Mary anointing his feet.
9 The people flock to see Lazarus.
10 The chief priests consult to kill him.
12 Christ rides into Jerusalem.
20 Greeks desire to see Jesus.
23 He foretells his death.
37 The Jews are generally blinded;
42 yet many chief rulers believe, but do not confess him;
44 therefore Jesus calls earnestly for confession of faith.

six.
11:55
Bethany.
11:1,44; Mt 21:17; Mr 11:11; Lu 24:50

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • John 12:1

    Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.

  • John 12:2

    There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him.

Read all of John 12

John 12:1 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y JESÚS, seis días antes de la Pascua, vino á Bethania, donde estaba Lázaro, que había sido muerto, al cual había resucitado de los muertos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Jésus donc, six jours avant la Pâque, vint à Béthanie où était Lazare, le mort, que Jésus avait ressuscité d’entre les morts.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Jesus nun kam sechs Tage vor dem Passah nach Bethanien, wo Lazarus, der Gestorbene, war, welchen Jesus aus den Toten auferweckt hatte.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Jesus ergo ante sex dies Paschæ venit Bethaniam, ubi Lazarus fuerat mortuus, quem suscitavit Jesus.