JHN 12:20-36

Jesus Predicts His Death

20Now there were certain Greeks among those coming up that they might worship at the feast. [12:21] These therefore came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and were asking him, saying: "Sir, we desire to see Jesus." [12:22] Philip comes and tells Andrew; and Andrew comes and Philip, and they tell Jesus. [12:23] And Jesus answered them, saying: "The hour has come that the Son of Man may be glorified. [12:24] Amen, amen, I say to you: unless the grain of wheat, having fallen into the ground, shall die, it itself alone abides; but if it shall die, it bears much fruit. [12:25] The one loving his inner life loses it, and the one hating his inner life in this world will keep it for eternal life. [12:26] If anyone shall serve Me, let him follow Me; and where I Myself am, there also My servant will be. If anyone shall serve Me, the Father will honor him. [12:27] Now My soul has been troubled — and what shall I say? 'Father, do save Me from this hour'? But on account of this I came to this hour. [12:28] Father, do glorify Your name." A voice therefore came from heaven: "Both I have glorified it and I will glorify it again." [12:29] The crowd therefore, which was standing and having heard it, was saying that thunder had occurred; others were saying: "An angel has spoken to Him." [12:30] Jesus answered and said: "This voice has come not on account of Me but on account of you. [12:31] Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. [12:32] And I, if I shall be lifted up from the earth — both physically raised on the cross and thereby exalted — will draw all people to Myself." [12:33] He said this signifying by what manner of death He was about to die. [12:34] The crowd therefore answered Him: "We heard from the law that the Christ remains forever — and how do you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?" [12:35] Jesus therefore said to them: "Yet a little while the light is among you. Walk as you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one walking in the darkness does not know where he is going. [12:36] As you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become sons of light." Having said these things, Jesus departed and was hidden from them.

In the world it was spoken into

In this passage, Greeks approach Philip, seeking to see Jesus. These Greeks are likely Gentile God-fearers, non-Jews who were drawn to Jewish worship and monotheism but had not fully converted to Judaism. Their presence at the Passover feast underscores the growing interest among Gentiles in Jewish religious practices. Jesus’ response shifts the focus to His impending death, using agricultural imagery familiar to His audience: a grain of wheat must die to produce fruit. This metaphor would resonate with agrarian listeners, illustrating the paradox of life through death. Jesus’ mention of being 'lifted up' carries a dual meaning: His crucifixion and His exaltation. In the honor-shame culture of the time, crucifixion was the ultimate shame, yet Jesus reframes it as glorification. His call to lose one’s life to gain it challenges the Greco-Roman pursuit of self-preservation and honor, offering a countercultural vision of discipleship rooted in sacrificial service .

›See the receipts

How other translations render this

JHN 12:20

KJV: And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast:
BSB: Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the feast.
Koinōnos: Now there were certain Greeks among those coming up that they might worship at the feast.

JHN 12:21

KJV: The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.
BSB: They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and requested of him, “Sir, we want to see Jesus.”
Koinōnos: These therefore came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and were asking him, saying: "Sir, we desire to see Jesus.

JHN 12:22

KJV: Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.
BSB: Philip relayed this appeal to Andrew, and both of them went and told Jesus.
Koinōnos: Philip comes and tells Andrew; and Andrew comes and Philip, and they tell Jesus.

JHN 12:23

KJV: And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.
BSB: But Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
Koinōnos: And Jesus answered them, saying: "The hour has come that the Son of Man may be glorified.

JHN 12:24

KJV: Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
BSB: Truly, truly, I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a seed. But if it dies, it bears much fruit.
Koinōnos: Amen, amen, I say to you: unless the grain of wheat, having fallen into the ground, shall die, it itself alone abides; but if it shall die, it bears much fruit.

JHN 12:25

KJV: He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
BSB: Whoever loves his life will lose it, but whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
Koinōnos: The one loving his inner life loses it, and the one hating his inner life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

JHN 12:26

KJV: If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.
BSB: If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, My servant will be as well. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.
Koinōnos: If anyone shall serve Me, let him follow Me; and where I Myself am, there also My servant will be. If anyone shall serve Me, the Father will honor him.

JHN 12:27

KJV: Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.
BSB: Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? No, it is for this purpose that I have come to this hour.
Koinōnos: Now My soul has been troubled — and what shall I say? 'Father, do save Me from this hour'? But on account of this I came to this hour.

JHN 12:28

KJV: Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.
BSB: Father, glorify Your name!” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”
Koinōnos: Father, do glorify Your name." A voice therefore came from heaven: "Both I have glorified it and I will glorify it again.

JHN 12:29

KJV: The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him.
BSB: The crowd standing there heard it and said that it had thundered. Others said that an angel had spoken to Him.
Koinōnos: The crowd therefore, which was standing and having heard it, was saying that thunder had occurred; others were saying: "An angel has spoken to Him.

JHN 12:30

KJV: Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.
BSB: In response, Jesus said, “This voice was not for My benefit, but yours.
Koinōnos: Jesus answered and said: "This voice has come not on account of Me but on account of you.

JHN 12:31

KJV: Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.
BSB: Now judgment is upon this world; now the prince of this world will be cast out.
Koinōnos: Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.

JHN 12:32

KJV: And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
BSB: And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw everyone to Myself.”
Koinōnos: And I, if I shall be lifted up from the earth — both physically raised on the cross and thereby exalted — will draw all people to Myself.

JHN 12:33

KJV: This he said, signifying what death he should die.
BSB: He said this to indicate the kind of death He was going to die.
Koinōnos: He said this signifying by what manner of death He was about to die.

JHN 12:34

KJV: The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man?
BSB: The crowd replied, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ will remain forever. So how can You say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?”
Koinōnos: The crowd therefore answered Him: "We heard from the law that the Christ remains forever — and how do you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?

JHN 12:35

KJV: Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.
BSB: Then Jesus told them, “For a little while longer, the Light will be among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.
Koinōnos: Jesus therefore said to them: "Yet a little while the light is among you. Walk as you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one walking in the darkness does not know where he is going.

JHN 12:36

KJV: While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.
BSB: While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of light.” After Jesus had spoken these things, He went away and was hidden from them.
Koinōnos: As you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become sons of light." Having said these things, Jesus departed and was hidden from them.

Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.

Where the historical framing draws from

Josephus, AntiquitiesAntiquities 18.3.3

›Josephus, Antiquities Antiquities 18.3.3

“And when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, 9 those that loved him at the first did not forsake him”

Cited to ground: Jesus’ mention of being 'lifted up' carries a dual meaning: His crucifixion and His exaltation.

Translator's notes

JHN 12:20

Greeks:The term translated 'Greeks' here refers to Gentiles, non-Jews, who had adopted Greek culture and language, not necessarily people from the geographical region of Greece.

JHN 12:25

life:The word translated 'life' here refers to one's inner self, soul, or individual existence, not merely biological life.

JHN 12:26

shall serve:The word translated 'shall serve' implies active, practical service, often in a humble or menial capacity, like waiting on tables or ministering to needs.

JHN 12:32

I shall be lifted up:The phrase 'I shall be lifted up' carries a double meaning: both the physical act of being raised on the cross and the spiritual exaltation or glorification that would follow.