John 12 — Clausal Layout (English)

independentparticipialrelativepurposecausecomparativecontentconditionalphrase modifierdashed = verbless / suspended

Flush-left = a main (independent) clause. Each dependent line begins directly beneath the word it attaches to in the line above — the anchor word is dotted-underlined, and lights up when you hover its dependent clause; each tag also names the attachment. A dashed border marks verbless, elliptical, or suspended lines. Where a long sentence's staircase runs wider than the page, the diagram scrolls sideways. (In print, or without JavaScript, lines fall back to stepped indent columns.)

The anointing at Bethany 12:1–8

vv. 1–3 — the supper at Bethany: Mary's pound of nard

So Jesus, six days before the Passover, came to Bethany,independent — the passion-week chronology opens — οὖν resumes the death-plot of 11:53–57

where Lazarus was,relative — local relative — the raised man locates the village

whom Jesus had raised from the dead.relative — re-identification for the reader — the seventh sign kept in view

So they made him a supper there,independent — δεῖπνον — the meal that prefigures ch. 13

and Martha was serving,independent — descriptive imperfect — her characteristic role (cf. Luke 10:40)

while Lazarus was one of those reclining at table with him.independent — the living exhibit at table — drawing the crowd of v. 9

Mary therefore, taking a pound of costly pure nard ointment,participial — preposed aorist participle — leans on ἤλειψεν; πιστικῆς 'genuine/pure' (or a trade-name), the noted crux

anointed the feet of Jesusindependent — the feet, not the head — deeper self-abasement than Mark 14:3

and wiped his feet with her hair;independent — the act announced proleptically at 11:2 — unbound hair, shocking intimacy

and the house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment.independent — the sensory climax, unique to John — ἐπληρώθη, the fulfilment verb

vv. 4–6 — Judas' protest and the narrator's exposé

But Judas Iscariot says —independent — historic present — the objector named at once

one of his disciples,phrase modifier — verbless apposition — the treachery is from within

the one about to betray him —phrase modifier — second apposition — the shadow cast before his words; παραδιδόναι, the passion verb

'Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denariicontent — the reasonable-sounding objection — a year's wages (cf. Mark 14:5)

and given to the poor?'content — the charitable alibi — deconstructed at once by the narrator

But he said thisindependent — the narrator breaks in — the exposé

not because he cared about the poor,cause — the denied motive — impersonal ἔμελεν

but because he was a thiefcause — the blunt label — no interpretive space left

and, having the money-box, he used to take what was put into it.cause — iterative imperfect ἐβάσταζεν — habitual pilfering; βαστάζω in its colloquial sense 'lift'

vv. 7–8 — the burial word

So Jesus said:independent — the rebuttal — speech-frame

'Leave her alone,content — the defense of Mary

that she may keep it for the day of my burial;purpose — the act read prophetically — τηρήσῃ 'keep,' the elliptical crux left open

for the poor you always have with you,cause — Deut 15:11 — perpetual opportunity for charity

but me you do not always have.'cause — the antithesis — the unrepeatable moment

The plot against Lazarus 12:9–11

Now the large crowd of the Judeans learnedindependent — the scene widens — the Passover pilgrims

that he was there,content — indirect statement retaining the present ἐστιν

and they came not for Jesus' sake only,independent — the compound motive begins

but also to see Lazarus,purpose — Lazarus as visible proof — sight-seeking faith

whom he had raised from the dead.relative — the chapter's refrain — the sign restated

But the chief priests plannedindependent — the counter-plot — corporate middle βουλεύομαι

to kill Lazarus also,purpose — ἵνα-object of the plan — destroy the evidence by a second killing

because on account of him many of the Judeans were going awaycause — iterative imperfect — the ongoing defection

and believing in Jesus.cause — the second imperfect — faith as a continuing stream

The entry — Hosanna, the donkey, and the world gone after him 12:12–19

vv. 12–13 — the crowd goes out: the Ps 118 acclamation

The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast,participial — suspended subject with attributive participle — leans on ἔλαβον (v. 13)

having heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,participial — preposed aorist participle (plural ad sensum) — the trigger for the welcome

took the palm branchesindependent — βαΐα φοινίκων — victory symbols (1 Macc 13:51); only here in the NT

and went out to meet him,independent — ὑπάντησις — the civic reception of a dignitary

and they kept crying out:independent — descriptive imperfect — sustained shouting

'Hosanna!content — Ps 118:25 — hôšîʿā-nnāʾ, petition become acclamation; verbless

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord — even the King of Israel!'content — Ps 118:26 — with John's added royal title (cf. 1:49; 19:19)

vv. 14–16 — the donkey, Zech 9:9, and the disciples' later remembering

And Jesus, having found a young donkey,participial — preposed aorist participle — leans on ἐκάθισεν; ὀνάριον only here in the NT

sat on it,independent — the act that answers the acclamation — kingship redefined

just as it is written:comparative — John's citation formula follows the act — unlike the Synoptic fulfilment frame

'Fear not, daughter of Zion;content — Zech 9:9 abbreviated — 'fear not' replacing 'rejoice greatly' (perhaps via Isa 40:9)

behold, your king is coming,content — the humble king — John omits 'righteous and having salvation'

sitting on a donkey's colt.'participial — manner participle — the peace-animal, not the war-horse

His disciples did not understand these things at first,independent — the narrator's retrospect opens (cf. 2:22)

but when Jesus was glorified,conditional — temporal ὅτε (typed cnd; no temporal key) — leans on ἐμνήσθησαν; glorification = cross and exaltation

then they rememberedindependent — Spirit-assisted anamnesis (14:26)

that these things had been written about himcontent — periphrastic pluperfect — the standing record

and that they had done these things to him.content — their own unwitting role in the fulfilment

vv. 17–19 — the Lazarus-crowd's witness and the Pharisees' despair

So the crowd that had been with him kept bearing witness —independent — descriptive imperfect of μαρτυρέω, John's key testimonial verb

when he called Lazarus out of the tombconditional — temporal ὅτε on ὁ ὤν (typed cnd; no temporal key) — the eyewitnesses defined by the event

and raised him from the dead.conditional — the sign re-narrated a third time in the chapter

This was also why the crowd went to meet him,independent — διὰ τοῦτο — the Johannine causal hinge

because they had heard that he had done this sign.cause — perfect infinitive πεποιηκέναι — the sign's standing effect

So the Pharisees said to one another:independent — the antagonists' verdict on themselves

'You seecontent — indicative — resigned observation

that you are accomplishing nothing;content — the plot's failure conceded

look — the world has gone after him.'content — unwitting prophecy — ὁ κόσμος, answered by the Greeks (v. 20) and by v. 32

The Greeks, the hour, and the grain of wheat 12:20–26

vv. 20–22 — the Greeks approach through Philip and Andrew

Now there were some Greeks among those going upindependent — Gentile God-fearers — the Pharisees' 'world' arrives at once

to worship at the feast;purpose — purpose of the pilgrimage — worshippers, not sightseers

So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee,independent — the disciple with the Greek name (cf. 1:43–44)

and they kept asking him, saying:independent — imperfect — earnest, repeated request

'Sir, we wish to see Jesus.'content — the request that trips the hour — 'seeing' Jesus, answered by vv. 23–32

Philip comesindependent — historic present — the relay begins

and tells Andrew;independent — the other broker of outsiders (1:40–42; 6:8–9)

Andrew and Philip comeindependent — singular verb with compound subject

and they tell Jesus.independent — the Greeks drop from view — the request meets its answer in the discourse

vv. 23–26 — the hour announced: the grain of wheat

And Jesus answered them, saying:independent — the frame for all of vv. 23–26

'The hour has comecontent — the Gospel's hinge — the 'not yet' of 2:4; 7:30; 8:20 reversed by the perfect

for the Son of Man to be glorified.purpose — epexegetical ἵνα — the hour's content: glorification through the cross

Truly, truly I say to you:content — the double-amen formula — John's solemn marker

unless the grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies,conditional — protasis inside quoted speech — leans on μένει

it remains alone;content — fruitless permanence — μένει turned negative

but if it dies,conditional — the counter-protasis — leans on φέρει

it bears much fruit.content — the paradox stated as gnomic law — death the condition of harvest

Whoever loves his life loses it,content — the seed generalized to discipleship

and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.content — 'hates' — Semitic hyperbole (cf. Luke 14:26); ψυχή kept unto ζωή

If anyone serves me,conditional — protasis — leans on ἀκολουθείτω; διακονέω, Martha's verb of v. 2

let him follow me,content — third-person imperative — following to where he goes

and where I am, there my servant also will be;content — co-location with Christ — cross and Father both (14:3; 17:24)

if anyone serves me,conditional — the protasis repeated — leans on τιμήσει

the Father will honor him.'content — the closing promise — honor from God, against v. 43

The troubled soul, the voice from heaven, and the last light-word 12:27–36

vv. 27–30 — the troubled soul and the voice

'Now my soul is troubled —independent — John's Gethsemane, compressed — perfect τετάρακται as at 11:33; 13:21; the speech continues frameless from v. 26

and what shall I say?independent — deliberative subjunctive — the prayer weighed aloud

'Father, save me from this hour'?content — the contemplated petition, hung under εἴπω — raised in order to be refused; the layout reads it as question, not prayer

But for this purpose I have come to this hour.independent — the counter-resolve — the whole incarnation aimed at the hour

'Father, glorify your name.'independent — the petition actually prayed — glorification in place of rescue

Then a voice came from heaven:independent — the bat qol — the Father's only audible speech in this Gospel

'I have both glorified itcontent — the past glorification — the ministry of signs

and will glorify it again.'content — the future — cross and exaltation; the double clause is the better-attested reading (P66 ℵ B)

So the crowd standing by, which heard it, saidindependent — hearing without understanding

that it had thundered;content — infinitive of indirect statement — the naturalistic reading

others said:independent — the divided crowd

'An angel has spoken to him.'content — nearer, still inadequate — heavenly speech, wrongly addressed

Jesus answered and said:independent — the correction — frame for vv. 30–32

'Not for my sake has this voice come, but for yours.content — the voice as public sign, not private assurance

vv. 31–33 — judgment, the ruler cast out, the lifting up

Now is the judgment of this world;content — the eschatological νῦν — the cross as the world's crisis

now the ruler of this world will be cast out.content — cosmic exorcism — ἐκβάλλω, the demon-expulsion verb (cf. 14:30; 16:11)

And I — when I am lifted up from the earth —conditional — protasis with temporal force — ὑψόω, John's double-meaning verb (3:14; 8:28); leans on ἑλκύσω

will draw all people to myself.'content — the universal drawing (cf. 6:44) — the answer to v. 19 and to the Greeks

Now he said thisindependent — the narrator steps in

signifying by what kind of death he was about to die.participial — the gloss-formula (cf. 18:32; 21:19) — ὑψωθῶ decoded as crucifixion

vv. 34–36 — the Son-of-Man puzzle and the last light-word

So the crowd answered him:independent — the objection-frame

'We have heard from the Lawcontent — 'the Law' broadly = Scripture (Ps 89:36; Isa 9:7; Ezek 37:25)

that the Christ remains forever,content — the eternal-Messiah tradition — μένει against 'lifted up'

so how can you saycontent — the challenge — emphatic σύ set against the Law

that the Son of Man must be lifted up?content — δεῖ — the divine necessity they cannot square

Who is this Son of Man?'content — the chapter's climactic identity-question — never answered directly

So Jesus said to them:independent — the final public words before the hiding

'For a little while longer the light is among you.content — no direct answer — an urgent time-word instead

Walkcontent — the summons — light turned into ethics

while you have the light,comparative — temporal ὡς — 'as long as'

so that darkness may not overtake you;purpose — καταλάβῃ — the hostile 'overtake' of 1:5

and the one who walks in the darkness does not knowcontent — the gnomic foil

where he is going.content — indirect question — disorientation as judgment

While you have the light,conditional — the temporal clause fronted this time (typed cnd; no temporal key) — leans on πιστεύετε

believe in the light,content — the last public imperative of the Book of Signs

so that you may become children of light.'purpose — υἱοὶ φωτός — belonging by nature (cf. 1 Thess 5:5)

These things Jesus spoke,independent — the narrative close of the public ministry

and, going away,participial — preposed participle — leans on ἐκρύβη

he hid himself from them.independent — the light withdrawn (cf. 8:59) — the Book of Signs shuts

The narrator's verdict — Isaiah's two citations 12:37–43

vv. 37–41 — they could not believe: Isa 53:1 and Isa 6:10

But though he had done so many signs before them,participial — concessive genitive absolute — leans on ἐπίστευον; the evidence conceded

they were not believing in him,independent — descriptive imperfect — persistent refusal

so that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilledpurpose — fulfilment ἵνα — result within the divine design (typed pur)

which he spoke:relative — the citation-frame

'Lord, who has believed our report?content — Isa 53:1 LXX — the Servant Song opens on unbelief

And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?'content — the parallel question — divine power needing revelation

For this reason they could not believe,independent — the escalation — from 'did not' (v. 37) to 'could not'

because Isaiah said again:cause — the second citation-frame

'He has blinded their eyescontent — Isa 6:10, in John's independent form — God the subject, as in the throne-room commission

and hardened their heart,content — πωρόω — the callus-verb of the hardening tradition (Exod 4:21; Rom 9:18)

so that they would not see with their eyespurpose — the negative purpose of the commission

and understand with their heartpurpose — eyes and heart — organ by organ

and turn,purpose — στραφῶσιν — the conversion-verb (Heb. šûb)

and I would heal them.'content — the citation's last word — first-person future ἰάσομαι, unique to John's form: healing still the divine intent

Isaiah said these thingsindependent — the narrator's boldest aside begins

because he saw his glory,cause — Isa 6:1–5 read christologically — the throne-vision was a vision of Christ's glory

and he spoke about him.independent — prophecy as speech about Jesus

vv. 42–43 — the rulers who believed but would not confess

Nevertheless, even of the rulers many believed in him,independent — the double adversative ὅμως μέντοι — the qualified exception

but because of the Pharisees they would not confess it,independent — iterative imperfect — habitual silence

lest they be put out of the synagogue;purpose — ἀποσυνάγωγος — the Johannine exclusion-word (9:22; 16:2)

for they loved the glory of men more than the glory of God.cause — the verdict — δόξα against δόξα (cf. 5:44); the section's last word

The final cry — the summary of the message 12:44–50

vv. 44–46 — believing and seeing the Sender; the light

But Jesus cried out and said:independent — the frame for the whole closing cry — κράζω, his public-proclamation verb (7:28, 37); placeless and audience-less, a summary discourse

'Whoever believes in me believes not in me but in the one who sent me,content — faith relayed to the Sender — the agency formula

and whoever sees me sees the one who sent me.content — the Greeks' wish 'to see Jesus' answered at its depth (cf. 14:9)

I have come as light into the world,content — the light-word resumed — perfect ἐλήλυθα, the incarnation as abiding fact

so that everyone who believes in me may not remain in the darkness.purpose — the salvific aim — v. 35's darkness escaped

vv. 47–50 — the word as judge; the Father's commandment

And if anyone hears my words and does not keep them,conditional — double protasis — hearing without keeping; leans on κρίνω

I do not judge him;content — non-judgment now — the first advent's posture

for I did not comecause — the ground — the purpose of the coming

to judge the world,purpose — the denied purpose (cf. 3:17)

but to save the world.purpose — the affirmed purpose — salvation

The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has his judge:content — judgment deferred, not denied

the word that I have spoken — that will judge him on the last day.content — casus pendens resumed by ἐκεῖνος — the word itself as eschatological judge

For I have not spoken from myself,cause — the word judges because it is not his own (5:30; 7:16–18)

but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment —cause — perfect δέδωκεν — the standing commission

what to saycontent — indirect deliberative — the content

and what to speak.content — and the manner — the pair covers everything uttered

And I knowcontent — the Son's settled knowledge

that his commandment is eternal life.content — the commandment identified with life itself — not burden but gift

So the things that I speak —relative — fronted relative object, suspended — resumed by οὕτως λαλῶ below

just as the Father has told me,comparative — fronted καθώς — leans on λαλῶ; perfect εἴρηκεν, the word that stands

so I speak.'content — the Book of Signs closes on perfect conformity — the Son speaking as the Father commanded

Analysis. John 12 is the hinge of the Gospel — the Book of Signs closing on its own verdict — and the layout shows a chapter that begins as narrative and ends as nothing but speech. In the Bethany scene the aorists run flush left (she anointed, she wiped, the house was filled) with Judas' feigned-charity question hanging under his historic-present Λέγει and the narrator's thief-exposé laid as a triple cau under εἶπεν; Jesus' answer reframes the nard under Ἄφες, grounded by the Deut 15:11 word. The entry hangs the Ps 118 acclamation (with John's added 'even the King of Israel') under ἐκραύγαζον, and the abbreviated Zech 9:9 under John's own after-the-fact formula καθώς ἐστιν γεγραμμένον — the citation follows the act it interprets, unlike the Synoptic fulfilment frames. From v. 20 discourse takes over: the grain-of-wheat catena hangs entirely under the single λέγων of v. 23, its ἐάν-protases leaning forward dashed above their apodoses; in vv. 27–28 the layout takes a side on the famous punctuation crux, hanging 'Father, save me from this hour' under the deliberative τί εἴπω as a petition contemplated and refused, not prayed. The narrator's verdict (vv. 37–43) carries the chapter's deepest indentation: Isa 53:1 under the ἵνα-πληρωθῇ frame (fulfilment-result, typed pur) and Isa 6:10 under ὅτι πάλιν εἶπεν Ἠσαΐας, with God the subject of Τετύφλωκεν as in the throne-room commission and the citation's startling first-person ἰάσομαι kept at citation level — then v. 41's aside applies Isaiah's throne-vision to the glory of Christ, and the rulers' secret faith collapses into the γάρ of loved-human-glory. The final cry (vv. 44–50) is one unbroken catena: every line of the placeless summary discourse hangs under the single ἔκραξεν καὶ εἶπεν frame, descending through the word-as-judge to the Father's commandment and ending on οὕτως λαλῶ — the Son's speech in perfect conformity with the Sender.