² Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served,^(A) while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. ³ Then Mary took about a pint^[a] of pure nard, an expensive perfume;^(B) she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair.^(C) And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

⁴ But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him,^(D) objected, ⁵ “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.^[b]” ⁶ He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag,^(E) he used to help himself to what was put into it.

⁷ “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial.^{(F) 8} You will always have the poor among you,^[c](G) but you will not always have me.”

⁹ Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.^{(H) 10} So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, ¹¹ for on account of him^(I) many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him.^(J)

Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King^(K)

¹² The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. ¹³ They took palm branches^(L) and went out to meet him, shouting,

¹⁴ Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written:

¹⁶ At first his disciples did not understand all this.^(P) Only after Jesus was glorified^(Q) did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him.