^55 (A)And the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went from the country up to Jerusalem before the Passover, to ^(B)purify themselves. ^56 (C)Then they sought Jesus, and spoke among themselves as they stood in the temple, “What do you think—that He will not come to the feast?” ⁵⁷ Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a command, that if anyone knew where He was, he should report it, that they might ^(D)seize Him.

The Anointing at Bethany^(E)

12 Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, ^(F)where Lazarus was ^[a]who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. ^2 (G)There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him.

The Anointing at Bethany^(A)

^3 (B)And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly ^[a]oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head.

³ Then ^(A)Mary took a pound of very costly oil of ^(B)spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.

^8 (A)But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste?

⁴ But one of His disciples, ^(A)Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, ⁵ “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for ^[a]three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” ⁶ This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and ^(B)had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.

⁷ But Jesus said, “Let her alone; ^[b]she has kept this for the day of My burial.

⁶ But Jesus said, “Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. ^7 (A)For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; ^(B)but Me you do not have always. ⁸ She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. ⁹ Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is ^(C)preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”

The Plot to Kill Lazarus

⁹ Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, ^(A)whom He had raised from the dead. ^10 (B)But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also, ^11 (C)because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.