² “But not during the festival,” they said, “or the people may riot.”

³ While he was in Bethany,^(A) reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.^(B)

⁴ Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume?