John 12:1-11

English Standard Version

Mary Anoints Jesus at Bethany

12 Six days before ^(A)the Passover, ^(B)Jesus therefore came to Bethany, ^(C)where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. ²So they gave a dinner for him there. ^(D)Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. ³^(E)Mary therefore took a pound^[a] of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. ⁴But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, ⁵“Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii^[b] and ^(F)given to the poor?” ⁶He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and ^(G)having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it. ⁷Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it^[c] for the day of my burial. ⁸For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.”

The Plot to Kill Lazarus

⁹When the large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus^[d] was there, they came, not only on account of him but also to see Lazarus, ^(H)whom he had raised from the dead. ¹⁰^(I)So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well, ¹¹because ^(J)on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus.

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Footnotes

John 12:3 Greek litra; a litra (or Roman pound) was equal to about 11 1/2 ounces or 327 grams
John 12:5 A denarius was a day's wage for a laborer
John 12:7 Or Leave her alone; she intended to keep it
John 12:9 Greek he

Psalm 34

English Standard Version

Taste and See That the Lord Is Good

^[a] Of David, when he ^(A)changed his behavior before ^(B)Abimelech, so that he drove him out, and he went away.

34 I will bless the Lord ^(C)at all times;
    his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
²My soul ^(D)makes its boast in the Lord;
    let the humble hear and ^(E)be glad.
³Oh, ^(F)magnify the Lord with me,
    and let us exalt his name together!

⁴I ^(G)sought the Lord, and he answered me
    and delivered me from all my fears.
⁵Those who look to him are ^(H)radiant,
    and their faces shall never be ashamed.
⁶^(I)This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him
    and ^(J)saved him out of all his troubles.
⁷^(K)The angel of the Lord ^(L)encamps
    around those who fear him, and delivers them.

⁸Oh, ^(M)taste and see that ^(N)the Lord is good!
    ^(O)Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
⁹Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints,
    for those who fear him have no lack!
¹⁰^(P)The young lions suffer want and hunger;
    but those who ^(Q)seek the Lord lack no good thing.

¹¹^(R)Come, O children, listen to me;
    ^(S)I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
¹²^(T)What man is there who desires life
    and loves many days, that he may ^(U)see good?
¹³^(V)Keep your tongue from evil
    and your lips from ^(W)speaking deceit.
¹⁴^(X)Turn away from evil and do good;
    seek peace and ^(Y)pursue it.

¹⁵^(Z)The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous
    ^(AA)and his ears toward their cry.
¹⁶^(AB)The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
    to ^(AC)cut off the memory of them from the earth.
¹⁷^(AD)When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears
    and delivers them out of all their troubles.
¹⁸The Lord is near to ^(AE)the brokenhearted
    and saves ^(AF)the crushed in spirit.

¹⁹^(AG)Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
    ^(AH)but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
²⁰He keeps all his bones;
    ^(AI)not one of them is broken.
²¹^(AJ)Affliction will slay the wicked,
    and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
²²The Lord ^(AK)redeems the life of his servants;
    none of those who take refuge in him will be ^(AL)condemned.