(A)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. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii[b] and (B)given to the poor?” He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and (C)having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it. Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it[c] for the day of my burial. For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.”

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Footnotes

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

Then Mary took about half a litre of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

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

‘Leave her alone,’ Jesus replied. ‘It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you,[b] but you will not always have me.’

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Footnotes

  1. John 12:5 Greek three hundred denarii
  2. John 12:8 See Deut. 15:11.

Mary therefore took a pound of ointment of [a]pure nard, very precious, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odor of the ointment. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples, that should [b]betray him, saith, Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred [c]shillings, and given to the poor? Now this he said, not because he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and having the [d]bag [e]took away what was put therein. Jesus therefore said, [f]Suffer her to keep it against the day of my burying. For the poor ye have always with you; but me ye have not always.

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Footnotes

  1. John 12:3 Or, liquid nard
  2. John 12:4 Or, deliver him up
  3. John 12:5 See marginal note on 6:7.
  4. John 12:6 Or, box
  5. John 12:6 Or, carried what was put therein
  6. John 12:7 Or, Let her alone: it was that she might keep it