Mary Anoints Jesus

12 (A)Therefore, six days before (B)the Passover, Jesus came to (C)Bethany where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. So they made Him a dinner there, and (D)Martha was serving; and Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with Him. (E)Mary then took a [a]pound of very expensive (F)perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But (G)Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, the one who intended to [b]betray Him, *said, “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred [c]denarii and the proceeds given to poor people?” Now he said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he (H)kept the money box, he used to [d]steal from (I)what was put into it. Therefore Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it [e]for (J)the day of My burial. (K)For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me.”

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Footnotes

  1. John 12:3 I.e., a Roman pound, about 12 oz. or 340 gm
  2. John 12:4 Or hand Him over
  3. John 12:5 The denarius was a day’s wages for a laborer
  4. John 12:6 Lit pilfer
  5. John 12:7 Or in view of

12 Jesus therefore six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus raised from the dead. So they made him a supper there: and Martha served; but Lazarus was one of them that [a]sat at meat with him. Mary therefore took a pound of ointment of [b]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 [c]betray him, saith, Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred [d]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 [e]bag [f]took away what was put therein. Jesus therefore said, [g]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 12:2 Greek reclined.
  2. John 12:3 Or, liquid nard
  3. John 12:4 Or, deliver him up
  4. John 12:5 See marginal note on 6:7.
  5. John 12:6 Or, box
  6. John 12:6 Or, carried what was put therein
  7. John 12:7 Or, Let her alone: it was that she might keep it

Jesus Anointed at Bethany(A)

12 Six days before the Passover,(B) Jesus came to Bethany,(C) where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served,(D) while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took about a pint[a] of pure nard, an expensive perfume;(E) she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair.(F) And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him,(G) objected, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.[b] He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag,(H) 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.(I) You will always have the poor among you,[c](J) but you will not always have me.”

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Footnotes

  1. John 12:3 Or about 0.5 liter
  2. John 12:5 Greek three hundred denarii
  3. John 12:8 See Deut. 15:11.