⁷ Jesus answered, “Leave her alone. It was right for her to save this perfume for today, the day for me to be prepared for burial. ⁸ You will always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me.”

Perfume for Jesus’ Burial

⁶ Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon, who had a skin disease. ⁷ While Jesus was there, a woman approached him with an alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume. She poured this perfume on Jesus’ head while he was eating.

⁸ His followers were upset when they saw the woman do this. They asked, “Why waste that perfume? ⁹ It could have been sold for a great deal of money and the money given to the poor.”

¹⁰ Knowing what had happened, Jesus said, “Why are you troubling this woman? She did an excellent thing for me. ¹¹ You will always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. ¹² This woman poured perfume on my body to prepare me for burial. ¹³ I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached in all the world, what this woman has done will be told, and people will remember her.”

The Plan to Kill Jesus

14 It was now only two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The leading priests and teachers of the law were trying to find a trick to arrest Jesus and kill him. ² But they said, “We must not do it during the feast, because the people might cause a riot.”

A Woman with Perfume for Jesus

³ Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon, who had a skin disease. While Jesus was eating there, a woman approached him with an alabaster jar filled with very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She opened the jar and poured the perfume on Jesus’ head.

⁴ Some who were there became upset and said to each other, “Why waste that perfume? ⁵ It was worth a full year’s work. It could have been sold and the money given to the poor.” And they got very angry with the woman.

⁶ Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why are you troubling her? She did an excellent thing for me. ⁷ You will always have the poor with you, and you can help them anytime you want. But you will not always have me. ⁸ This woman did the only thing she could do for me; she poured perfume on my body to prepare me for burial. ⁹ I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached in all the world, what this woman has done will be told, and people will remember her.”