The Anointing at Bethany

12 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany(A) where Lazarus[a] was, the one Jesus had raised from the dead.(B) So(C) they gave a dinner for him there; Martha(D) was serving them, and Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took a pound of perfume, pure and expensive nard, anointed Jesus’s feet, and wiped his feet with her hair.(E) So the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

Then one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot(F) (who was about to betray him), said, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold for three hundred denarii[b](G) and given to the poor?” He didn’t say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief.(H) He was in charge of the money-bag and would steal part of what was put in it.

Jesus answered, “Leave her alone; she has kept it for the day of my burial.(I) For you always have the poor with you,(J) but you do not always have me.”

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Footnotes

  1. 12:1 Other mss read Lazarus who died
  2. 12:5 A denarius = one day’s wage

Mary Anoints Jesus

12 Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.(A) There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him.(B) Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’s feet, and wiped them[a] with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.(C) But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” (He said this not because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She bought it[b] so that she might keep it for the day of my burial.(D) You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”(E)

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Footnotes

  1. 12.3 Gk his feet
  2. 12.7 Gk lacks She bought it