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Mary Anoints Jesus with Costly Perfume

12 (A)Jesus, therefore, six days before (B)the Passover, came to (C)Bethany where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. So they made Him a supper there, and (D)Martha was serving; and Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with Him. (E)Mary then took a [a]litra of (F)perfume of very costly 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, who was going to [b]betray Him, *said, “Why was this perfume not sold for [c]three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he (H)had the money box, he used to take from (I)what was put into it. Therefore Jesus said, “Let her alone, so that she may keep it 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 A Roman pound, approx. 12 oz. or 340 gm
  2. John 12:4 Or hand Him over
  3. John 12:5 Approx. 11 months’ wages, a denarius was a laborer’s daily wage

Mary Anoints Jesus

12 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, the hometown of Lazarus, who had died, the one Jesus raised from the dead. They gave a dinner for him there. Martha was serving, and Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with him.

Then Mary took about twelve ounces[a] of very expensive perfume (pure nard) and anointed Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was going to betray him, said, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold for three hundred denarii[b] and given to the poor?” He did not say this because he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief. He held the money box and used to steal what was put into it.

Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. She intended to keep this for the day of my burial. Indeed, the poor you always have with you, but you are not always going to have me.”

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Footnotes

  1. John 12:3 Greek litra is the Roman pound (327.45 grams or 11.55 ounces, by weight).
  2. John 12:5 Or three hundred days’ wages. A denarius was worth about one day’s wage.