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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

The Anointing at Bethany(A)

12 Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, (B)where Lazarus was [a]who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. (C)There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. Then (D)Mary took a pound of very costly oil of (E)spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.

But one of His disciples, (F)Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for [b]three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and (G)had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.

But Jesus said, “Let her alone; [c]she has kept this for the day of My burial. For (H)the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.”

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Footnotes

  1. John 12:1 NU omits who had been dead
  2. John 12:5 About one year’s wages for a worker
  3. John 12:7 NU that she may keep