At the Home of Martha and Mary

³⁸ As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha^(A) opened her home to him. ³⁹ She had a sister called Mary,^(B) who sat at the Lord’s feet^(C) listening to what he said. ⁴⁰ But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care^(D) that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

⁴¹ “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried^(E) and upset about many things, ⁴² but few things are needed—or indeed only one.^[a](F) Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

²⁸ After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher^(A) is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.” ²⁹ When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. ³⁰ Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him.^{(B) 31} When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her,^(C) noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.

³² When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”^(D)

¹² When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial.^{(A) 13} Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”