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And while he was in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having [a]an alabaster cruse of ointment of [b]pure nard very costly; and she brake the cruse, and poured it over his head. But there were some that had indignation among themselves, saying, To what purpose hath this waste of the ointment been made? For this ointment might have been sold for above three hundred [c]shillings, and given to the poor. And they murmured against her. But Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me. For ye have the poor always with you, and whensoever ye will ye can do them good: but me ye have not always. She hath done what she could; she hath anointed my body beforehand for the burying. And verily I say unto you, Wheresoever the [d]gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, that also which this woman hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 14:3 Or, a flask
  2. Mark 14:3 Or, liquid nard
  3. Mark 14:5 See marginal note on 6:37.
  4. Mark 14:9 See marginal note on 1:1.

While he was in Bethany,(A) reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.(B)

Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages[a] and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly.

“Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you,[b] and you can help them any time you want.(C) But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial.(D) Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world,(E) what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 14:5 Greek than three hundred denarii
  2. Mark 14:7 See Deut. 15:11.