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The Costly Perfume

(A)And while He was in (B)Bethany at the home of Simon the leper, and reclining at the table, there came a woman with an alabaster jar of perfume of very (C)costly pure [a]nard; and she broke the jar and poured it over His head. But some were indignantly remarking to one another, “Why has this perfume been wasted? For this perfume might have been sold for over three hundred [b]denarii and given to the poor.” And they were scolding her. But Jesus said, “Let her alone; why do you bother her? She did a good work to Me. For you always have (D)the poor with you, and whenever you wish you can do good to them; but you do not always have Me. She has done what she could; (E)she anointed My body beforehand for the burial. And truly I say to you, (F)wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what this woman did will also be spoken of in memory of her.”

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 14:3 An aromatic oil extracted from an East Indian plant
  2. Mark 14:5 A denarius was approx. a laborer’s daily wage

Jesus was at Bethany visiting the house of Simon, who had a skin disease. During dinner, a woman came in with a vase made of alabaster and containing very expensive perfume of pure nard. She broke open the vase and poured the perfume on his head. Some grew angry. They said to each other, “Why waste the perfume? This perfume could have been sold for almost a year’s pay[a] and the money given to the poor.” And they scolded her.

Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you make trouble for her? She has done a good thing for me. You always have the poor with you; and whenever you want, you can do something good for them. But you won’t always have me. She has done what she could. She has anointed my body ahead of time for burial. I tell you the truth that, wherever in the whole world the good news is announced, what she’s done will also be told in memory of her.”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Mark 14:5 Or three hundred denaria; a denarion was equivalent to a day’s pay.