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The Anointing at Bethany(A)

While He was in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at supper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of ointment, a very costly spikenard. She broke the jar and poured the ointment on His head.

There were some with indignation within themselves, saying, “Why was this ointment wasted? It might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii[a] and given to the poor.” And they grumbled against her.

Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. You always have the poor with you, and whenever you wish, you may do good to them. But you will not always have Me. She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. Truly I say to you, wherever this gospel will be preached throughout the whole world, what she has done will also be spoken of as a memorial to her.”

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 14:5 A year’s wages.

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.