(A)While He was in (B)Bethany at the home of Simon [a]the Leper, He was reclining at the table, and a woman came with an alabaster vial of very (C)expensive perfume of pure [b]nard. She broke the vial and poured the perfume over His head. But there were some indignantly remarking to one another, “Why has this perfume been wasted? For this perfume could have been sold for over three hundred [c]denarii, and the money given to the poor.” And they were scolding her. But Jesus said, “Leave her alone! Why are you bothering her? She has done a good deed for Me. For you always have (D)the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good to them; but you do not always have Me. She has done what she could; (E)she has anointed My body beforehand for the burial. Truly I say to you, (F)wherever the gospel is preached in the entire world, what this woman has done will also be told in memory of her.”

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 14:3 I.e., a nickname; the man no doubt was cured
  2. Mark 14:3 An aromatic oil extracted from an East Indian plant
  3. Mark 14:5 The denarius was a day’s wages for a laborer

The Anointing at Bethany

And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. But there were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment thus wasted? For this ointment might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii,[a] and given to the poor.” And they reproached her. But Jesus said, “Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you will, you can do good to them; but you will not always have me. She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burying. And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 14:5 The denarius was a day’s wage for a laborer