The Anointing at Bethany(A)

(B)And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly [a]oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head. But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, “Why was this fragrant oil wasted? For it might have been sold for more than three hundred (C)denarii and given to the poor.” And they (D)criticized[b] her sharply.

But Jesus said, “Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. (E)For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; (F)but Me you do not have always. She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is (G)preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 14:3 Perfume of pure nard
  2. Mark 14:5 scolded

And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head. And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made? For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her. And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me. For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always. She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.

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