Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy. While he was eating,[a] a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard. She broke open the jar and poured the perfume over his head.

Some of those at the table were indignant. “Why waste such expensive perfume?” they asked. “It could have been sold for a year’s wages[b] and the money given to the poor!” So they scolded her harshly.

But Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. Why criticize her for doing such a good thing to me? You will always have the poor among you, and you can help them whenever you want to. But you will not always have me. She has done what she could and has anointed my body for burial ahead of time. I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.”

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Notas al pie

  1. 14:3 Or reclining.
  2. 14:5 Greek for 300 denarii. A denarius was equivalent to a laborer’s full day’s wage.

The Anointing at Bethany

While(A) he was in Bethany(B) at the house of Simon the leper,[a](C) as he was reclining at the table,(D) a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured it on his head.(E) But some were expressing indignation to one another: “Why has this perfume been wasted? For this perfume might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii[b](F) and given to the poor.”(G) And they began to scold her.

Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. Why are you bothering her? She has done a noble thing(H) for me. You always have the poor(I) with you, and you can do what is good for them whenever you want, but you do not always have me.(J) She has done what she could; she has anointed my body(K) in advance for burial.(L) Truly I tell you,(M) wherever the gospel(N) is proclaimed in the whole world,(O) what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”

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Notas al pie

  1. 14:3 Gk lepros; a term for various skin diseases; see Lv 13–14
  2. 14:5 A denarius = one day’s wage