³ While he was at Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster jar of ointment of pure nard—very costly. She broke the jar, and poured it over his head. ⁴ But there were some who were indignant among themselves, saying, “Why has this ointment been wasted? ⁵ For this might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii,^[a] and given to the poor.” So they grumbled against her.

⁶ But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for me. ⁷ For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want to, you can do them good; but you will not always have me. ⁸ She has done what she could. She has anointed my body beforehand for the burying. ⁹ Most certainly I tell you, wherever this Good News may be preached throughout the whole world, that which this woman has done will also be spoken of for a memorial of her.”