Matthew 26:6-13
New English Translation
Jesus’ Anointing
6 Now while Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper,[a] 7 a woman came to him with an alabaster jar[b] of expensive perfumed oil,[c] and she poured it on his head as he was at the table.[d] 8 When[e] the disciples saw this, they became indignant and said, “Why this waste? 9 It[f] could have been sold at a high price and the money[g] given to the poor!” 10 When[h] Jesus learned of this, he said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She[i] has done a good service for me. 11 For you will always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me![j] 12 When[k] she poured this oil on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. 13 I tell you the truth,[l] wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”
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- Matthew 26:6 sn See the note on leper in Matt 8:2.
- Matthew 26:7 sn A jar made of alabaster stone was normally used for very precious substances like perfumes. It normally had a long neck which was sealed and had to be broken off so the contents could be used.
- Matthew 26:7 tn Μύρον (muron) was usually made of myrrh (from which the English word is derived) but here it is used in the sense of ointment or perfumed oil (L&N 6.205).sn Mark specifies that the perfumed oil was Nard or spikenard, which is a fragrant oil from the root and spike of the nard plant of northern India (Mark 14:3). This perfumed oil, if made of something like nard, would have been extremely expensive, costing up to a year’s pay for an average laborer.
- Matthew 26:7 tn Grk “as he was reclining.”sn 1st century middle eastern meals were not eaten while sitting at a table, but while reclining on one’s side on the floor with the head closest to the low table and the feet farthest away.
- Matthew 26:8 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
- Matthew 26:9 tn Here γάρ (gar) has not been translated.
- Matthew 26:9 tn The words “the money” are not in the Greek text, but are implied (as the proceeds from the sale of the perfumed oil).
- Matthew 26:10 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
- Matthew 26:10 tn Grk “For she.” Here γάρ (gar) has not been translated.
- Matthew 26:11 tn In the Greek text of this clause, “me” is in emphatic position (the first word in the clause). To convey some impression of the emphasis, an exclamation point is used in the translation.
- Matthew 26:12 tn Grk “For when.” Here γάρ (gar) has not been translated.
- Matthew 26:13 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amēn), I say to you.”
John 12:3-8
New English Translation
3 Then Mary took three quarters of a pound[a] of expensive aromatic oil from pure nard[b] and anointed the feet of Jesus. She[c] then wiped his feet dry with her hair. (Now the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfumed oil.)[d] 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was going to betray him)[e] said, 5 “Why wasn’t this oil sold for 300 silver coins[f] and the money[g] given to the poor?” 6 (Now Judas[h] said this not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief. As keeper of the money box,[i] he used to steal what was put into it.)[j] 7 So Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She has kept it for the day of my burial.[k] 8 For you will always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me!”[l]
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- John 12:3 tn Or “half a liter”; Grk “a pound” (that is, a Roman pound, about 325 grams or 12 ounces).
- John 12:3 tn Μύρον (muron) was usually made of myrrh (from which the English word is derived) but here it is used in the sense of ointment or perfumed oil (L&N 6.205). The adjective πιστικῆς (pistikēs) is difficult with regard to its exact meaning; some have taken it to derive from πίστις (pistis) and relate to the purity of the oil of nard. More probably it is something like a brand name, “pistic nard,” the exact significance of which has not been discovered.sn Nard or spikenard is a fragrant oil from the root and spike of the nard plant of northern India. This aromatic oil, if made of something like nard, would have been extremely expensive, costing up to a year’s pay for an average laborer.
- John 12:3 tn Grk “And she.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
- John 12:3 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author. With a note characteristic of someone who was there and remembered, the author adds that the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfumed oil. In the later rabbinic literature, Ecclesiastes Rabbah 7.1.1 states “The fragrance of good oil is diffused from the bedroom to the dining hall, but a good name is diffused from one end of the world to the other.” If such a saying was known in the 1st century, this might be the author’s way of indicating that Mary’s act of devotion would be spoken of throughout the entire world (compare the comment in Mark 14:9).
- John 12:4 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
- John 12:5 tn Grk “300 denarii.” The denarius was a silver coin worth a standard day’s wage, so the value exceeded what a laborer could earn in a year (taking into account Sabbaths and feast days when no work was done).
- John 12:5 tn The words “the money” are not in the Greek text, but are implied (as the proceeds from the sale of the perfumed oil).
- John 12:6 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Judas) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- John 12:6 tn Grk “a thief, and having the money box.” Dividing the single Greek sentence improves the English style.
- John 12:6 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author. This is one of the indications in the gospels that Judas was of bad character before the betrayal of Jesus. John states that he was a thief and had responsibility for the finances of the group. More than being simply a derogatory note about Judas’ character, the inclusion of the note at this particular point in the narrative may be intended to link the frustrated greed of Judas here with his subsequent decision to betray Jesus for money. The parallel accounts in Matthew and Mark seem to indicate that after this incident Judas went away immediately and made his deal with the Jewish authorities to deliver up Jesus. Losing out on one source of sordid gain, he immediately went out and set up another.
- John 12:7 tn Grk “Leave her alone, that for the day of my burial she may keep it.” The construction with ἵνα (hina) is somewhat ambiguous. The simplest way to read it would be, “Leave her alone, that she may keep it for the day of my burial.” This would imply that Mary was going to use the perfumed oil on that day, while vv. 3 and 5 seem to indicate clearly that she had already used it up. Some understand the statement as elliptical: “Leave her alone; (she did this) in order to keep it for the day of my burial.” Another alternative would be an imperatival use of ἵνα with the meaning: “Leave her alone; let her keep it.” The reading of the Byzantine text, which omits the ἵνα and substitutes a perfect tense τετήρηκεν (tetērēken), while not likely to be the reading of the initial text, probably comes close to the meaning of the text, and that has been followed in this translation.
- John 12:8 tc A few isolated witnesses omit v. 8 (D sys), part of v. 8 (P75), or vv. 7-8 ({0250}). The latter two omissions are surely due to errors of sight, while the former can be attributed to D’s sometimes erratic behavior. The verse is secure in light of the overwhelming evidence on its behalf.tn In the Greek text of this clause, “me” is in emphatic position (the first word in the clause). To convey some impression of the emphasis, an exclamation point is used in the translation.
Luke 10:39
New English Translation
39 She[a] had a sister named Mary, who sat[b] at the Lord’s feet[c] and listened to what he said.
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- Luke 10:39 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
- Luke 10:39 tn This reflexive makes it clear that Mary took the initiative in sitting by Jesus.
- Luke 10:39 sn The description of Mary sitting at the Lord’s feet and listening to him makes her sound like a disciple (compare Luke 8:35).
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