The Anointing at Bethany

⁶ While Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon,^(A) a man who had a serious skin disease, ⁷ a woman approached Him with an alabaster jar of very expensive fragrant oil. She poured it on His head as He was reclining at the table. ⁸ When the disciples^(B) saw it, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. ⁹ “This might have been sold for a great deal and given to the poor.”

¹⁰ But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a noble thing for Me. ¹¹ You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me.^{(C) 12} By pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she has prepared Me for burial. ¹³ I assure you: Wherever this gospel^(D) is proclaimed in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told in memory of her.”

² So^(A) they gave a dinner for Him there; Martha^(B) was serving them, and Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with Him. ³ Then Mary took a pound of fragrant oil—pure and expensive nard—anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped His feet with her hair.^(C) So the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.

⁴ Then one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot^(D) (who was about to betray Him), said, ⁵ “Why wasn’t this fragrant oil sold for 300 denarii^[a](E) and given to the poor?” ⁶ He didn’t say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief.^(F) He was in charge of the money-bag and would steal part of what was put in it.

⁷ Jesus answered, “Leave her alone; she has kept it for the day of My burial.^{(G) 8} For you always have the poor with you,^(H) but you do not always have Me.”