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The Anointing at Bethany(A)

When Jesus was in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came to Him having an alabaster jar of very expensive ointment and poured it on His head as He sat at supper.

When His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “For what purpose is this waste? This ointment might have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.”

10 When Jesus perceived it, He said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? She has done a good work for Me. 11 For you have the poor always with you, but you do not always have Me. 12 In pouring this ointment on My body, she did it for My burial. 13 Truly I say to you, wherever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will be told in memory of her.”

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The Anointing at Bethany(A)

While He was in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at supper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of ointment, a very costly spikenard. She broke the jar and poured the ointment on His head.

There were some with indignation within themselves, saying, “Why was this ointment wasted? It might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii[a] and given to the poor.” And they grumbled against her.

Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. You always have the poor with you, and whenever you wish, you may do good to them. But you will not always have Me. She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. Truly I say to you, wherever this gospel will be preached throughout the whole world, what she has done will also be spoken of as a memorial to her.”

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 14:5 A year’s wages.