Matthew 26:1–13

The Plot to Kill Jesus

1 aWhen Jesus had finished all these words, He said to His disciples,

2 “aYou know that after two days bthe Passover is coming, and the Son of Man is to be chanded over for crucifixion.”

3 aThen the chief priests and the elders of the people were gathered together in bthe court of the high priest, named cCaiaphas;

4 and they aplotted together to seize Jesus by stealth and kill Him.

5 But they were saying, “Not during the festival, aotherwise a riot might occur among the people.”

The Precious Ointment

6 aNow when Jesus was in bBethany, at the home of Simon the leper,

7 aa woman came to Him with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume, and she poured it on His head as He reclined at the table.

8 But the disciples were indignant when they saw this, and said, “Why this waste?

9 “For this perfume might have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor.”

10 But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you bother the woman? For she has done a good deed to Me.

11 “For you always have athe poor with you; but you do not always have Me.

12 “For when she poured this perfume on My body, she did it ato prepare Me for burial.

13 “Truly I say to you, awherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of in memory of her.”