THE ANOINTING AT BETHANY

3 Whilea he was in Bethanyb at the house of Simon the leper,* c as he was reclining at the table,d a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured it on his head.e 4 But some were expressing indignation to one another: “Why has this perfume been wasted? 5 For this perfume might have been sold for more than three hundred denariiB,f and given to the poor.”g And they began to scold her.

6 Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. Why are you bothering her? She has done a noble thingh for me. 7 You always have the poori with you, and you can do what is good for them whenever you want, but you do not always have me.j 8 She has done what she could; she has anointed my bodyk in advance for burial.l 9 Truly I tell you,m wherever the gospeln is proclaimed in the whole world,o what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”