John 12:1–11

THE ANOINTING AT BETHANY

12Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany^o where Lazarus^A was, the one Jesus had raised from the dead.^{p 2}So^q they gave a dinner for him there; Martha^r was serving them, and Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with him. ³Then Mary took a pound of perfume, pure and expensive nard, anointed Jesus’s feet, and wiped his feet with her hair.^s So the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

⁴Then one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot^t (who was about to betray him), said, ⁵“Why wasn’t this perfume sold for three hundred denarii^Bu and given to the poor?” ⁶He didn’t say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief.^v He was in charge of the money-bag and would steal part of what was put in it.

⁷Jesus answered, “Leave her alone; she has kept it for the day of my burial.^{w 8}For you always have the poor with you,^x but you do not always have me.”

THE DECISION TO KILL LAZARUS

⁹Then a large crowd of the Jews learned he was there. They came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, the one he had raised from the dead.^{y 10}But the chief priests had decided to kill Lazarus also, ¹¹because he was the reason many of the Jews were deserting them^C and believing in Jesus.