John 11:53–12:3

⁵³So from that day on they plotted to kill Him. ^r54Therefore Jesus no longer walked openly ^samong the Jews but departed from there to the countryside near the wilderness, ^tto a town called Ephraim. And He stayed there with the disciples.

⁵⁵The Jewish Passover ^uwas near, and many went up to Jerusalem ^vfrom the country to purify ^wthemselves before the Passover. ⁵⁶They were looking for Jesus and asking one another as they stood in the temple complex: ^x“What do you think? He won’t come to the festival, ^ywill He?” ⁵⁷The chief priests ^zand the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where He was, he should report it so they could arrest Him.

The Anointing at Bethany

12Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany ^awhere Lazarus ^bwas, the one Jesus had raised from the dead. ^c2So ^dthey gave a dinner for Him there; Martha ^ewas serving them, and Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with Him. ³Then Mary took a pound of fragrant oil—pure and expensive nard—anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped His feet with her hair. ^fSo the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.