1 aNow bthe Passover and Unleavened Bread were two days away; and the chief priests and the scribes cwere seeking how to seize Him by stealth and kill Him;

2 for they were saying, “Not during the festival, otherwise there might be a riot of the people.”

3 aWhile He was in bBethany at the home of Simon the leper, and reclining at the table, there came a woman with an alabaster vial of very ccostly perfume of pure 1nard; and she broke the vial and poured it over His head.

4 But some were indignantly remarking to one another, “Why has this perfume been wasted?

5 “For this perfume might have been sold for over three hundred 1denarii, and the money given to the poor.” And they were scolding her.

6 But Jesus said, “Let her alone; why do you bother her? She has done a good deed to Me.

7 “For you always have athe poor with you, and whenever you wish you can do good to them; but you do not always have Me.

8 “She has done what she could; ashe has anointed My body beforehand for the burial.

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

10 aThen Judas Iscariot, bwho was one of the twelve, went off to the chief priests in order to 1betray Him to them.

11 They were glad when they heard this, and promised to give him money. And he began seeking how to betray Him at an opportune time.