John 12:1–11

Mary Anoints Jesus

^1aJesus, therefore, six days before ^bthe Passover, came to ^cBethany where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.

²So they made Him a supper there, and ^aMartha was serving; but Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with Him.

^3aMary then took a ¹pound of very costly ^bperfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

⁴But ^aJudas Iscariot, one of His disciples, who was intending to ¹betray Him, said,

⁵“Why was this perfume not sold for ¹three hundred denarii and given to poor people?”

⁶Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he ^ahad the money box, he used to pilfer ^bwhat was put into it.

⁷Therefore Jesus said, “Let her alone, so that she may keep ¹it for ^athe day of My burial.

⁸“^aFor you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me.”

⁹The ^alarge crowd of the Jews then learned that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, ^bwhom He raised from the dead.

¹⁰But the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death also;

¹¹because ^aon account of him ^bmany of the Jews were going away and were believing in Jesus.