Mark 13:32-14:11

New International Version

The Day and Hour Unknown

³² “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.^{(A) 33} Be on guard! Be alert^[a]!^(B) You do not know when that time will come. ³⁴ It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants^(C) in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.

³⁵ “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. ³⁶ If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. ³⁷ What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’”^(D)

Jesus Anointed at Bethany^(E)(F)(G)

14 Now the Passover^(H) and the Festival of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were scheming to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him.^{(I) 2} “But not during the festival,” they said, “or the people may riot.”

³ While he was in Bethany,^(J) reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.^(K)

⁴ Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? ⁵ It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages^[b] and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly.

⁶ “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. ⁷ The poor you will always have with you,^[c] and you can help them any time you want.^(L) But you will not always have me. ⁸ She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial.^{(M) 9} Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world,^(N) what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

¹⁰ Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve,^(O) went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them.^{(P) 11} They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over.