John 12:1-8

Contemporary English Version

At Bethany

(Matthew 26.6-13; Mark 14.3-9)

12 Six days before Passover Jesus went back to Bethany, where he had raised Lazarus from death. ² A meal had been prepared for Jesus. Martha was doing the serving, and Lazarus himself was there.

^3 (A) Mary took a very expensive bottle of perfume^[a] and poured it on Jesus' feet. She wiped them with her hair, and the sweet smell of the perfume filled the house.

⁴ A disciple named Judas Iscariot^[b] was there. He was the one who was going to betray Jesus, and he asked, ⁵ “Why wasn't this perfume sold for 300 silver coins and the money given to the poor?” ⁶ Judas did not really care about the poor. He asked this because he carried the moneybag and sometimes would steal from it.

⁷ Jesus replied, “Leave her alone! She has kept this perfume for the day of my burial. ^8 (B) You will always have the poor with you, but you won't always have me.”