² “As you know, the Passover^(A) is two days away—and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”

³ Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled^(B) in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas,^{(C) 4} and they schemed to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him.^{(D) 5} “But not during the festival,” they said, “or there may be a riot^(E) among the people.”

Jesus Anointed at Bethany^(F)(G)

⁶ While Jesus was in Bethany^(H) in the home of Simon the Leper, ⁷ a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.

⁸ When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. ⁹ “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.”

¹⁰ Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. ¹¹ The poor you will always have with you,^[a](I) but you will not always have me. ¹² When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial.^{(J) 13} Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus^(K)

¹⁴ Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot^(L)—went to the chief priests ¹⁵ and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver.^{(M) 16} From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.