Matthew 26:6-13

Good News Translation

Jesus Is Anointed at Bethany^(A)

⁶Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon, a man who had suffered from a dreaded skin disease. ⁷^(B)While Jesus was eating, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar filled with an expensive perfume, which she poured on his head. ⁸The disciples saw this and became angry. “Why all this waste?” they asked. ⁹“This perfume could have been sold for a large amount and the money given to the poor!”

¹⁰Jesus knew what they were saying, and so he said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? It is a fine and beautiful thing that she has done for me. ¹¹^(C)You will always have poor people with you, but you will not always have me. ¹²What she did was to pour this perfume on my body to get me ready for burial. ¹³Now, I assure you that wherever this gospel is preached all over the world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”

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John 12:1-8

Good News Translation

Jesus Is Anointed at Bethany^(A)

12 Six days before the Passover, Jesus went to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, the man he had raised from death. ²They prepared a dinner for him there, which Martha helped serve; Lazarus was one of those who were sitting at the table with Jesus. ³^(B)Then Mary took a whole pint of a very expensive perfume made of pure nard, poured it on Jesus' feet, and wiped them with her hair. The sweet smell of the perfume filled the whole house. ⁴One of Jesus' disciples, Judas Iscariot—the one who was going to betray him—said, ⁵“Why wasn't this perfume sold for three hundred silver coins^[a] and the money given to the poor?” ⁶He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief. He carried the money bag and would help himself from it.

⁷But Jesus said, “Leave her alone! Let her keep what she has for the day of my burial. ⁸^(C)You will always have poor people with you, but you will not always have me.”

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