Matthew 26:6–13; Mark 14:3–9; John 12:1–8; Luke 7:37–39

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Matthew 26:6–13

Jesus Anointed at Bethany

vNow when Jesus was at wBethany in the house of Simon the leper,1 a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table. And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, Why this waste? For this could have been sold for a large sum and xgiven to the poor. 10 But yJesus, aware of this, said to them, Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. 11 For zyou always have the poor with you, but ayou will not always have me. 12 In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it bto prepare me for burial. 13 Truly, I say to you, wherever cthis gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told din memory of her.


Mark 14:3–9

Jesus Anointed at Bethany

bAnd while he was at cBethany in the house of Simon the leper,1 as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. There were some who said to themselves indignantly, Why was the ointment wasted like that? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii2 and dgiven to the poor. And they escolded her. But Jesus said, Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. For fyou always have the poor with you, and whenever gyou want, you can do good for them. But hyou will not always have me. iShe has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand jfor burial. And truly, I say to you, wherever kthe gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told lin memory of her.


John 12:1–8

Mary Anoints Jesus at Bethany

Six days before ithe Passover, jJesus therefore came to Bethany, kwhere Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. So they gave a dinner for him there. lMartha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. mMary therefore took a pound1 of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii2 and ngiven to the poor? He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and nhaving charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it. Jesus said, Leave her alone, so that she may keep it3 for the day of my burial. For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.


Luke 7:37–39

37 vAnd behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, 38 and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wwiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, If xthis man were ya prophet, he zwould have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.