The Plot to Kill Jesus

45 ⁿMany of the Jews therefore, ^owho had come with Mary and ^phad seen what he did, believed in him, 46 but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees ^qgathered ^rthe council and said, ^s“What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and ^tthe Romans will come and take away both our ^uplace and our nation.” 49 But one of them, ^vCaiaphas, ^wwho was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. 50 Nor do you understand that ^xit is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” 51 He did not say this of his own accord, but ^ybeing high priest that year ^zhe prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, 52 and ^anot for the nation only, but also ^bto gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. 53 So from that day on they ^cmade plans to put him to death.

54 Jesus therefore ^dno longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, and there he stayed with the disciples.

55 Now ^ethe Passover of the Jews was at hand, and ^fmany went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover ^gto purify themselves. 56 ^hThey were looking for¹ Jesus and saying to one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think? That he will not come to the feast at all?” 57 Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where he was, he should let them know, so that they might arrest him.

Mary Anoints Jesus at Bethany

1 Six days before ⁱthe Passover, ^jJesus therefore came to Bethany, ^kwhere Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 So they gave a dinner for him there. ^lMartha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. 3 ^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. 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, 5 “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii² and ⁿgiven to the poor?” 6 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. 7 Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it³ for the day of my burial. 8 For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.”