Jesus Anointed at Bethany

6 ^vNow when Jesus was at ^wBethany in the house of Simon the leper,¹ 7 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. 8 And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? 9 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.”

Jesus Anointed at Bethany

3 ^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. 4 There were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like that? 5 For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii² and ^dgiven to the poor.” And they ^escolded her. 6 But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7 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. 8 ⁱShe has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand ^jfor burial. 9 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.”

A Sinful Woman Forgiven

36 ^uOne of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table. 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.” 40 And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”

41 “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred ^adenarii, and the other fifty. 42 ^bWhen they could not pay, he ^ccancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” 44 Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; ^dyou gave me no water for my feet, but ^eshe has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 ^fYou gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to ^gkiss my feet. 46 ^hYou did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, ⁱwhich are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48 And he said to her, ^j“Your sins are forgiven.” 49 Then those who were at table with him began to say among¹ themselves, ^k“Who is this, who even forgives sins?” 50 And he said to the woman, ^l“Your faith has saved you; ^mgo in peace.”

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.”