Simon

6Jesus was in the town of Bethany. He was in the house of Simon the leper, a man who had a bad skin disease.

Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,

NoteLeprosy was a skin sickness. People who had it had to live away from everyone else.

7A woman came to him with a stone jar of costly perfume. She poured it on his head while he sat eating.

There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat.

NoteThe jar was carved from soft white stone. Perfume was a thick, sweet-smelling oil. Pouring it on a guest's head was a way to show honor.

8The disciples saw this and were upset. They said, "Why waste it like that?"

But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste?

9They said, "This perfume could have been sold for a lot of money. The money could have been given to poor people."

For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.

NotePerfume this fine could cost about a whole year's pay.

10Jesus knew what they were saying. He said, "Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a good thing for me."

When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me.

11"You will always have poor people with you. But you will not always have me."

For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.

12"She poured this perfume on my body to get it ready for burial."

For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.

NoteWhen someone died, their family washed the body and rubbed it with sweet-smelling oil.

13"I tell you the truth. This good news will be told all over the world. Wherever it is told, people will also tell what she did, to remember her."

Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.

NoteThe good news is the story about Jesus that his followers told everywhere.

3Jesus was in the town of Bethany, eating at the table in Simon the leper's house. A woman came in with a stone jar of costly perfume made from a plant called nard. She broke the jar open and poured the perfume on his head.

And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.

NoteA leper had a skin sickness that kept him away from other people. In those days people lay on low couches around the table to eat. The jar was made of a soft white stone called alabaster. Nard was a sweet-smelling oil from a plant that grew far away. Pouring oil on someone's head was a way to honor them.

4Some people there were upset. They said to each other, "Why waste this perfume?

And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made?

5It could have been sold for a whole year's pay. The money could have gone to poor people." And they scolded her.

For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her.

NoteThe King James says the perfume was worth "three hundred pence." One pence was one day's pay for a worker. So the jar cost almost a whole year of work.

6Jesus said, "Leave her alone. Why are you bothering her? She has done a good thing for me.

And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me.

7Poor people will always be near you. You can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me.

For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.

8She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body early, to get it ready for burial.

She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.

NoteBefore a burial, people rubbed sweet-smelling oil on the body. It was a kind way to say goodbye to someone.

9I tell you the truth. Wherever the good news is told in the whole world, people will also tell what she did. She will be remembered."

Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.

NoteThe good news is the story about Jesus that his followers told everywhere they went.