Mar 14:3-9 | ESV | STEP | And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper , 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 .

‏ Mark 14:3-9

Jesus Anointed at Bethany

3 ^aAnd while he was at ^bBethany in the house of Simon the leper, ^{▼▼Leprosy was a term for several skin diseases; see Leviticus 13} 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 denarii ^{▼▼A denarius was a day’s wage for a laborer} and ^egiven to the poor.” And they ^fscolded her. 6 But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7 For ^gyou always have the poor with you, and whenever ^hyou want, you can do good for them. But ⁱyou will not always have me. 8 ^jShe has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand ^kfor burial. 9 And truly, I say to you, wherever ^lthe gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told ^min memory of her.”