Matthew 26:6-13 - Jesus' Anointing At Bethany

⁶ Now when Jesus was at Bethany [Note: This was a small village less than two miles east of Jerusalem], in the house of Simon, the man [who probably had been healed] of an infectious skin disease, ⁷ a woman with an alabaster [i.e., stone] jar of very expensive perfume came to Him and poured it on His head as He reclined at the dinner table. [Note: See Matt. 23:6] ⁸ But when His disciples saw this they were very upset and said, "What is the reason for such waste? ⁹ For this perfume could have been sold for a large sum of money and given to poor people."

¹⁰ But Jesus was aware [of what they were up to], so said, "Why are you bothering this woman? For she has done a kind deed to me. ¹¹ You will always have poor people with you, but you will not always have me. ¹² For in the act of pouring this perfume on my body she was preparing it for my burial. ¹³ Truly I tell you, wherever this Gospel [message] is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done [for me] will [also] be told about, as a memorial of her [kindness to me]."

³ And while Jesus was in Bethany [Note: This was a small village fewer than two miles east of Jerusalem], sitting at the dinner table in the house of Simon, the man with an infectious skin disease [Note: This man had probably been healed by now], a woman with an alabaster [i.e., stone] jar of very expensive perfume came to Him, broke the jar and poured the perfume on His head. ⁴ But some [of the disciples. See Matt. 26:8] were upset among themselves, saying, "What is the reason for wasting this perfume? ⁵ It might have been sold for a large sum of money and the money given to poor people. [Note: The amount indicated here was equivalent to days of a farm laborer's pay, or over $20,000 in 1994]. And they complained about her [doing this].

⁶ But Jesus said, "Let her alone. Why are you bothering this woman? For she has done a kind deed to me. ⁷ You will always have poor people with you, and you can do something good for them whenever you want to, but you will not always have me with you. ⁸ She has done what she could. She has applied this aromatic oil to my body in anticipation of my burial. ⁹ For truly I tell you, wherever the Gospel message will be preached throughout the whole world, what this woman has done [for me] will [also] be told about as a memorial of her [kindness to me]."