While Jesus was in Bethany reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke open the jar and poured it on Jesus’ head.
Some of those present, however, expressed their indignation to one another: “Why this waste of perfume?
It could have been sold for over three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor.” And they scolded her.
But Jesus said, “Leave her alone; why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful deed to Me.
The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them whenever you want. But you will not always have Me.
. . .
Then one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to eat with him, and He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table.
When a sinful woman from that town learned that Jesus was dining there, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume.
As she stood behind Him at His feet weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears and wipe them with her hair. Then she kissed His feet and anointed them with the perfume.
When the Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, He would know who this is and what kind of woman is touching Him—for she is a sinner!”
But Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, Teacher,” he said.
. . .
Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, the hometown of Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead.
So they hosted a dinner for Jesus there. Martha served, and Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with Him.
Then Mary took about a pint of expensive perfume, made of pure nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet and wiped them with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was going to betray Him, asked,
“Why wasn’t this perfume sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?”
. . .
As she stood behind Him at His feet weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears and wipe them with her hair. Then she kissed His feet and anointed them with the perfume.
Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, the hometown of Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead.
So they hosted a dinner for Jesus there. Martha served, and Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with Him.
Then Mary took about a pint of expensive perfume, made of pure nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet and wiped them with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was going to betray Him, asked,
“Why wasn’t this perfume sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?”
. . .
Then Mary took about a pint of expensive perfume, made of pure nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet and wiped them with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper,
a woman came to Him with an alabaster jar of expensive perfume, which she poured on His head as He reclined at the table.
When the disciples saw this, they were indignant and asked, “Why this waste?
This perfume could have been sold at a high price, and the money given to the poor.”
Aware of this, Jesus asked, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful deed to Me.
. . .
Now one of the scribes had come up and heard their debate. Noticing how well Jesus had answered them, he asked Him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?”
Jesus replied, “This is the most important: ‘Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’
The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”
As they traveled along, Jesus entered a village where a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home.
She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to His message.
But Martha was distracted by all the preparations to be made. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me!”
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord replied, “you are worried and upset about many things.
But only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, and it will not be taken away from her.”
“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.
The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take along any extra oil.
But the wise ones took oil in flasks along with their lamps.
When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
. . .
Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews.
He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs You are doing if God were not with him.”
Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”
“How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Can he enter his mother’s womb a second time to be born?”
Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.
. . .
Then Elisha prayed, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw that the hills were full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two hands and go into hell, into the unquenchable fire.
Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
What, then, is the advantage of being a Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision?
Much in every way. First of all, they have been entrusted with the very words of God.
What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God’s faithfulness?
Certainly not! Let God be true and every man a liar. As it is written: “So that You may be proved right when You speak and victorious when You judge.”
But if our unrighteousness highlights the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unjust to inflict His wrath on us? I am speaking in human terms.
. . .
Now the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were two days away, and the chief priests and scribes were looking for a covert way to arrest Jesus and kill Him.
“But not during the feast,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.”
While Jesus was in Bethany reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke open the jar and poured it on Jesus’ head.
Some of those present, however, expressed their indignation to one another: “Why this waste of perfume?
It could have been sold for over three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor.” And they scolded her.
. . .
When Jesus had finished saying all these things, He told His disciples,
“You know that the Passover is two days away, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”
At that time the chief priests and elders of the people assembled in the courtyard of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas,
and they conspired to arrest Jesus covertly and kill Him.
“But not during the feast,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.”
. . .
And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for the sake of My name will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.
When Jesus had concluded His discourse in the hearing of the people, He went to Capernaum.
There a highly valued servant of a centurion was sick and about to die.
When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to ask Him to come and heal his servant.
They came to Jesus and pleaded with Him earnestly, “This man is worthy to have You grant this,
for he loves our nation and has built our synagogue.”
. . .