Matthew 26:1-13 ▼

1 When Jesus had finished this discourse, He said to His disciples,

2 “You know that the Passover is coming in two days, and the Son of Man is to be betrayed and handed over for crucifixion.”

3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the courtyard of the [elegant home of the Jewish] high priest, whose name was Caiaphas,

4 and plotted together to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill Him.

5 But they said, “It must not be during the festival (Passover), otherwise there might be a riot among the people.”

6 Now when Jesus was [back] in Bethany, at the home of Simon the leper,

7 a woman came to Him with an alabaster vial of very expensive perfume and she poured it on Jesus’ head as He reclined at the table.

8 But when the disciples saw it they were indignant and angry, saying, “Why all this waste [of money]?

9 For this perfume might have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.”

10 But Jesus, aware [of the malice] of this [remark], said to them, “Why are you bothering the woman? She has done a good thing to Me.

11 For you always have the poor with you; but you will not always have Me.

12 When she poured this perfume on My body, she did it to prepare Me for burial.

13 I assure you and most solemnly say to you, wherever this gospel [of salvation] is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told in memory of her [for her act of love and devotion].”