Mark 14:3
New International Version
While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.

New Living Translation
Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy. While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard. She broke open the jar and poured the perfume over his head.

English Standard Version
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.

Berean Standard Bible
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.

Berean Literal Bible
And of Him being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, of Him having reclined, a woman came having an alabaster flask of fragrant oil of pure nard, of great price. Having broken the alabaster flask, she poured it on His head.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head.

New American Standard Bible
While He was in Bethany at the home of Simon the Leper, He was reclining at the table, and a woman came with an alabaster vial of very expensive perfume of pure nard. She broke the vial and poured the perfume over His head.

NASB 1995
While He was in Bethany at the home of Simon the leper, and reclining at the table, there came a woman with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume of pure nard; and she broke the vial and poured it over His head.

NASB 1977
And while He was in Bethany at the home of Simon the leper, and reclining at the table, there came a woman with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume of pure nard; and she broke the vial and poured it over His head.

Legacy Standard Bible
And while He was in Bethany at the home of Simon the leper, and reclining at the table, there came a woman with an alabaster jar of perfume of very costly pure nard; and she broke the jar and poured it over His head.

Amplified Bible
While He was in Bethany [as a guest] at the home of Simon the leper, and reclining at the table, a woman came with an alabaster vial of very costly and precious perfume of pure nard; and she broke the vial and poured the perfume over His head.

Christian Standard Bible
While he was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured it on his head.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
While He was in Bethany at the house of Simon who had a serious skin disease, as He was reclining at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of pure and expensive fragrant oil of nard. She broke the jar and poured it on His head.

American Standard Version
And while he was in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster cruse of ointment of pure nard very costly; and she brake the cruse, and poured it over his head.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And while he was in Bethany in the House of Shimeon the Potter, as he was reclining, a woman came who had with her an alabaster vase of ointment of the best spikenard, very expensive, and she opened it and poured it on Yeshua's head.

Contemporary English Version
Jesus was eating in Bethany at the home of Simon, who once had leprosy, when a woman came in with a very expensive bottle of sweet-smelling perfume. After breaking it open, she poured the perfume on Jesus' head.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And when he was in Bethania, in the house of Simon the leper, and was at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of precious spikenard: and breaking the alabaster box, she poured it out upon his head.

English Revised Version
And while he was in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster cruse of ointment of spikenard very costly; and she brake the cruse, and poured it over his head.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had suffered from a skin disease. While Jesus was sitting there, a woman went to him. She had a bottle of very expensive perfume made from pure nard. She opened the bottle and poured the perfume on his head.

Good News Translation
Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon, a man who had suffered from a dreaded skin disease. While Jesus was eating, a woman came in with an alabaster jar full of a very expensive perfume made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on Jesus' head.

International Standard Version
While Jesus was in Bethany sitting at the table in the home of Simon the leper, a woman arrived with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume made from pure nard. She broke open the jar and poured the perfume on his head.

Literal Standard Version
And He, being in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, at His reclining, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment, of spikenard, very precious, and having broken the alabaster box, poured [it] on His head;

Majority Standard Bible
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.

New American Bible
When he was in Bethany reclining at table in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of perfumed oil, costly genuine spikenard. She broke the alabaster jar and poured it on his head.

NET Bible
Now while Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, reclining at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of costly aromatic oil from pure nard. After breaking open the jar, she poured it on his head.

New Revised Standard Version
While he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment of nard, and she broke open the jar and poured the ointment on his head.

New Heart English Bible
While he was at Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining, a woman came having an alabaster jar of ointment of pure nard--very costly. She broke the jar, and poured it over his head.

Webster's Bible Translation
And being in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at table, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard, very precious; and she broke the box, and poured it on his head.

Weymouth New Testament
Now when He was at Bethany, in the house of Simon the Leper, while He was at table, there came a woman with a jar of pure, sweet-scented ointment very costly: she broke the jar and poured the ointment over His head.

World English Bible
While he was at Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster jar of ointment of pure nard—very costly. She broke the jar and poured it over his head.

Young's Literal Translation
And he, being in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, at his reclining (at meat), there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment, of spikenard, very precious, and having broken the alabaster box, did pour on his head;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jesus Anointed at Bethany
2“But not during the feast,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.” 3While 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. 4Some of those present, however, expressed their indignation to one another: “Why this waste of perfume?…

Cross References
Song of Solomon 1:12
While the king was at his table, my perfume spread its fragrance.

Matthew 21:17
Then He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where He spent the night.

Matthew 26:6
While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper,

Matthew 26:7
a woman came to Him with an alabaster jar of expensive perfume, which she poured on His head as He reclined at the table.

Mark 14:2
"But not during the feast," they said, "or there may be a riot among the people."

Mark 14:4
Some of those present, however, expressed their indignation to one another: "Why this waste of perfume?

Luke 7:37
When a sinful woman from that town learned that Jesus was dining there, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume.


Treasury of Scripture

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 broke the box, and poured it on his head.

being.

Matthew 26:6,7
Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, …

John 11:2
(It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)

John 12:1-3
Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead…

of ointment.

Song of Solomon 4:13,14
Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; camphire, with spikenard, …

Song of Solomon 5:5
I rose up to open to my beloved; and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock.

Luke 7:37,38
And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, …

spikenard.

Jump to Previous
Alabaster Bethany Box Broke Costly Head Home House Jar Leper Meat Nard Ointment Poured Precious Pure Reclining Sat Simon Spikenard Sweet-Scented Table
Jump to Next
Alabaster Bethany Box Broke Costly Head Home House Jar Leper Meat Nard Ointment Poured Precious Pure Reclining Sat Simon Spikenard Sweet-Scented Table
Mark 14
1. A conspiracy against Jesus.
3. Expensive perfume is poured on his head by a woman.
10. Judas sells his Master for money.
12. Jesus himself foretells how he will be betrayed by one of his disciples;
22. after the passover prepared, and eaten, institutes his last supper;
26. declares beforehand the flight of all his disciples, and Peter's denial.
43. Judas betrays him with a kiss.
46. Jesus is apprehended in the garden;
53. falsely accused and impiously condemned of the council;
65. shamefully abused by them;
66. and thrice denied by Peter.














(3-9) And being in Bethany.--See Notes on Matthew 26:6-13.

Ointment of spikenard.--The Greek word so translated is, as the various renderings in the margin show, of doubtful import. It is used by St. John (John 12:3) in his account of the same facts.

She brake the box.--As in the "breaking through" the roof in Mark 2:4, the vivid touch that brings the manner of the act distinctly before our eyes is found in St. Mark only. The Greek word implies not so much the breaking of the neck of the costly jar or flask, but the crushing it in its entirety with both her hands.

Verse 3. - And while he was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster cruse (ἀλάβαστρον) - literally, an alabaster; as we say, "a glass," of a vessel made of glass - of ointment of spikenard very costly (μύρου νάρδου πιστικῆς πολυτελοῦς); and she brake the cruse, and poured it over his head. This anointing of our Lord appears to have taken place on the Saturday before Palm Sunday (see John 12:1). The anointing mentioned by St. Luke (Luke 7:36) evidently has reference to some previous occasion. The narrative here and in St. Matthew and St. John would lead us to the conclusion that this was a feast given by Simon - perhaps in grateful acknowledgment of the miracle which had been wrought upon Lazarus. He is called "Simon the leper," probably because he had been a leper, and had been healed by Christ, although he still retained the name of "leper," to distinguish him from others named Simon, or Simeon, a common name amongst the Jews. There came a woman. This woman, we learn from St. John (John 12:2, 3), was Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus. The vessel, or cruse, which she had with her was made of alabaster, a kind of soft, smooth marble, which could easily be scooped out so as to form a receptacle for ointment, which, according to Pliny ('Nat. Hist.,' 13:3), was best preserved in vessels made of alabaster. The vessel would probably be formed with a long narrow neck, which could easily be broken, or crushed (the word in the original is συντρίψασα so as to allow of a free escape for the unguent. The ointment was made of spikenard νάρδου πιστικῆς). The Vulgate has nardi spicati. If this is the true interpretation of the word πιστικῆς, it would mean that this ointment was made from a bearded plant mentioned by Pliny ('Nat. Hist.,' 12:12), who says that the ointment made from this plant was most precious. The plant was called by Galen "nardi spica." Hence πιστικῆν it would mean "genuine" ointment - ointment made from the flowers of the choicest kind of plant, pliny ('Nat. Hist.,' 12:26) says that there was an inferior article in circulation, which he calls "pseudo-nard." The Syriac Peshito Version uses an expression which means the principal, or best kind of ointment. The anointing of the head would be the more usual mark of honor. It would seem most probable that Mary first wiped the feet of Jesus, wetting them with her tears, and then wiping off the dust, and then anointing them; and that she then proceeded to break the neck of the cruse, and to pour its whole contents on his head.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
While
Καὶ (Kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

[Jesus]
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

was
ὄντος (ontos)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

in
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

Bethany
Βηθανίᾳ (Bēthania)
Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 963: Of Chaldee origin; date-house; Beth-any, a place in Palestine.

reclining at the table
κατακειμένου (katakeimenou)
Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2621: From kata and keimai; to lie down, i.e. be sick; specially, to recline at a meal.

in
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

the
τῇ (tē)
Article - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

home
οἰκίᾳ (oikia)
Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3614: From oikos; properly, residence, but usually an abode; by implication, a family.

of Simon
Σίμωνος (Simōnos)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 4613: Simon. Of Hebrew origin; Simon, the name of nine Israelites.

the
τοῦ (tou)
Article - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

leper,
λεπροῦ (leprou)
Adjective - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3015: A leprous person, a leper. From the same as lepra; scaly, i.e. Leprous.

a woman
γυνὴ (gynē)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1135: A woman, wife, my lady. Probably from the base of ginomai; a woman; specially, a wife.

came
ἦλθεν (ēlthen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2064: To come, go.

[with]
ἔχουσα (echousa)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 2192: To have, hold, possess. Including an alternate form scheo skheh'-o; a primary verb; to hold.

an alabaster jar
ἀλάβαστρον (alabastron)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 211: Neuter of alabastros, the name of a stone; properly, an 'alabaster' box, i.e. a perfume vase.

of expensive
πολυτελοῦς (polytelous)
Adjective - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 4185: Very costly, very precious, of great value. From polus and telos; extremely expensive.

perfume,
μύρου (myrou)
Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's 3464: Anointing-oil, ointment. Probably of foreign origin; 'myrrh', i.e. perfumed oil.

made of pure
πιστικῆς (pistikēs)
Adjective - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 4101: Genuine, pure (of ointment), trustworthy. From pistis; trustworthy, i.e. Genuine.

nard.
νάρδου (nardou)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 3487: Spikenard, a perfume made originally from a plant growing on the Himalayas. Of foreign origin; 'nard'.

She broke open
συντρίψασα (syntripsasa)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 4937: From sun and the base of tribos; to crush completely, i.e. To shatter.

the
τὴν (tēn)
Article - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

jar
ἀλάβαστρον (alabastron)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 211: Neuter of alabastros, the name of a stone; properly, an 'alabaster' box, i.e. a perfume vase.

[and] poured [it] on
κατέχεεν (katecheen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2708: To pour (down) upon. From kata and cheo; to pour down.

[Jesus�]
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

head.
κεφαλῆς (kephalēs)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 2776: From the primary kapto; the head, literally or figuratively.


Links
Mark 14:3 NIV
Mark 14:3 NLT
Mark 14:3 ESV
Mark 14:3 NASB
Mark 14:3 KJV

Mark 14:3 BibleApps.com
Mark 14:3 Biblia Paralela
Mark 14:3 Chinese Bible
Mark 14:3 French Bible
Mark 14:3 Catholic Bible

NT Gospels: Mark 14:3 While he was at Bethany (Mar Mk Mr)
Mark 14:2
Top of Page
Top of Page