John 12:3

John 12:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.
• New International Version (NIV)Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.

Context of John 12:3

1Six days before Passover, Jesus arrived in Bethany. Lazarus, whom Jesus had brought back to life, lived there. 2Dinner was prepared for Jesus in Bethany. Martha served the dinner, and Lazarus was one of the people eating with Jesus. Mary took a bottle of very expensive perfume made from pure nard and poured it on Jesus’ feet. Then she dried his feet with her hair. The fragrance of the perfume filled the house. 4One of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was going to betray him, asked, 5“Why wasn’t this perfume sold for a high price and the money given to the poor?”

John 12:3 word by word

ἡ οὖν Μαριὰμ λαβοῦσα λίτραν μύρου νάρδου πιστικῆς πολυτίμου ἤλειψεν τοὺς πόδας τοῦ Ἰησοῦ καὶ ἐξέμαξεν ταῖς θριξὶν αὐτῆς τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ· ἡ δὲ οἰκία ἐπληρώθη ἐκ τῆς ὀσμῆς τοῦ μύρου.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Thenοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• tookλαμβάνωlambanō · to takeG2983
• MaryΜαρίαMaria Mariam · MaryG3137
• a poundλίτραlitra · poundG3046
• of ointmentμύρονmuron · ointmentG3464
• of spikenardνάρδοςnardos · nardG3487
• very costlyπολύτιμοςpolutimos · valuableG4186
• and anointedἀλείφωaleiphō · to anointG218
• the feetὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the feetπούςpous · footG4228
• of JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• wipedἐκμάσσωekmassō · to wipe offG1591
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• withθρίξthrix trichos · hairG2359
• andδέde · thenG1161
• the houseοἰκίαoikia · homeG3614
• was filledπληρόωplēroō · to fulfillG4137
• withἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• the odourὀσμήosmē · aromaG3744
• ·πιστικόςpistikos · pureG4101

Cross-references for John 12:3

• John 11:2(Mary was the woman who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair. Her brother Lazarus was the one who was sick.)
• Matthew 26:6Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon, a man who had suffered from a skin disease.
• Mark 14:3Jesus 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.
• Luke 10:38As they were traveling along, Jesus went into a village. A woman named Martha welcomed him into her home.
• Psalms 132:2Remember how he swore an oath to the Lord and made this vow to the Mighty One of Jacob:
• Luke 7:37A woman who lived a sinful life in that city found out that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house. So she took a bottle of perfume

Commentaries on John 12:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Then took Mary a pound of ointment - See the note on Matthew 26:7; see also Mark 14:3. It does not seem the most likely that this was the same transaction with that mentioned above. Some think that this was, notwithstanding that before is said to have been at the house of Simon the leper. The arguments, pro and con, are largely stated in the notes at the end of Matthew 26 (note), to which I beg leave to refer the reader.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2-8Verses 2-8 See this passage explained in the notes at Matthew 26:3-16. John 12:2 A supper - At the house of Simon the leper, Matthew 26:6. Lazarus was … - The names of Martha and Lazarus are mentioned because it was not in their own house, but in that of Simon. Lazarus is particularly mentioned, since it was so remarkable that one who had been once dead should be enjoying again the endearments of friendship. This shows, also, that his resurrection was no…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3Mary … anointed Jesus' feet. This was not awkward because Jews reclined at formal meals, but it was still a dramatic gesture (compare Matthew 26:6–16; Mark 14:3–9). Nard was a valuable spice from North India. It was sweet, red, and smelled like the perfume made from the gladiola plant. Twelve ounces of nard cost one year's wages (John 12:5). According to Mark's Gospel, Mary also anointed the head of Jesus (Mark 14:3). The perfume ran down and made his…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-11(See on Mt 26:6-13). 1-8. six days before the passover--that is, on the sixth day before it; probably after sunset on Friday evening, or the commencement of the Jewish sabbath preceding the passover.Read the comment

Topics related to John 12:3

• Anointing
• Bethany
• Jesus, the Christ
• Love
• Mary
• Ointment
• Pound
• Spikenard

In the dictionaries

• Jesus
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• Chief
• Consult
• Costly
• Mary
• Ointment
• Pound
• Prince
• Spikenard

Commentaries on John 12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings