John 12:5

John 12:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?
• English Standard Version (ESV)"Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)“Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?”
• New Living Translation (NLT)“That perfume was worth a year’s wages. It should have been sold and the money given to the poor.”

Context of John 12:5

3Then 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. 4But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” 6He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it. 7“Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial.

John 12:5 word by word

διὰ τί τοῦτο τὸ μύρον οὐκ ἐπράθη τριακοσίων δηναρίων καὶ ἐδόθη πτωχοῖς;Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Why wasτίςtis · which?G5101
• notοὐou · noG3756
• thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• ointmentὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• ointmentμύρονmuron · ointmentG3464
• soldπιπράσκωpipraskō praō · to sellG4097
• forδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• three hundredτριακόσιοιtriakosioi · three hundredG5145
• penceδηνάριονdēnarion · denariusG1220
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• givenδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
• to the poorπτωχόςptōchos · poorG4434

Cross-references for John 12:5

• Exodus 5:8But require them to make the same number of bricks as before; don’t reduce the quota. They are lazy; that is why they are crying out, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’
• Amos 8:5saying, “When will the New Moon be over that we may sell grain, and the Sabbath be ended that we may market wheat?”— skimping on the measure, boosting the price and cheating with dishonest scales,
• Malachi 1:10“Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would not light useless fires on my altar! I am not pleased with you,” says the Lord Almighty, “and I will accept no offering from your hands.
• Matthew 26:8When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked.
• Mark 14:4Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume?
• Luke 6:41“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?
• John 6:7Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”
• Matthew 20:2He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard.
• Mark 14:5It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly.
• Matthew 26:9“This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.”
• Luke 12:33Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.
• Luke 18:22When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

Commentaries on John 12:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5Three hundred pence - Or denarii: about 9. 13s. 9d. of our money; reckoning the denarius at 7 3/4d. One of my MSS. of the Vulgate (a MS. of the 14th century) reads, cccc denarii.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. 5three hundred denarii: Judas may have been exaggerating, but Mary’s sacrifice was certainly very costly.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 12:5

• Anointing
• Bethany
• Hypocrisy
• Jesus, the Christ
• Judas (Jude)
• Love
• Minister, Christian
• Ointment
• Parsimony (Stinginess)
• Presumption

In the dictionaries

• Chief
• Consult
• Costly
• Prince
• Spikenard
• Jesus Christ
• John, Gospel of
• Judas Iscariot
• King, Christ As
• Martha

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