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?
• New International Version (NIV)“Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.”
• 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?”

Context of John 12:5

3Then Mary took a twelve-ounce jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet with it, wiping his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance. 4But Judas Iscariot, the disciple who would soon betray him, said, “That perfume was worth a year’s wages. It should have been sold and the money given to the poor.” 6Not that he cared for the poor—he was a thief, and since he was in charge of the disciples’ money, he often stole some for himself. 7Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. She did this in preparation for 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 still require them to make the same number of bricks as before. Don’t reduce the quota. They are lazy. That’s why they are crying out, ‘Let us go and offer sacrifices to our God.’
• Amos 8:5You can’t wait for the Sabbath day to be over and the religious festivals to end so you can get back to cheating the helpless. You measure out grain with dishonest measures and cheat the buyer with dishonest scales.
• Malachi 1:10“How I wish one of you would shut the Temple doors so that these worthless sacrifices could not be offered! I am not pleased with you,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “and I will not accept your offerings.
• Matthew 26:8The disciples were indignant when they saw this. “What a waste!” they said.
• Mark 14:4Some of those at the table were indignant. “Why waste such expensive perfume?” they asked.
• Luke 6:41“And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own?
• John 6:7Philip replied, “Even if we worked for months, we wouldn’t have enough money to feed them!”
• Matthew 20:2He agreed to pay the normal daily wage and sent them out to work.
• Mark 14:5“It could have been sold for a year’s wages and the money given to the poor!” So they scolded her harshly.
• Matthew 26:9“It could have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor.”
• Luke 12:33“Sell your possessions and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure will be safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it.
• Luke 18:22When Jesus heard his answer, he said, “There is still one thing you haven’t done. Sell all your possessions and give the money 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