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Monday, August 25th, 2025
the Week of Proper 16 / Ordinary 21
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Bible in Basic English

Mark 14:5

We might have got more than three hundred pence for it, and given the money to the poor. And they said things against her among themselves.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Frugality;   Jesus, the Christ;   Mary;   Ointment;   Penny;   Presumption;   Women;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Murmuring;  

Dictionaries:

- Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Anger;   Priest, Christ as;   Remember, Remembrance;   Wealth;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Penny;   Simon;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Spikenard;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Banquet;   Mark, the Gospel of;   Martha;   Woman;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - John, Gospel of;   Lazarus;   Mary;   Mss;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Anger (2);   Anointing (2);   Consciousness;   Liberty (2);   Mark, Gospel According to;   Martha ;   Mary;   Money (2);   Mount of Olives ;   Murmur, Murmuring ;   Nard ;   Poverty (2);   Premeditation;   Preparation ;   Simple, Simplicity ;   Sisters;   Struggles of Soul;   Trade and Commerce;   Trinity (2);   Waste;   Wealth (2);   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Mary, Sister of Lazarus and Martha;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Chamber;   Passover;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Spikenard;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Money;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Bethany;   Judas Iscariot;   Martha;   Mary;   Oil;   Olives, Mount of;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - New Testament;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
For this perfume might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they began to scold her.
King James Version (1611)
For it might haue bene solde for more then three hundred pence, and haue bene giuen to the poore: and they murmured against her.
King James Version
For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her.
English Standard Version
For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor." And they scolded her.
New American Standard Bible
"For this perfume could have been sold for over three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor." And they were scolding her.
New Century Version
It was worth a full year's work. It could have been sold and the money given to the poor." And they got very angry with the woman.
Amplified Bible
"For this perfume might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii [a laborer's wages for almost a year], and the money given to the poor." And they scolded her.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"For this perfume might have been sold for over three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor." And they were scolding her.
Legacy Standard Bible
For this perfume might have been sold for over three hundred denarii and given to the poor." And they were scolding her.
Berean Standard Bible
It could have been sold for over three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor." And they scolded her.
Contemporary English Version
We could have sold this perfume for more than three hundred silver coins and given the money to the poor!" So they started saying cruel things to the woman.
Complete Jewish Bible
It could have been sold for a year's wages and given to the poor!" And they scolded her.
Darby Translation
for this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor. And they spoke very angrily at her.
Easy-to-Read Version
It was worth a full year's pay. It could have been sold and the money given to those who are poor." And they told the woman what a bad thing she had done.
Geneva Bible (1587)
For it might haue bene sold for more then three hundreth pence, and bene giuen vnto the poore, and they murmured against her.
George Lamsa Translation
For it could have been sold for more than three hundred pennies and given to the poor. So they annoyed her.
Good News Translation
It could have been sold for more than three hundred silver coins and the money given to the poor!" And they criticized her harshly.
Lexham English Bible
For this perfumed oil could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor!" And they began to scold her.
Literal Translation
For this could be sold for over three hundred denarii, and to be given to the poor. And they were incensed with her.
American Standard Version
For this ointment might have been sold for above three hundred shillings, and given to the poor. And they murmured against her.
Hebrew Names Version
For this might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and given to the poor." They grumbled against her.
International Standard Version
This perfume could have been sold for more than 300 denarii[fn] and the moneythe money">[fn] given to the destitute." So they got extremely angry with her.
Etheridge Translation
for it could have been sold for more than three hundred dinoreen, and given to the poor. And they were angry with her.
Murdock Translation
For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and been given to the poor. And they were indignant at her.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
For it myght haue ben solde for more then three hundred pence, and haue ben geuen to the poore. And they grudged agaynst her.
English Revised Version
For this ointment might have been sold for above three hundred pence, and given to the poor. And they murmured against her.
World English Bible
For this might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and given to the poor." They grumbled against her.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence and given to the poor. And they murmured at her.
Weymouth's New Testament
For that ointment might have been sold for fifteen pounds or more, and the money have been given to the poor." And they were exceedingly angry with her.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For this oynement myyte haue be seld more than for thre hundrid pens, and be youun to pore men. And thei groyneden ayens hir.
Update Bible Version
For this ointment might have been sold for over $30,000, and given to the poor. And they murmured against her.
Webster's Bible Translation
For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her.
New English Translation
It could have been sold for more than three hundred silver coins and the money given to the poor!" So they spoke angrily to her.
New King James Version
For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor." And they criticized her sharply.
New Living Translation
"It could have been sold for a year's wages and the money given to the poor!" So they scolded her harshly.
New Life Bible
This perfume could have been sold for much money and given to poor people." They spoke against her.
New Revised Standard
For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor." And they scolded her.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
For this perfume could have been sold for above three hundred denaries, and given unto the destitute! and they were indignant with her.
Douay-Rheims Bible
For this ointment might have been sold for more than three hundred pence and given to the poor. And they murmured against her.
Revised Standard Version
For this ointment might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and given to the poor." And they reproached her.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
For it myght have bene soolde for more then thre hundred pens and bene geve vnto the poore. And they grudged agaynste hir.
Young's Literal Translation
for this could have been sold for more than three hundred denaries, and given to the poor;' and they were murmuring at her.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
This oyntment might haue bene solde for more then thre hundreth pens, & bene geue to ye poore. And they grudged agaynst her.
Mace New Testament (1729)
for we could have sold it for above two hundred denarys, and given them to the poor: and they inveighed against her.
Simplified Cowboy Version
That could have been sold for three hundred silver pieces and the money could have taken care of many poor people!" Then they all started giving the woman a hard time and scolding her.

Contextual Overview

1 It was now two days before the feast of the Passover and the unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes made designs how they might take him by deceit and put him to death: 2 But they said, Not while the feast is going on, for fear there may be trouble among the people. 3 And while he was in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, seated at table, there came a woman with a bottle of perfumed oil of great price; and when the bottle was broken she put the perfume on his head. 4 But some of them were angry among themselves, saying, For what purpose has this oil been wasted? 5 We might have got more than three hundred pence for it, and given the money to the poor. And they said things against her among themselves. 6 But Jesus said, Let her be; why are you troubling her? she has done a kind act to me. 7 The poor you have ever with you, and whenever you have the desire you may do them good: but me you have not for ever. 8 She has done what she was able: she has put oil on my body to make it ready for its last resting-place. 9 And truly I say to you, Wherever the good news goes out through all the earth, what this woman has done will be talked of in memory of her. 10 And Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went away to the chief priests, so that he might give him up to them.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

pence: Matthew 18:28, *marg. John 6:7

have been given: John 12:5, John 12:6, John 13:29, Ephesians 4:28

And they: Exodus 16:7, Exodus 16:8, Deuteronomy 1:27, Psalms 106:25, Matthew 20:11, Luke 15:2, John 6:43, 1 Corinthians 10:10, Philippians 2:14, Jude 1:16

Reciprocal: Malachi 1:13 - Behold Matthew 26:9 - General Luke 3:11 - He that hath two

Cross-References

Genesis 14:10
Now the valley of Siddim was full of holes of sticky earth; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah were put to flight and came to their end there, but the rest got away to the mountain.
Genesis 14:11
And the four kings took all the goods and food from Sodom and Gomorrah and went on their way.
Genesis 14:20
And let the Most High God be praised, who has given into your hands those who were against you. Then Abram gave him a tenth of all the goods he had taken.
Genesis 14:23
That I will not take so much as a thread or the cord of a shoe of yours; so that you may not say, I have given wealth to Abram:
Genesis 15:20
And the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Rephaim,
Deuteronomy 1:4
After he had overcome Sihon, king of the Amorites, ruling in Heshbon, and Og, king of Bashan, ruling in Ashtaroth, at Edrei:
Deuteronomy 3:11
(For Og, king of Bashan, was the last of all the Rephaim; his bed was made of iron; is it not in Rabbah, in the land of the children of Ammon? It was nine cubits long and four cubits wide, measured by the common cubit.)
Deuteronomy 3:20
Till the Lord has given rest to your brothers as to you, and till they have taken for themselves the land which the Lord your God is giving them on the other side of Jordan: then you may go back, every man of you, to the heritage which I have given you.
Deuteronomy 3:22
Have no fear of them, for the Lord your God will be fighting for you.
Joshua 12:4
And the land of Og, king of Bashan, of the rest of the Rephaim, who was living at Ashtaroth and at Edrei,

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence,.... Which, was to the value of our money nine pounds, seven shillings, and sixpence:

and given to the poor; which was thought to be a better way of expending it, than by pouring it on the head of Christ:

and they murmured against her: that she should lavish so much money away in such an imprudent manner; they reproved her for it, expressed much resentment at it, and were very angry with, her upon the account of it; :-,

:-.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See this passage explained in the notes at Matthew 26:1-16.

Mark 14:1

And of unleavened bread - So called because at that feast no other bread was used but that which had been made without leaven or yeast.

By craft - By subtlety (Matthew); that is, by some secret plan that would secure possession of him without exciting the opposition of the people.

Mark 14:3

Ointment - This word does not convey quite the proper meaning. This was a perfume. It was used only to give a pleasant odor, and was liquid.

Of spikenard - The “nard,” from which this perfume was made, is a plant of the East Indies, with a small, slender stalk, and a heavy, thick root. The best perfume is obtained from the root, though the stalk and fruit are used for that purpose.

And she brake the box - This may mean no more than that she broke the “seal” of the box, so that it could be poured out. Boxes of perfumes are often sealed or made fast with wax, to prevent the perfume from escaping. It was not likely that she would break the box itself when it was unnecessary, and when the unguent, being liquid, would have been wasted; nor from a broken box or vial could she easily have “poured it” on his head.

Mark 14:5

Three hundred pence - About forty dollars (or 9 British pounds). See the notes at Matthew 26:7.

Mark 14:8

She hath done what she could - She has showed the highest attachment in her power; and it was, as it is now, a sufficient argument against there being any “real” waste, that it was done for the honor of Christ. See this passage explained in the notes at Matthew 26:1-16.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Mark 14:5. It might have been sold — το μυρον, This ointment, is added by ABCDKL, thirty-five others, AEthiopic, Armenian, Gothic, all the Itala except one. Griesbach has received it into the text. The sum mentioned here would amount to nearly 10£ sterling.


 
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