Lectionary Calendar
Friday, September 12th, 2025
the Week of Proper 18 / Ordinary 23
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Green's Literal Translation

Mark 14:5

For this could be sold for over three hundred denarii, and to be given to the poor. And they were incensed with her.

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.
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.
Bible in Basic English
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.
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 And it was the Passover, and the Feast of Unleavened Bread after two days. And the chief priests and the scribes sought how, having seized Him by guile, they might kill Him . 2 But they said, Not during the Feast, lest there will be a tumult of the people. 3 And He being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as He reclined, a woman came, having an alabaster vial of pure, costly ointment of nard. And breaking the alabaster vial, she poured it down His head. 4 And some were being indignant within themselves, and saying, To what has this waste of the ointment occurred? 5 For this could be sold for over three hundred denarii, and to be given to the poor. And they were incensed with her. 6 But Jesus said, Let her alone. Why do you cause her troubles? She worked a good work toward Me. 7 For you have the poor with you always, and when you wish, you can do well toward them. But you do not have Me always. 8 What this one held, she did. She took beforehand to anoint My body for the burial. 9 Truly I say to you, Wherever this gospel is proclaimed in all the world, what this one did will also be spoken of for a memorial of her. 10 And Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went away to the chief priests, that he might betray Him 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
And the valley of Siddim was pitted with asphalt pits, and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there. And they that remained fled to the mountain.
Genesis 14:11
And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their food, and went away.
Genesis 14:20
and blessed be the most high God, who has delivered your enemies into your hand. And he gave him a tithe of all.
Genesis 14:23
that I will not take from all that is yours, from a thread to a shoe latchet, and that you may not say, I have made Abram rich.
Genesis 15:20
and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the giants,
Deuteronomy 1:4
after he had stricken Sihon the king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, who lived in Ashtaroth in Edrei,
Deuteronomy 3:11
For only Og the king of Bashan remained of the rest of the giants. Behold, his bedstead was a bedstead of iron; is it not in Rabbath of the sons of Ammon, nine cubits long and four cubits broad, by the cubit of a man?
Deuteronomy 3:20
It shall be until Jehovah shall give rest to your brothers like yourselves, and they, too, have possessed the land which Jehovah your God is giving to them beyond the Jordan. Thenyou shall each man return to hispossession which I have given to you.
Deuteronomy 3:22
Do not fear them, for Jehovah your God, He shall fight for you.
Joshua 12:4
and the border of Og the king of Bashan, of the rest of the giants, who lived 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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