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New Living Translation

Mark 14:4

Some of those at the table were indignant. "Why waste such expensive perfume?" they asked.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

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

Dictionaries:

- Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Anger;   Priest, Christ as;   Remember, Remembrance;   Wealth;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Simon;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Spikenard;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Banquet;   Mark, the Gospel of;   Martha;   Ointment;   Vessels and Utensils;   Woman;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - John, Gospel of;   Lazarus;   Mary;   Mss;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Anger (2);   Anointing (2);   Appreciation (of Christ);   Consciousness;   Destruction (2);   Judas Iscariot (2);   Martha ;   Mary;   Mount of Olives ;   Nard ;   Premeditation;   Preparation ;   Simple, Simplicity ;   Sisters;   Trinity (2);   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;  

Encyclopedias:

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

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
But some were expressing indignation to one another: “Why has this perfume been wasted?
King James Version (1611)
And there were some that had indignation within themselues, and said, Why was this waste of the oyntment made?
King James Version
And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made?
English Standard Version
There were some who said to themselves indignantly, "Why was the ointment wasted like that?
New American Standard Bible
But there were some indignantly remarking to one another, "Why has this perfume been wasted?
New Century Version
Some who were there became upset and said to each other, "Why waste that perfume?
Amplified Bible
But there were some who were indignantly remarking to one another, "Why has this perfume been wasted?
New American Standard Bible (1995)
But some were indignantly remarking to one another, "Why has this perfume been wasted?
Legacy Standard Bible
But some were indignantly remarking to one another, "Why has this perfume been wasted?
Berean Standard Bible
But some of those present expressed their indignation to one another: "Why this waste of perfume?
Contemporary English Version
This made some of the guests angry, and they complained, "Why such a waste?
Complete Jewish Bible
But some there angrily said to themselves, "Why this waste of perfume?
Darby Translation
And there were some indignant in themselves, and saying, Why has this waste been made of the ointment?
Easy-to-Read Version
Some of the followers there saw this. They were upset and complained to each other. They said, "Why waste that perfume?
Geneva Bible (1587)
Therefore some disdained among themselues, and sayde, To what ende is this waste of oyntment?
George Lamsa Translation
But there were some men of the disciples who were displeased within themselves, and said, Why was this perfume wasted?
Good News Translation
Some of the people there became angry and said to one another, "What was the use of wasting the perfume?
Lexham English Bible
But some were expressing indignation to one another: "Why has there been this waste of perfumed oil?
Literal Translation
And some were being indignant within themselves, and saying, To what has this waste of the ointment occurred?
American Standard Version
But there were some that had indignation among themselves, saying, To what purpose hath this waste of the ointment been made?
Bible in Basic English
But some of them were angry among themselves, saying, For what purpose has this oil been wasted?
Hebrew Names Version
But there were some who had indignation among themselves, saying, "Why has this ointment been wasted?
International Standard Version
Some who were there said to one another in irritation, "Why was the perfume wasted like this?
Etheridge Translation
But there were men of the disciples who were displeased among themselves, and said, Why make destruction of this balsam ?
Murdock Translation
And there were certain of the disciples, who were dissatisfied among themselves, and said: Why was this waste of the ointment?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And there were some, that had indignation within them selues, and sayde: what neded this waste of oyntment?
English Revised Version
But there were some that had indignation among themselves, saying, To what purpose hath this waste of the ointment been made?
World English Bible
But there were some who had indignation among themselves, saying, "Why has this ointment been wasted?
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
But there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made?
Weymouth's New Testament
But there were some who said indignantly among themselves, "Why has the ointment been thus wasted?
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
But there weren summe that beren it heuyli with ynne hem silf, and seiden, Wher to is this losse of oynement maad?
Update Bible Version
But there were some that had indignation among themselves, [saying], To what purpose has this waste of the ointment been made?
Webster's Bible Translation
And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made?
New English Translation
But some who were present indignantly said to one another, "Why this waste of expensive ointment?
New King James Version
But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, "Why was this fragrant oil wasted?
New Life Bible
Some of them were angry. They said, "Why was this special perfume wasted?
New Revised Standard
But some were there who said to one another in anger, "Why was the ointment wasted in this way?
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But there were some much displeased among themselves - To what end hath, this waste of the perfume happened?
Douay-Rheims Bible
Now there were some that had indignation within themselves and said: Why was this waste of the ointment made?
Revised Standard Version
But there were some who said to themselves indignantly, "Why was the ointment thus wasted?
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And ther were some that were not content in them selves and sayde: what neded this waste of oyntment?
Young's Literal Translation
and there were certain much displeased within themselves, and saying, `For what hath this waste of the ointment been made?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then were there some, yt disdayned and sayde: Where to serueth this waist?
Mace New Testament (1729)
but some had a secret indignation, and said, why must the perfume be so wasted?
Simplified Cowboy Version
But some of the people who were there took offense at the gesture. They said, "Why waste such an expensive gift on one person?

Contextual Overview

1 It was now two days before Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread. The leading priests and the teachers of religious law were still looking for an opportunity to capture Jesus secretly and kill him. 2 "But not during the Passover celebration," they agreed, "or the people may riot." 3 Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy. While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard. She broke open the jar and poured the perfume over his head. 4 Some of those at the table were indignant. "Why waste such expensive perfume?" they asked. 5 "It could have been sold for a year's wages and the money given to the poor!" So they scolded her harshly. 6 But Jesus replied, "Leave her alone. Why criticize her for doing such a good thing to me? 7 You will always have the poor among you, and you can help them whenever you want to. But you will not always have me. 8 She has done what she could and has anointed my body for burial ahead of time. 9 I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman's deed will be remembered and discussed." 10 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests to arrange to betray Jesus to them.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

there: Ecclesiastes 4:4, Matthew 26:8, Matthew 26:9, John 12:4, John 12:5

Why: Ecclesiastes 5:4-8, Malachi 1:12, Malachi 1:13

Cross-References

Ezekiel 17:15
"Nevertheless, this man of Israel's royal family rebelled against Babylon, sending ambassadors to Egypt to request a great army and many horses. Can Israel break her sworn treaties like that and get away with it?

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And there were some that had indignation within themselves,.... The Syriac version reads, "some of the disciples": agreeably to

Matthew 26:8, particularly Judas, and others might be incensed by his means:

and said, why was this waste of the ointment made?

Matthew 26:8- :.

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.


 
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