John 12:7

Contemporary English Version

Jesus replied, "Leave her alone! She has kept this perfume for the day of my burial.

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
Jesus answered, "Don't stop her. It was right for her to save this perfume for today—the day for me to be prepared for burial.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Then sayde Iesus: Let her alone agaynst the daye of my buryinge she kept it.

Hebrew Names Version
But Yeshua said, "Leave her alone. She has kept this for the day of my burial.

International Standard Version
Then Jesus said, "Leave her alone, so that she might keep it for the day of my burial.

New American Standard Bible
Therefore Jesus said, "Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of My burial.

New Century Version
Jesus answered, "Leave her alone. It was right for her to save this perfume for today, the day for me to be prepared for burial.

Update Bible Version
Jesus therefore said, Allow her to keep it against the day of my burying.

Webster's Bible Translation
Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burial hath she kept this.

English Standard Version
Jesus said, "Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial.

World English Bible
But Jesus said, "Leave her alone. She has kept this for the day of my burial.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Then Jesus said, Let her alone; against the day of my burial hath she kept this.

Weymouth's New Testament
But Jesus interposed. "Do not blame her," He said, "allow her to have kept it for the time of my preparation for burial.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor Jhesus seide, Suffre ye hir, that in to the day of my biriyng sche kepe that;

English Revised Version
Jesus therefore said, Suffer her to keep it against the day of my burying.

Berean Standard Bible
"Leave her alone," Jesus replied. "She was intended to keep this perfume to prepare for the day of My burial.

Amplified Bible
So Jesus said, "Let her alone, so that she may keep [the rest of] it for the day of My burial.

American Standard Version
Jesus therefore said, Suffer her to keep it against the day of my burying.

Bible in Basic English
Then Jesus said, Let her be. Let her keep what she has for the day of my death.

Complete Jewish Bible
Yeshua said, "Leave her alone! She kept this for the day of my burial.

Darby Translation
Jesus therefore said, Suffer her to have kept this for the day of my preparation for burial;

Etheridge Translation
But Jeshu said, Let her alone. For the day of my burial had she kept it.

Murdock Translation
But Jesus said: Let her alone; she hath kept it for the day of my burial.

King James Version (1611)
Then said Iesus, Let her alone, against the day of my burying hath she kept this.

New Living Translation
Jesus replied, "Leave her alone. She did this in preparation for my burial.

New Life Bible
Jesus said, "Let her alone. She has kept it for the time when I will be buried.

New Revised Standard
Jesus said, "Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Then said Iesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying she kept it.

George Lamsa Translation
Jesus then said, Leave her alone; she has kept it for the day of my burial.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Jesus, therefore, said - Let her alone, that, for the day of my burial, she may observe it;

Douay-Rheims Bible
Jesus therefore said: Let her alone, that she may keep it against the day of my burial.

Revised Standard Version
Jesus said, "Let her alone, let her keep it for the day of my burial.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then sayde Iesus: Let her alone, agaynst the day of my burying hath she kept this.

Good News Translation
But Jesus said, "Leave her alone! Let her keep what she has for the day of my burial.

Christian Standard Bible®
Jesus answered, “Leave her alone; she has kept it for the day of my burial.

King James Version
Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this.

Lexham English Bible
So Jesus said, "Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my preparation for burial.

Literal Translation
Then Jesus said, Allow her, for she has kept it for the day of My burial.

Young's Literal Translation
Jesus, therefore, said, `Suffer her; for the day of my embalming she hath kept it,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then sayde Iesus: Let her alone, this hath she kepte agaynst the daye of my buryenge.

Mace New Testament (1729)
then said Jesus, let her alone: against the day of my burial hath she kept this.

THE MESSAGE
Jesus said, "Let her alone. She's anticipating and honoring the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you. You don't always have me."

New English Translation
So Jesus said, "Leave her alone. She has kept it for the day of my burial.

New King James Version
But Jesus said, "Let her alone; she has kept [fn] this for the day of My burial.

Simplified Cowboy Version
"Let her alone," Jesus said. "She's preparing my body for the day of my death.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Therefore Jesus said, "Let her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of My burial.

Legacy Standard Bible
Therefore Jesus said, "Let her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of My burial.

Contextual Overview

¹ Six days before Passover Jesus went back to Bethany, where he had raised Lazarus from death. ² A meal had been prepared for Jesus. Martha was doing the serving, and Lazarus himself was there. ³ Mary took a very expensive bottle of perfume and poured it on Jesus' feet. She wiped them with her hair, and the sweet smell of the perfume filled the house. ⁴ A disciple named Judas Iscariot was there. He was the one who was going to betray Jesus, and he asked, ⁵ "Why wasn't this perfume sold for three hundred silver coins and the money given to the poor?" ⁶ Judas did not really care about the poor. He asked this because he carried the moneybag and sometimes would steal from it. ⁷ Jesus replied, "Leave her alone! She has kept this perfume for the day of my burial. ⁸ You will always have the poor with you, but you won't always have me." ⁹ A lot of people came when they heard that Jesus was there. They also wanted to see Lazarus, because Jesus had raised him from death. ¹⁰ So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Let: Psalms 109:31, Zechariah 3:2, Matthew 26:10, Mark 14:6

against: John 19:38-42, Matthew 26:12, Matthew 27:57-60, Mark 15:42-47, Luke 23:50

Reciprocal: Genesis 50:2 - embalmed 2 Kings 4:27 - Let her alone Mark 14:7 - ye have Mark 14:8 - she is John 19:39 - a

Cross-References

Genesis 8:20
Noah built an altar where he could offer sacrifices to the Lord . Then he offered on the altar one of each kind of animal and bird that could be used for a sacrifice.

Genesis 12:8
Abram traveled to the hill country east of Bethel and camped between Bethel and Ai, where he built another altar and worshiped the Lord .

Genesis 12:9
Later, Abram started out toward the Southern Desert.

Genesis 12:12
When the Egyptians see how lovely you are, they will murder me because I am your husband. But they won't kill you.

Genesis 13:4
where he had earlier camped and built an altar. There he worshiped the Lord .

Genesis 13:15
I will give you and your family all the land you can see. It will be theirs forever!

Genesis 13:18
Abram took down his tents and went to live near the sacred trees of Mamre at Hebron, where he built an altar in honor of the Lord .

Genesis 15:18
At that time the Lord made an agreement with Abram and told him: I will give your descendants the land east of the Shihor River on the border of Egypt as far as the Euphrates River.

Genesis 17:1
Abram was ninety-nine years old when the Lord appeared to him again and said, "I am God All-Powerful. If you obey me and always do right,

Genesis 17:3
Abram bowed with his face to the ground, and God said:

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then said Jesus, let her alone,.... Do not disturb her in what she does, or hinder her, or blame her for it:

against the day of my burial hath she kept this; this ointment, which she now poured on Christ; it was usual to embalm the dead with ointments and spices: Christ suggests, that the time of his death and burial were nigh, and that this woman had kept this ointment till now, for such a purpose; and whereas she would not be able to make use of it at the time of his interment, she had embalmed his body with it now, beforehand; though without any knowledge of his death, or any such intention and design in her, but the Holy Ghost so directing her: for this is not to be understood of her keeping any part of it till that time, which it does not appear she did.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

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 illusion - that he was really restored to the blessings of life and friendship. Calmet thinks that this was about two months after his resurrection, and it is the last that we hear of him. How long he lived is unknown, nor is it recorded that he made any communication about the world of spirits. It is remarkable that none who have been restored to life from the dead have made any communications respecting that world. See Luke 16:31, and the notes at 2 Corinthians 12:4.

John 12:4

Which should betray him - Greek, “who was to betray him” - that is, who would do it.

John 12:5

Three hundred pence - About 40,00, or 8 British pounds, 10 shillings (circa 1880’s).

And given to the poor - The avails or value of it given to the poor.

John 12:6

Had the bag - The word translated “bag” is compounded of two words, meaning “tongue,” and “to keep or preserve.” It was used to denote the bag in which musicians used to keep the tongues or reeds of their pipes when traveling. Hence, it came to mean any bag or purse in which travelers put their money or their most precious articles. The disciples appear to have had such a bag or purse in common, in which they put whatever money they had, and which was designed especially for the poor, Luke 8:3; John 13:29; Acts 2:44. The keeping of this, it seems, was intrusted to Judas; and it is remarkable that the only one among them who appears to have been naturally avaricious should have received this appointment. It shows us that every man is tried according to his native propensity. This is the object of trial - to bring out man’s native character; and every man will find opportunity to do evil according to his native disposition, if he is inclined, to it.

And bare ... - The word translated “bare” means literally “to carry as a burden.” Then it means “to carry away,” as in John 20:15; “If thou hast borne him hence.” Hence, it means to carry away as a thief does, and this is evidently its meaning here. It has this sense often in classic writers. Judas was a thief and stole what was put into the bag. The money he desired to be entrusted to him, that he might secretly enrich himself. It is clear, however, that the disciples did not at this time know that this was his character, or they would have remonstrated against him. They learned it afterward. We may learn here:

1.That it is not a new thing for members of the church to be covetous. Judas was so before them.

2.That such members will be those who complain of the great waste in spreading the gospel.

3.That this deadly, mean, and grovelling passion will work all evil in a church. It brought down the curse of God on the children of Israel in the case of Achan Joshua 7:0, and it betrayed our Lord to death. It has often since brought blighting on the church; and many a time it has betrayed the cause of Christ, and drowned men in destruction and perdition, 1 Timothy 6:9.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse John 12:7. Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this. — Several MSS. and versions read thus: - Αφες αυτην, ἱνα εις την ἡμεραντου ενταφιασμου μου τηρησῃ - Let her alone, THAT she may keep it to the day of my embalming. This is the reading of BDLQ, four others, Arabic, Coptic, AEthiopic, Armenian, later Syriac in the margin, Slavonic, Vulgate, all the Itala but one; Nonnus, Ambrosius, Gaudentius, and Augustin. This reading, which has the approbation of Mill, Bengel, Griesbach, Pearce, and others, intimates that only a part of the ointment was then used, and that the rest was kept till the time that the women came to embalm the body of Jesus: Luke 24:1. See the notes on Matthew 26:12; Matthew 26:13.