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the Week of Proper 16 / Ordinary 21
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Lexham English Bible

Mark 14:8

She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Anointing;   Jesus, the Christ;   Jesus Continued;   Mary;   Women;   Thompson Chain Reference - Service;   Timely Service;   Work, Religious;   Work-Workers, Religious;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Anointing;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Death of Christ;   Gospel;   Priest, Christ as;   Remember, Remembrance;   Wealth;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Anoint;   Perfumes;   Simon;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Anoint;   Burial;   Passover;   Tombs;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Banquet;   Cosmetics;   Mark, the Gospel of;   Martha;   Oil;   Woman;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - John, Gospel of;   Lazarus;   Mary;   Mss;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Anointing;   Anointing (2);   Attributes of Christ;   Caesarea Philippi;   Complacency;   Consciousness;   Dead, the ;   Foresight;   Humanity of Christ;   Ideas (Leading);   Martha ;   Mary;   Mount of Olives ;   Premeditation;   Preparation ;   Simple, Simplicity ;   Sisters;   Trinity (2);   Wealth (2);   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Anointing;   Mary, Sister of Lazarus and Martha;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Chamber;   Passover;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Anointing;  

Encyclopedias:

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

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for July 18;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
She has done what she could; she has anointed my body
King James Version (1611)
She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.
King James Version
She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.
English Standard Version
She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial.
New American Standard Bible
"She has done what she could; she has anointed My body beforehand for the burial.
New Century Version
This woman did the only thing she could do for me; she poured perfume on my body to prepare me for burial.
Amplified Bible
"She has done what she could; she has anointed My body beforehand for the burial.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"She has done what she could; she has anointed My body beforehand for the burial.
Legacy Standard Bible
She has done what she could; she anointed My body beforehand for the burial.
Berean Standard Bible
She has done what she could to anoint My body in advance of My burial.
Contemporary English Version
She has done all she could by pouring perfume on my body to prepare it for burial.
Complete Jewish Bible
What she could do, she did do — in advance she poured perfume on my body to prepare it for burial.
Darby Translation
What *she* could she has done. She has beforehand anointed my body for the burial.
Easy-to-Read Version
This woman did the only thing she could do for me. She poured perfume on my body before I die to prepare it for burial.
Geneva Bible (1587)
She hath done that she coulde: she came afore hand to anoynt my body to the burying.
George Lamsa Translation
But this one has done it with what she had; she anointed my body in advance as for the burial.
Good News Translation
She did what she could; she poured perfume on my body to prepare it ahead of time for burial.
Literal Translation
What this one held, she did. She took beforehand to anoint My body for the burial.
American Standard Version
She hath done what she could; she hath anointed my body beforehand for the burying.
Bible in Basic English
She has done what she was able: she has put oil on my body to make it ready for its last resting-place.
Hebrew Names Version
She has done what she could. She has anointed my body beforehand for the burying.
International Standard Version
She has done what she could. She poured perfume on my body in preparation for my burial.
Etheridge Translation
(With) that which was hers she hath done this, and beforehand as for the funeral she hath anointed my body.
Murdock Translation
What was in her power, she hath done; and by anticipation, hath perfumed my body, as if for burial.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
She hath done that she coulde: she came aforehande, to annoynt my body to the burying.
English Revised Version
She hath done what she could: she hath anointed my body aforehand for the burying.
World English Bible
She has done what she could. She has anointed my body beforehand for the burying.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
She hath done what she could: she hath before-hand embalmed my body for the burial.
Weymouth's New Testament
What she could she did: she has perfumed my body in preparation for my burial.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Sche dide that that sche hadde; sche cam bifore to anoynte my bodi in to biriyng.
Update Bible Version
She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for the burying.
Webster's Bible Translation
She hath done what she could: she is come beforehand to anoint my body to the burying.
New English Translation
She did what she could. She anointed my body beforehand for burial.
New King James Version
She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial.
New Living Translation
She has done what she could and has anointed my body for burial ahead of time.
New Life Bible
She did what she could. She put this perfume on My body to make Me ready for the grave.
New Revised Standard
She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for its burial.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
What she had, she used, - She took it beforehand to anoint my body for the burial;
Douay-Rheims Bible
She hath done what she could: she is come beforehand to anoint my body for the burial.
Revised Standard Version
She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burying.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
She hath done that she coulde: she came a fore honde to anoynt my boddy to his buryinge warde.
Young's Literal Translation
what she could she did, she anticipated to anoint my body for the embalming.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
She hath done what she coulde, she is come before, to anoynte my body for my buriall.
Mace New Testament (1729)
she has done what she could: she has perfum'd my body previously to my burial.
Simplified Cowboy Version
She has prepared my body for burial before I'm even dead.

Contextual Overview

1 Now after two days it was the Passover and the feast of Unleavened Bread, and the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how, after arresting him by stealth, they could kill him. 2 For they said, "Not at the feast, lest there be an uproar by the people." 3 And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining for a meal, a woman came holding an alabaster flask of very costly perfumed oil of genuine nard. After breaking the alabaster flask, she poured it out on his head. 4 But some were expressing indignation to one another: "Why has there been this waste of perfumed oil? 5 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. 6 But Jesus said, "Leave her alone. Why do you cause trouble for her? She has done a good deed to me. 7 For the poor you always have with you, and you can do good for them whenever you want, but you do not always have me. 8 She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial. 9 And truly I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her. 10 And Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

hath done: "It appears to me more probable," says Dr. Doddridge, "that Matthew and Mark should have introduced this story out of its place - that Lazarus, if he made this feast - which is not expressly said by John should have made use of Simon's house, as more convenient - and that Mary should have poured this ointment on Christ's head and body, as well as on his feet - than that, within the compass of four days, Christ should have been twice anointed with so costly a perfume; and that the same fault should be found with the action, and the same value set upon the ointment, and the same words used in defence of the woman, and all this in the presence of many of the same persons; all which improbable particulars must be admitted, if the stories be considered as different." The rebuke which Judas received from Christ at this unction determined him in his resolution to betray his Master; and therefore Christ's rebuke, and Judas's revenge, are united, as cause and effect, by Matthew and Mark. 1 Chronicles 28:2, 1 Chronicles 28:3, 1 Chronicles 29:1-17, 2 Chronicles 31:20, 2 Chronicles 31:21, 2 Chronicles 34:19-33, Psalms 110:3, 2 Corinthians 8:1-3, 2 Corinthians 8:12

she is: Mark 15:42-47, Mark 16:1, Luke 23:53-56, Luke 24:1-3, John 12:7, John 19:32-42

Reciprocal: Genesis 50:2 - embalmed 2 Chronicles 6:8 - thou didst well 2 Chronicles 34:29 - the king Proverbs 3:9 - General Malachi 1:14 - which hath in his flock Matthew 10:42 - a cup Matthew 25:23 - Well Matthew 26:12 - General Mark 12:44 - cast in of Luke 10:34 - bound Luke 21:3 - more Acts 3:6 - but Acts 9:39 - and showing Romans 1:15 - so 1 Corinthians 16:2 - as God 2 Corinthians 8:3 - to

Cross-References

Genesis 13:10
And Lot lifted up his eyes and saw the whole plain of the Jordan, that all of it was well-watered land—this was before Yahweh destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah—like the garden of Yahweh, like the land of Egypt in the direction of Zoar.
Genesis 14:2
made war with Bera, the king of Sodom, and Birsha, the king of Gomorrah, Shinab, the king of Admah, and Shemeber, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar).
Genesis 14:3
All these joined forces at the valley of Siddim (that is, the sea of the salt).
Genesis 14:10
Now the Valley of Siddim was full of tar pits. And the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled and fell into them, but the rest fled to the mountains.
Genesis 19:20
Behold, this city is near enough to flee there, and it is a little one. Please, let me flee there. Is it not a little one? Then my life shall be saved."
Genesis 19:22
Escape there quickly, for I cannot do this thing until you get there." Therefore, there name of the city was called Zoar.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

She hath done what she could,.... What she had in her heart, and in the power of her hands to do; she hath done according to her ability, and her good will; and if she had not done it now, she could not have done it at all.

She is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying; or, "as if it was to bury me", as the Syriac version renders it. Christ signifies by this, that he should shortly die, and that this woman came before hand to anoint him, and, as it were, to perform the funeral rites before he was dead; it being revealed to her by the Spirit, that Jesus would quickly die, and she should not be able to perform this good work when dead, and therefore came to do it before; or, at least, she was directed by the Spirit of God, because she would be prevented doing it afterwards; :-.

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 14:8. To anoint my body to the burying. — εις τον ενταφιασμον, against, or in reference to, its embalmment, thus pointing out my death and the embalmment of my body, for the bodies of persons of distinction were wrapped up in aromatics to preserve them from putrefaction. Matthew 26:12.


 
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