John 12:7

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."

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Jesus answered, “Leave her alone; she has 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.

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

English Standard Version
Jesus said, "Leave her alone, so that she may 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.

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

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.

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

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

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;

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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;

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

Contextual Overview

¹Six days before Passover, Jesus entered Bethany where Lazarus, so recently raised from the dead, was living. Lazarus and his sisters invited Jesus to dinner at their home. Martha served. Lazarus was one of those sitting at the table with them. Mary came in with a jar of very expensive aromatic oils, anointed and massaged Jesus' feet, and then wiped them with her hair. The fragrance of the oils filled the house. ⁴Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples, even then getting ready to betray him, said, "Why wasn't this oil sold and the money given to the poor? It would have easily brought three hundred silver pieces." He said this not because he cared two cents about the poor but because he was a thief. He was in charge of their common funds, but also embezzled them. ⁷Jesus 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." ⁹Word got out among the Jews that he was back in town. The people came to take a look, not only at Jesus but also at Lazarus, who had been raised from the dead. So the high priests plotted to kill Lazarus because so many of the Jews were going over and believing in Jesus on account of him.

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 to God . He selected clean animals and birds from every species and offered them as burnt offerings on the altar. God smelled the sweet fragrance and thought to himself, "I'll never again curse the ground because of people. I know they have this bent toward evil from an early age, but I'll never again kill off everything living as I've just done.

Genesis 12:8
He moved on from there to the hill country east of Bethel and pitched his tent between Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. He built an altar there and prayed to God .

Genesis 12:9
Abram kept moving, steadily making his way south, to the Negev.

Genesis 13:18
Abram moved his tent. He went and settled by the Oaks of Mamre in Hebron. There he built an altar to God .

Genesis 17:1
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, God showed up and said to him, "I am The Strong God, live entirely before me, live to the hilt! I'll make a covenant between us and I'll give you a huge family."

Genesis 17:3
Overwhelmed, Abram fell flat on his face. Then God said to him, "This is my covenant with you: You'll be the father of many nations. Your name will no longer be Abram, but Abraham, meaning that ‘I'm making you the father of many nations.' I'll make you a father of fathers—I'll make nations from you, kings will issue from you. I'm establishing my covenant between me and you, a covenant that includes your descendants, a covenant that goes on and on and on, a covenant that commits me to be your God and the God of your descendants. And I'm giving you and your descendants this land where you're now just camping, this whole country of Canaan, to own forever. And I'll be their God."

Genesis 18:1
God appeared to Abraham at the Oaks of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance of his tent. It was the hottest part of the day. He looked up and saw three men standing. He ran from his tent to greet them and bowed before them.

Genesis 22:9
They arrived at the place to which God had directed him. Abraham built an altar. He laid out the wood. Then he tied up Isaac and laid him on the wood. Abraham reached out and took the knife to kill his son.

Genesis 26:25
Isaac built an altar there and prayed, calling on God by name. He pitched his tent and his servants started digging another well.

Genesis 28:13
Then God was right before him, saying, "I am God , the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. I'm giving the ground on which you are sleeping to you and to your descendants. Your descendants will be as the dust of the Earth; they'll stretch from west to east and from north to south. All the families of the Earth will bless themselves in you and your descendants. Yes. I'll stay with you, I'll protect you wherever you go, and I'll bring you back to this very ground. I'll stick with you until I've done everything I promised you."

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.