Matthew 26:7
New International Version
a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.

New Living Translation
While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume and poured it over his head.

English Standard Version
a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table.

Berean Standard Bible
a woman came to Him with an alabaster jar of expensive perfume, which she poured on His head as He reclined at the table.

Berean Literal Bible
a woman came to Him, having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and poured it on His head as He is reclining.

King James Bible
There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat.

New King James Version
a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table.

New American Standard Bible
a woman came to Him with an alabaster vial of very expensive perfume, and she poured it on His head as He was reclining at the table.

NASB 1995
a woman came to Him with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume, and she poured it on His head as He reclined at the table.

NASB 1977
a woman came to Him with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume, and she poured it upon His head as He reclined at the table.

Legacy Standard Bible
a woman came to Him with an alabaster jar of very costly perfume, and she poured it on His head as He reclined at the table.

Amplified Bible
a woman came to Him with an alabaster vial of very expensive perfume and she poured it on Jesus’ head as He reclined at the table.

Christian Standard Bible
a woman approached him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume. She poured it on his head as he was reclining at the table.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
a woman approached Him with an alabaster jar of very expensive fragrant oil. She poured it on His head as He was reclining at the table.

American Standard Version
there came unto him a woman having an alabaster cruse of exceeding precious ointment, and she poured it upon his head, as he sat at meat.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
A woman came near to him who had with her of vase of oil of sweet spices, very expensive, and she poured it on Yeshua's head as he reclined.

Contemporary English Version
A woman came in with a bottle of expensive perfume and poured it on Jesus' head.

Douay-Rheims Bible
There came to him a woman having an alabaster box of precious ointment, and poured it on his head as he was at table.

English Revised Version
there came unto him a woman having an alabaster cruse of exceeding precious ointment, and she poured it upon his head, as he sat at meat.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
While Jesus was sitting there, a woman went to him with a bottle of very expensive perfume and poured it on his head.

Good News Translation
While Jesus was eating, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar filled with an expensive perfume, which she poured on his head.

International Standard Version
a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume and poured it on his head while he sat at the table.

Literal Standard Version
there came to Him a woman having an alabaster box of ointment, very precious, and she poured on His head as He is reclining.

Majority Standard Bible
a woman came to Him with an alabaster jar of expensive perfume, which she poured on His head as He reclined at the table.

New American Bible
a woman came up to him with an alabaster jar of costly perfumed oil, and poured it on his head while he was reclining at table.

NET Bible
a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of expensive perfumed oil, and she poured it on his head as he was at the table.

New Revised Standard Version
a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment, and she poured it on his head as he sat at the table.

New Heart English Bible
a woman came to him having an alabaster jar of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he sat at the table.

Webster's Bible Translation
There came to him a woman having an alabaster-box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head as he sat at table.

Weymouth New Testament
a woman came to Him with a jar of very costly, sweet-scented ointment, which she poured over His head as He reclined at table.

World English Bible
a woman came to him having an alabaster jar of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he sat at the table.

Young's Literal Translation
there came to him a woman having an alabaster box of ointment, very precious, and she poured on his head as he is reclining (at meat).

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jesus Anointed at Bethany
6While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, 7a woman came to Him with an alabaster jar of expensive perfume, which she poured on His head as He reclined at the table. 8When the disciples saw this, they were indignant and asked, “Why this waste?…

Cross References
2 Kings 9:1
Now Elisha the prophet summoned one of the sons of the prophets and said to him, "Tuck your cloak under your belt, take this flask of oil, and go to Ramoth-gilead.

Matthew 26:8
When the disciples saw this, they were indignant and asked, "Why this waste?

Mark 14:3
While Jesus was in Bethany reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke open the jar and poured it on Jesus' head.

Luke 7:37
When a sinful woman from that town learned that Jesus was dining there, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume.


Treasury of Scripture

There came to him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat.

came.

John 12:2,3
There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him…

very.

Exodus 30:23-33
Take thou also unto thee principal spices, of pure myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet cinnamon half so much, even two hundred and fifty shekels, and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty shekels, …

Psalm 133:2
It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;

Ecclesiastes 9:8
Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment.

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Alabaster Alabaster-Box Bottle Box Costly Cruse Exceeding Expensive Flask Great Head Jar Lay Meat Ointment Perfume Poured Precious Price Reclined Reclining Sat Sweet-Scented Table Vial
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Alabaster Alabaster-Box Bottle Box Costly Cruse Exceeding Expensive Flask Great Head Jar Lay Meat Ointment Perfume Poured Precious Price Reclined Reclining Sat Sweet-Scented Table Vial
Matthew 26
1. Jesus foretells his own death.
3. The rulers conspire against him.
6. The woman anoints his feet.
14. Judas bargains to betray him.
17. Jesus eats the Passover;
26. institutes his holy supper;
30. foretells the desertion of his disciples, and Peter's denial;
36. prays in the garden;
47. and being betrayed by a kiss,
57. is carried to Caiaphas,
69. and denied by Peter.














(7) There came unto him a woman.--We learn from St. John (John 12:3) that this was Mary the sister of Lazarus. It is hardly conceivable (unless we conjecture that she came in veiled, and that St. John alone knew her) that the writers of the first two Gospels, or those from whom they derived their knowledge, could have been ignorant who she was, and we can only see in their suppression of the name an example of the singular reticence which sealed their lips as to every member of the family at Bethany. A prevalent tradition or conjecture in the Western Church has identified the sister of Lazarus with the woman that was a sinner, of Luke 7, and, on this assumption what we now read was a repetition of an offering of love that had been made before. Of this, however, there is not the shadow of proof (see Notes on Luke 7:37-38). It may well have been, on the other hand, that the household of Bethany had heard of that act, and that this suggested the way in which love and gratitude now manifested themselves.

An alabaster box of very precious ointment.--The box was probably a vase of the material described as alabaster (according to one etymology, however, that word described originally the shape of the vase, as made without handles, and was subsequently extended to the material of which such vases were commonly made), with the lid cemented down, so as not to admit of extraction like a cork or stopper. St. John (John 12:3) describes the quantity as a pound (litra=about twelve ounces); and both St. John and St. Mark add that it was "of spikenard." The word so rendered, however (pistike), is found only in those two passages (Mark 14:3, John 12:3), and it is open to question whether it bears this meaning, or means "pure, genuine, unadulterated." The "nard" so described is identified by botanists with the Nardostachys jatamansi, the sumbul of India, but was probably applied by Greeks and Romans to other perfumes. The value of the ointment is roughly estimated afterwards at three hundred denarii (John 12:5). Such preparations, like genuine atar of roses in the modern East, consisting, as they did mainly, in the essential oils of carefully cultivated flowers, often fetched an almost fabulous price. The fact that Mary had such an unguent by her indicates that the household of Bethany belonged to the comparatively wealthy class, and so agrees with the general impression left by the record of John 11. It is a probable conjecture that a like costly unguent had been used in embalming the body of the brother who had so recently been raised from the dead, and that this gave a special point to our Lord's comment on the act. St. Mark adds that she broke or crushed the vessel in order to pour out the ointment; St. John, that she anointed His feet, and wiped them with her hair. . . .

Verse 7. - A woman. St. John identifies her as Mary the sister of Lazarus and Martha. Why the synoptists omit her name is not known; it is equally uncertain why St. John makes no mention of Simon. None of the synoptists notice Lazarus, though St. Luke names Martha and Mary (Luke 10:38, 39). It may have been at the time a matter of prudence or delicacy not to draw attention to them by name. But there is no discrepancy. One narrative supplements the other, and it is best to be thankful for what we have, and not to be over curious concerning points not explained. An alabaster box (ἀλάβαστρον). A cruse or flask made of alabaster, which is a white calcareous spar resembling marble, but setter and more easily worked. These cruses were generally round shaped, with a long narrow neck, the orifice of which was sealed. It may be the breaking of this seal to which St. Mark refers in his account (Mark 14:3), when he says that "she brake the box." Very precious ointment (μύρου). St. Mark calls it "pistic nard," rendered in our version "spikenard." The word in our text seems to be used for any salve or ointment which contained myrrh as one of its ingredients. Nard is found in Syria, the Himalayas, and other parts of India. From its root a strong scented unguent was made, which, being imported from a long distance, was very costly. Poured it on his head. It is to be noted that in the original there is no "it" after "poured;" so there is nothing to imply that the whole was poured upon his head. This helps to reconcile this account with that of the fourth evangelist (Morison). St. John tells that she anointed his feet, which was unusual; she first anointed his head, and then his feet, wiping the latter with her long flowing hair. Anointing the head was not an uncommon way of honouring distinguished guests; but Mary had another thought in her mind which the Lord discerned (ver. 12). As he sat at meat; as he reclined at table. The Jews had adopted the Roman mode of eating (comp. Matthew 22:10, where the word rendered "guests" is "the recumbent"). St. Matthew does not mention that a special supper was arranged for him (John 12:1), as if to do him honour.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
a woman
γυνὴ (gynē)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1135: A woman, wife, my lady. Probably from the base of ginomai; a woman; specially, a wife.

came
προσῆλθεν (prosēlthen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 4334: From pros and erchomai; to approach, i.e. come near, visit, or worship, assent to.

to Him
αὐτῷ (autō)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

with
ἔχουσα (echousa)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 2192: To have, hold, possess. Including an alternate form scheo skheh'-o; a primary verb; to hold.

an alabaster jar
ἀλάβαστρον (alabastron)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 211: Neuter of alabastros, the name of a stone; properly, an 'alabaster' box, i.e. a perfume vase.

of expensive
βαρυτίμου (barytimou)
Adjective - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's 927: Of great price. From barus and time; highly valuable.

perfume,
μύρου (myrou)
Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's 3464: Anointing-oil, ointment. Probably of foreign origin; 'myrrh', i.e. perfumed oil.

which she poured
κατέχεεν (katecheen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2708: To pour (down) upon. From kata and cheo; to pour down.

on
ἐπὶ (epi)
Preposition
Strong's 1909: On, to, against, on the basis of, at.

His
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

head
κεφαλῆς (kephalēs)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 2776: From the primary kapto; the head, literally or figuratively.

as He reclined at the table.
ἀνακειμένου (anakeimenou)
Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 345: To recline, especially at a dinner-table. From ana and keimai; to recline.


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NT Gospels: Matthew 26:7 A woman came to him having (Matt. Mat Mt)
Matthew 26:6
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