John

John 12:3–8

³Then Mary took about a pint^a of expensive perfume, made of pure nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet and wiped them with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

⁴But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was going to betray Him, asked, ⁵“Why wasn’t this perfume sold for three hundred denarii^b and the money given to the poor?” ⁶Judas did not say this because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief. As keeper of the money bag, he used to take from what was put into it.

⁷“Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “She has kept this perfume in preparation for the day of My burial. ⁸The poor you will always have with you,^c but you will not always have Me.”

Footnotes

a 12:3 Greek a litra; that is, approximately 12 ounces or 340 grams
b 12:5 A denarius was customarily a day’s wage for a laborer; see Matthew 20:2|MAT 20:2.
c 12:8 See Deuteronomy 15:11|DEU 15:11.

Read all of John 12

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Greek it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

John 12:3

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Then	οὖν	oun	Conjunction	G3767 therefore, then
Mary	Μαριὰμ	Mariam	Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular	G3137 Mary, Miriam
took	λαβοῦσα	labousa	Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Feminine Singular	G2983 I receive, take
about a pint	λίτραν	litran	Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular	G3046 a Roman pound
of expensive	πολυτίμου	polytimou	Adjective - Genitive Feminine Singular	G4186 of great value
perfume	μύρου	myrou	Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular	G3464 anointing-oil, ointment
made of pure	πιστικῆς	pistikēs	Adjective - Genitive Feminine Singular	G4101 genuine, pure
nard	νάρδου	nardou	Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular	G3487 spikenard, a perfume
she anointed	ἤλειψεν	ēleipsen	Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular	G218 I anoint
Jesus’	Ἰησοῦ	Iēsou	Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular	G2424 Jesus
feet	πόδας	podas	Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural	G4228 the foot
and	καὶ	kai	Conjunction	G2532 and, even, also, namely
wiped	ἐξέμαξεν	exemaxen	Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular	G1591 I wipe, wipe off thoroughly
with	τοὺς	tous	Article - Accusative Masculine Plural	G3588 the
her	αὐτῆς	autēs	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Feminine 3rd Person Singular	G846 he, she, it, they, them, same
hair	θριξὶν	thrixin	Noun - Dative Feminine Plural	G2359 a hair
And	δὲ	de	Conjunction	G1161 but, on the other hand, and
the	ἡ	hē	Article - Nominative Feminine Singular	G3588 the
house	οἰκία	oikia	Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular	G3614 a house, household
was filled	ἐπληρώθη	eplērōthē	Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular	G4137 I fill, fulfill, complete
with	ἐκ	ek	Preposition	G1537 from out, out from among, from
the	τῆς	tēs	Article - Genitive Feminine Singular	G3588 the
fragrance	ὀσμῆς	osmēs	Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular	G3744 an odor
of the	τοῦ	tou	Article - Genitive Masculine Singular	G3588 the
perfume	μύρου	myrou	Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular	G3464 anointing-oil, ointment

John 12:4

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
But	δὲ	de	Conjunction	G1161 but, on the other hand, and
one	εἷς	heis	Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular	G1520 one
of	ἐκ	ek	Preposition	G1537 from out, out from among, from
His	αὐτοῦ	autou	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular	G846 he, she, it, they, them, same
disciples	μαθητῶν	mathētōn	Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural	G3101 a learner, disciple, pupil
Judas	Ἰούδας	Ioudas	Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular	G2455 Judah, Judas, Jude
Iscariot	Ἰσκαριώτης	Iskariōtēs	Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular	G2469 Iscariot, a man of Kerioth
who	ὁ	ho	Article - Nominative Masculine Singular	G3588 the
was going	μέλλων	mellōn	Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular	G3195 I am about to
to betray	παραδιδόναι	paradidonai	Verb - Present Infinitive Active	G3860 I hand over, deliver, betray
Him	αὐτὸν	auton	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular	G846 he, she, it, they, them, same
asked	Λέγει	Legei	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular	G3004 I say, speak

John 12:5

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Why	Διὰ	Dia	Preposition	G1223 through, on account of
wasn’t	οὐκ	ouk	Adverb	G3756 no, not
this	τοῦτο	touto	Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Neuter Singular	G3778 this, he, she, it
perfume	μύρον	myron	Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular	G3464 anointing-oil, ointment
sold	ἐπράθη	eprathē	Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular	G4097 I sell
for three hundred	τριακοσίων	triakosiōn	Adjective - Genitive Neuter Plural	G5145 three hundred
denarii	δηναρίων	dēnariōn	Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural	G1220 a denarius
and	καὶ	kai	Conjunction	G2532 and, even, also, namely
given	ἐδόθη	edothē	Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular	G1325 I offer, give
to	πτωχοῖς	ptōchois	Adjective - Dative Masculine Plural	G4434 poor, destitute

John 12:6

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
did not say	εἶπεν	eipen	Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular	G2036 to speak or say (by word or writing)
this	τοῦτο	touto	Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular	G3778 this, he, she, it
because	ὅτι	hoti	Conjunction	G3754 that, since, because
he	αὐτῷ	autō	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular	G846 he, she, it, they, them, same
cared	ἔμελεν	emelen	Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular	G3199 it is a care, it concerns
about	περὶ	peri	Preposition	G4012 about, concerning, around
the	τῶν	tōn	Article - Genitive Masculine Plural	G3588 the
poor	πτωχῶν	ptōchōn	Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural	G4434 poor, destitute
but	ἀλλ’	all’	Conjunction	G235 but, except
because	ὅτι	hoti	Conjunction	G3754 that, since, because
he was	ἦν	ēn	Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular	G1510 I am, exist
a thief	κλέπτης	kleptēs	Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular	G2812 a thief
As keeper	ἔχων	echōn	Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular	G2192 I have, hold, possess
of the	τὸ	to	Article - Accusative Neuter Singular	G3588 the
money bag	γλωσσόκομον	glōssokomon	Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular	G1101 bag, purse, box, chest
he used to take	ἐβάσταζεν	ebastazen	Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular	G941 I carry, carry away, bear
from what	τὰ	ta	Article - Accusative Neuter Plural	G3588 the
was put into	βαλλόμενα	ballomena	Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Accusative Neuter Plural	G906 I cast, throw, rush, put, place, drop

John 12:7

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Leave her alone	Ἄφες	Aphes	Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular	G863 I send away, release, remit, forgive, permit
Jesus	Ἰησοῦς	Iēsous	Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular	G2424 Jesus
replied	Εἶπεν	Eipen	Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular	G2036 to speak or say (by word or writing)
She has kept	τηρήσῃ	tērēsē	Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular	G5083 I keep, guard, observe
in preparation	ἵνα	hina	Conjunction	G2443 in order that, so that
for	εἰς	eis	Preposition	G1519 into, in, among, till, for
the	τὴν	tēn	Article - Accusative Feminine Singular	G3588 the
day	ἡμέραν	hēmeran	Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular	G2250 a day
of	τοῦ	tou	Article - Genitive Masculine Singular	G3588 the
My	μου	mou	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular	G1473 I
burial	ἐνταφιασμοῦ	entaphiasmou	Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular	G1780 embalming, preparation of a body for burial

John 12:8

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
The	τοὺς	tous	Article - Accusative Masculine Plural	G3588 the
poor	πτωχοὺς	ptōchous	Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural	G4434 poor, destitute
you will always have	ἔχετε	echete	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural	G2192 I have, hold, possess
with	μεθ’	meth’	Preposition	G3326 with, after
you	ἑαυτῶν	heautōn	Reflexive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural	G1438 himself, herself, itself
but	δὲ	de	Conjunction	G1161 but, on the other hand, and
not	οὐ	ou	Adverb	G3756 no, not
always	πάντοτε	pantote	Adverb	G3842 always, at all times
have	ἔχετε	echete	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural	G2192 I have, hold, possess
Me	ἐμὲ	eme	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Singular	G1473 I