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Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clearImportance=normal (All still tentative.)
OET (OET-RV)Then Maria took about 300g of very expensive nard oil and smeared it on Yeshua’s feet, and then wiped off his feet with her own hair, and the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.
Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).
ULTThen Mary, having taken a litra of perfumed oil of very precious pure nard, anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. Now the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfumed oil.
USTMary then took a bottle that contained about half a liter of very expensive perfume, which was pure oil from nard plants, and she poured it out on Jesus’ feet and then wiped his feet with her hair. The pleasant scent of the perfume filled the entire house.
BSBThen Mary took about a pint [fn] 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.
12:3Greek a litra; that is, approximately 12 ounces or 340 grams
BLBTherefore Mary, having taken a litra of fragrant oil of pure nard, of great price, anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.
AICNTThen Mary, taking a pound of very costly pure nard perfume, anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
OEBSo Mary took a pound of choice spikenard perfume of great value, and anointed the feet of Jesus with it, and then wiped them with her hair. The whole house was filled with the scent of the perfume.
WEBBETherefore Mary took a pound[fn] of ointment of pure nard, very precious, and anointed Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment.
12:3a Roman pound of 12 ounces, or about 340 grams
WMBBTherefore Miriam took a pound[fn] of ointment of pure nard, very precious, and anointed Yeshua’s feet and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment.
12:3a Roman pound of 12 ounces, or about 340 grams
NETThen Mary took three quarters of a pound of expensive aromatic oil from pure nard and anointed the feet of Jesus. She then wiped his feet dry with her hair. (Now the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfumed oil.)
LSVMary, therefore, having taken a pound of ointment of spikenard, of great price, anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair, and the house was filled from the fragrance of the ointment.
FBVMary brought a pint[fn] of pure nard perfume and anointed Jesus' feet, wiping them dry with her hair. The scent of the perfume filled the whole house.
TCNTThen Mary took a pound of expensive ointment made of pure nard, anointed Jesus' feet, and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment.
T4TThen Mary took a bottle of expensive perfume called nard and poured it on Jesus’ feet to honor him. Then she wiped his feet with her hair. The whole house was filled with the beautiful smell of the perfume.
LEBThen Mary took a pound[fn] of ointment of very valuable genuine nard and[fn] anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment.
12:3The Greek term refers to a Roman pound, 327.45 grams (approximately 12 ounces)
12:3*Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“took”) has been translated as a finite verb
BBEThen Mary, taking a pound of perfumed oil of great value, put it on the feet of Jesus and made them dry with her hair: and the house became full of the smell of the perfume.
WymthAvailing herself of the opportunity, Mary took a pound weight of pure spikenard, very costly, and poured it over His feet, and wiped His feet with her hair, so that the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
ASVMary therefore took a pound of ointment of pure nard, very precious, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odor of the ointment.
DRAMary therefore took a pound of ointment of right spikenard, of great price, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.
YLTMary, therefore, having taken a pound of ointment of spikenard, of great price, anointed the feet of Jesus and did wipe with her hair his feet, and the house was filled from the fragrance of the ointment.
DrbyMary therefore, having taken a pound of ointment of pure nard of great price, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair, and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.
RVMary therefore took a pound of ointment of spikenard, very precious, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.
WbstrThen Mary took a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odor of the ointment.
KJB-1769Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.
KJB-1611Then tooke Mary a pound of ointment, of Spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Iesus, & wiped his feet with her haire: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. (Then took Mary a pound of ointment, of Spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Yesus/Yeshua, and wiped his feet with her haire: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.)
BshpsThen toke Marie a pounde of oyntment of Spike narde, very costly, and annoynted Iesus feete, and wyped his feete with her heere: and the house was fylled with the odoure of the oyntment. (Then took Mary/Maria a pounde of ointment of Spike narde, very costly, and anointed Yesus/Yeshua feet, and wiped his feet with her hear: and the house was filled with the odoure of the ointment.)
GnvaThen tooke Mary a pound of oyntment of Spikenarde very costly, and anoynted Iesus feete, and wiped his feete with her heare, and the house was filled with the sauour of the oyntment. (Then took Mary a pound of ointment of Spikenarde very costly, and anointed Yesus/Yeshua feet, and wiped his feet with her hear, and the house was filled with the sauour of the ointment. )
CvdlThen toke Mary a pounde of oyntment of pure and costly Nardus, and anoynted Iesus fete, & dryed his fete with hir heer. The house was full of the sauoure of the oyntment. (Then took Mary a pounde of ointment of pure and costly Nardus, and anointed Yesus/Yeshua feet, and dried his feet with her heer. The house was full of the sauoure of the ointment.)
TNTThen toke Mary a pounde of oyntmet called Nardus perfecte and precious and anoynted Iesus fete and wipt his fete with her heer and the housse was filled of the savre of the oyntmet. (Then took Mary a pounde of oyntmet called Nardus perfecte and precious and anointed Yesus/Yeshua feet and wipt his feet with her hair and the house was filled of the savre of the oyntmet. )
WyclTherfor Marie took a pound of oynement of trewe narde precious, and anoyntide the feet of Jhesu, and wipte hise feet with hir heeris; and the hous was fulfillid of the sauour of the oynement. (Therefore Mary/Maria took a pound of ointment of trewe narde precious, and anointede the feet of Yhesu, and wiped his feet with her hairs; and the house was fulfilled of the sauour of the ointment.)
LuthDa nahm Maria ein Pfund Salbe von ungefälschter, köstlicher Narde und salbete die Füße JEsu und trocknete mit ihrem Haar seine Füße. Das Haus aber ward voll vom Geruch der Salbe. (So took Maria a Pfund Salbe from ungefälschter, köstlicher Narde and salbete the feet YEsu and trocknete with their Haar his Füße. The house but what/which voll from_the Geruch the/of_the Salbe.)
ClVgMaria ergo accepit libram unguenti nardi pistici pretiosi, et unxit pedes Jesu, et extersit pedes ejus capillis suis: et domus impleta est ex odore unguenti.[fn] (Maria therefore accepit libram unguenti nardi pistici pretiosi, and unxit pedes Yesu, and extersit pedes his capillis to_his_own: and home impleta it_is from odore unguenti. )
12.3Maria ergo. Pretiosum unguentum fit de nardo maxime de spicis, hic autem dicitur pistici a loco unde erat. Et interpretatur fidelis, non alia admixtione corrupti. Dixit ergo unus. Judas etsi malus tamen inter apostolos numeratur, ut doceamur malos tolerare, ne corpus Christi dividamus, et malos bonis non obesse.
12.3Maria ergo. Pretiosum unguentum fit about nardo maxime about spicis, this however it_is_said pistici from instead whence was. And interpretatur fidelis, not/no other admixtione corrupti. Dixit therefore unus. Yudas etsi malus tamen between apostolos numeratur, as doceamur malos tolerare, not body of_Christ dividamus, and malos bonis not/no obesse.
UGNTἡ οὖν Μαρία λαβοῦσα λίτραν μύρου νάρδου πιστικῆς πολυτίμου, ἤλειψεν τοὺς πόδας τοῦ Ἰησοῦ, καὶ ἐξέμαξεν ταῖς θριξὶν αὐτῆς τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ; ἡ δὲ οἰκία ἐπληρώθη ἐκ τῆς ὀσμῆς τοῦ μύρου. (haʸ oun Maria labousa litran murou nardou pistikaʸs polutimou, aʸleipsen tous podas tou Yaʸsou, kai exemaxen tais thrixin autaʸs tous podas autou; haʸ de oikia eplaʸrōthaʸ ek taʸs osmaʸs tou murou.)
SBL-GNTἡ οὖν ⸀Μαριὰμ λαβοῦσα λίτραν μύρου νάρδου πιστικῆς πολυτίμου ἤλειψεν τοὺς πόδας τοῦ Ἰησοῦ καὶ ἐξέμαξεν ταῖς θριξὶν αὐτῆς τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ· ἡ δὲ οἰκία ἐπληρώθη ἐκ τῆς ὀσμῆς τοῦ μύρου. (haʸ oun ⸀Mariam labousa litran murou nardou pistikaʸs polutimou aʸleipsen tous podas tou Yaʸsou kai exemaxen tais thrixin autaʸs tous podas autou; haʸ de oikia eplaʸrōthaʸ ek taʸs osmaʸs tou murou.)
TC-GNTἩ οὖν [fn]Μαρία λαβοῦσα λίτραν μύρου νάρδου πιστικῆς πολυτίμου, ἤλειψε τοὺς πόδας τοῦ Ἰησοῦ, καὶ ἐξέμαξε ταῖς θριξὶν αὐτῆς τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ· ἡ δὲ οἰκία ἐπληρώθη ἐκ τῆς ὀσμῆς τοῦ μύρου. (Haʸ oun Maria labousa litran murou nardou pistikaʸs polutimou, aʸleipse tous podas tou Yaʸsou, kai exemaxe tais thrixin autaʸs tous podas autou; haʸ de oikia eplaʸrōthaʸ ek taʸs osmaʸs tou murou. )
12:3Mary . . . anointed Jesus’ feet: Doing so was not awkward, because Jews reclined at formal meals, but it was certainly a dramatic gesture (cp. Matt 26:6-16; Mark 14:3-9). • Nard, a precious spice imported from North India, was sweet, red, and smelled like gladiola perfume. Twelve ounces of nard cost a year’s wages (John 12:5). According to Mark, Mary also anointed Jesus’ head (Mark 14:3), and the perfume ran down and scented his garments (Mark 14:8). • her hair: Women never unveiled their hair in public (see Luke 7:38). Mary was acting with extravagant abandon and devotion.
If it would be helpful to your readers, you could express this in terms of modern measurements, either in the text or a footnote. A litra is about one third of a kilogram or three quarters of a pound. If your language does not measure liquids by weight, you may refer to its volume equivalent, which would be about half a liter. You might also refer to the container that could hold that amount. Alternate translation: “about half a liter of perfume” or “a one-half liter bottle of perfume”
Here, perfumed oil refers to a liquid made from the oils of pleasant-smelling plants and flowers. This oil was put on a person’s skin or hair in order for that person to smell pleasant. If your readers would not be familiar with this oil, you could use a general expression. Alternate translation: “of scented liquid”
John is using of to describe perfumed oil that is made from very precious pure nard. If this use of the possessive of would be confusing in your language, you could use a different expression. Alternate translation: “of perfumed oil made from very precious pure nard”
The perfumed oil was made from the oil of a nard plant, which is sometimes called “spikenard.” The oil is extracted from the roots of this plant. If your readers would not be familiar with nard plants, you could use a general expression. Alternate translation: “of very precious scented plants”
¬the the and house /was/_filled with the aroma ˱of˲_the ointment
If your language does not use the passive form in this way, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: “Now the fragrance of the perfumed oil filled the house”
Much like the difficulties of discerning the Israelites’ journey to the Promised Land (see here), the task of reconciling the four Gospel accounts of Jesus’ final journey to Jerusalem into one coherent itinerary has proven very challenging for Bible scholars. As with many other events during Jesus’ ministry, the accounts of Matthew, Mark, and Luke (often referred to as the Synoptic Gospels) present a noticeably similar account of Jesus’ final travels, while John’s Gospel presents an itinerary that is markedly different from the others. In general, the Synoptic Gospels present Jesus as making a single journey to Jerusalem, beginning in Capernaum (Luke 9:51), passing through Perea (Matthew 19:1-2; Mark 10:1) and Jericho (Matthew 20:29-34; Mark 10:46-52; Luke 18:35-19:10), and ending at Bethany and Bethphage, where he enters Jerusalem riding on a donkey (Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-44). John, on the other hand, mentions several trips to Jerusalem by Jesus (John 2:13-17; 5:1-15; 7:1-13; 10:22-23), followed by a trip to Perea across the Jordan River (John 10:40-42), a return to Bethany where he raises Lazarus from the dead (John 11), a withdrawal to the village of Ephraim for a few months (John 11:54), and a return trip to Bethany, where he then enters Jerusalem riding on a donkey (John 12:1-19). The differences between the Synoptics’ and John’s accounts are noteworthy, but they are not irreconcilable. The Synoptics, after noting that Jesus began his trip at Capernaum, likely condensed their accounts (as occurs elsewhere in the Gospels) to omit Jesus’ initial arrival in Jerusalem and appearance at the Festival of Dedication, thus picking up with Jesus in Perea (stage 2 of John’s itinerary). Then all the Gospels recount Jesus’ trip (back) to Bethany and Jerusalem, passing through Jericho along the way. Likewise, the Synoptics must have simply omitted the few months Jesus spent in Ephraim to escape the Jewish leaders (stage 4 of John’s itinerary) and rejoined John’s account where Jesus is preparing to enter Jerusalem on a donkey.
Bethany and Bethphage
Matthew 21:1-17; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-48; John 12:1-19; see also Matthew 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9
At the start of Passover one week before he was crucified, Jesus and his disciples traveled to Jerusalem, approaching the city from the east. When they arrived at the village of Bethphage, Jesus mounted a donkey and rode down the Mount of Olives as a humble king entering his capital city. Along the way, many people laid branches and cloaks in his path to welcome him. After Jesus entered the city, he immediately went up to the Temple and drove out the moneychangers and merchants there, and he healed the blind and the lame. Then he traveled nearly two miles outside the city to the village of Bethany to spend the night, which appears to have been where he typically lodged each night while visiting Jerusalem during the crowded Passover festival. Bethany is also where Jesus’ close friends Mary, Martha, and Lazarus lived. One evening while Jesus was there at a large dinner party given in his honor, Martha served the food, and Mary poured expensive perfume on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair.
