YHN 12:5 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=minor/spelling Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) “How come this lotion wasn’t sold for almost a year’s wages and then the money given to the poor?”

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object, red:negative.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT “For what reason was this perfumed oil not sold for 300 denarii and given to the poor?”

UST “We should have sold this perfume for the money that a man can earn in 300 days of work. Then we could have given that money to poor people!”

12:5 A denarius was customarily a day’s wage for a laborer; see Matthew 20:2.

BLB "Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?"

AICNT “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?”

OEB ‘Why was not this perfume sold for a year’s wages, and the money given to poor people?’

WEBBE “Why wasn’t this ointment sold for three hundred denarii[fn] and given to the poor?”

12:5 300 denarii was about a year’s wages for an agricultural labourer.

WMBB (Same as above including footnotes)

NET “Why wasn’t this oil sold for three hundred silver coins and the money given to the poor?”

LSV “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii, and given to the poor?”

FBV “Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth three hundred denarii.”[fn]

12:5 About a year's wages at one denarius per day.

TCNT “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?”

T4T He said, “◄We should have sold this perfume and given the money to poor people!/Why did we not sell this perfume and give the money for it to the poor people?► [RHQ] We could have gotten 300 days’ wages for it!”

LEB “_⌊Why_⌋[fn] was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?”

12:5 Literally “because of what”

BBE Why was not this perfume traded for three hundred pence, and the money given to the poor?

Moff "Why was not this perfume sold for ten pounds, and the money given to the poor?"

Wymth "Why was not that perfume sold for 300 shillings and the money given to the poor?"

ASV Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred shillings, and given to the poor?

DRA Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?

YLT 'Wherefore was not this ointment sold for three hundred denaries, and given to the poor?'

Drby Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?

RV Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?

SLT Wherefore was not this perfumed oil sold for three hundred drachmas, and given to the poor?

Wbstr Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?

KJB-1769 Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?

KJB-1611 Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and giuen to the poore?
(Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poore?)

Bshps Why was not this oyntment solde for three hundred pence, and geuen to the poore?
(Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poore?)

Gnva Why was not this oyntment sold for three hundreth pence, and giuen to the poore?
(Why was not this ointment sold for three hundredth pence, and given to the poore? )

Cvdl Why was not this oyntment solde for thre hundreth pens, and geuen to the poore?
(Why was not this ointment sold for three hundredth pens, and given to the poore?)

TNT why was not this oyntmet solde for thre hondred pence and geve to the poore?
(why was not this oyntmet sold for three hondred pence and give to the poore? )

Wycl seide, Whi is not this oynement seeld for thre hundrid pens, and is youun to nedi men?
(said, Why is not this ointment sold for three hundred pens, and is given to needy men?)

Luth Warum ist diese Salbe nicht verkauft um dreihundert Groschen und den Armen gegeben?
(Why is this/these ointment not sold around/by/for three-hundred Groschen and the poor_(one) given?)

ClVg Quare hoc unguentum non veniit trecentis denariis, et datum est egenis?
(Why this ointment not/no I_cameit three-hundreds with_denarii, and given/present(n) it_is egenis? )

UGNT διὰ τί τοῦτο τὸ μύρον οὐκ ἐπράθη τριακοσίων δηναρίων, καὶ ἐδόθη πτωχοῖς?
(dia ti touto to muron ouk eprathaʸ triakosiōn daʸnariōn, kai edothaʸ ptōⱪois?)

SBL-GNT Διὰ τί τοῦτο τὸ μύρον οὐκ ἐπράθη τριακοσίων δηναρίων καὶ ἐδόθη πτωχοῖς;
(Dia ti touto to muron ouk eprathaʸ triakosiōn daʸnariōn kai edothaʸ ptōⱪois;)

RP-GNT Διὰ τί τοῦτο τὸ μύρον οὐκ ἐπράθη τριακοσίων δηναρίων, καὶ ἐδόθη πτωχοῖς;
(Dia ti touto to muron ouk eprathaʸ triakosiōn daʸnariōn, kai edothaʸ ptōⱪois;)

TC-GNT Διὰ τί τοῦτο τὸ μύρον οὐκ ἐπράθη τριακοσίων δηναρίων, καὶ ἐδόθη πτωχοῖς;
(Dia ti touto to muron ouk eprathaʸ triakosiōn daʸnariōn, kai edothaʸ ptōⱪois; )

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 12:1–8: Mary anointed Jesus

This section describes what happened at a dinner party in Bethany at the home of Lazarus, Martha, and Mary. Mary anointed (poured perfume/oil on) Jesus’ feet. Judas thought that she wasted something very valuable, but Jesus said that it was for his burial. Here are some other possible titles for this section:

Jesus was anointed in Bethany

Mary anointed Jesus for his burial

Paragraph 12:4–8

This paragraph describes Judas’ reaction to what Mary had done. He said that she wasted something valuable that could have been sold and the money given to the poor. However, the truth was that he wanted to steal the money. But Jesus defended Mary. He understood that she had anointed him to prepare him for his death and burial.

12:5

“Why wasn’t this perfume sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?”

“Why was this perfume wasted? It could have been sold for three hundred silver coins and the money given to poor people.”
“This perfume was worth a lot of money—almost a year’s wages! Mary should have sold it and given the money from the sale to poor people.”

Why wasn’t this perfume sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?: This is a rhetorical question. It is used as a rebuke. Judas rebuked Mary and he also rebuked Jesus for allowing Mary to pour her perfume on his feet. Judas implied that Mary should have sold her perfume and given the money to the poor.

There are several ways to translate this rebuke:

Use a rhetorical question. For example:
Could not this perfume have been sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor? (REB)
Use a statement or statements. For example:
That perfume was worth a year’s wages. It should have been sold and the money given to the poor. (NLT)
Use a combination of a rhetorical question and a statement. For example:
Why wasn’t this money sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages. (NIV)

Translate this rebuke in the way that is most natural in your language. Judas was being critical and did not approve of what Mary did. He indicated that it was a waste to pour the perfume on Jesus’ feet. Try to use expressions that imply this.

Why wasn’t this perfume sold for three hundred denarii…?: This clause implies three things. First, the perfume was worth three hundred (300) denarii. Second, Mary could have sold it for that much money. And third, she should have sold it. Judas implied that selling it would have been the right thing to do. The verb phrase wasn’t…sold is passive. There are at least two ways to translate it:

Use a passive verb. For example:
Could not this perfume have been sold for three hundred denarii? (REB)
Use an active verb. For example:
Why did Mary/she not sell this perfume? It was worth three hundred denarii/coins.
Mary could/should have sold this perfume for three hundred denarii/coins.

Use the verb form that is most natural in your language in this context.

three hundred denarii: The word denarii is the plural of “denarius.” The denarius was a Roman coin worth about a day’s wage for a worker. So three hundred (300) denarii were about a year’s wages. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

three hundred silver coins (NET)

a year’s wages (NIV)

In some languages it is more natural to say something general that means “lots of money.” For example:

a high price (GW)

a small fortune (NLT96)

You may want to put the exact amount in a footnote. For example:

The Greek says 300 denarii. A denarius was one day’s pay for the ordinary worker.

In some languages it may be natural to translate this as a separate sentence. For example:

This perfume was worth three hundred coins. Why wasn’t it sold…? (NCV)

Why didn’t Mary sell the perfume? Someone would have paid/given three hundred coins for it.

the money given to the poor: This is a short way of saying “why was the money from selling the perfume not given to poor people?” The verb given is passive. There are at least two ways to translate it:

Use a passive verb. For example:
the money should have been given to the poor
Use an active verb. For example:
why did she not give that money to the poor?
Mary should have given the money to the poor

Use the verb form that is most natural in your language. Also, use either a rhetorical question or a statement for the rebuke. Here are other ways to translate this idea:

poor people could/should have been helped

the poor could have received the money/blessing

Would it not have been better to give the money to the poor?

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

διὰ τί τοῦτο τὸ μύρον οὐκ ἐπράθη τριακοσίων δηναρίων, καὶ ἐδόθη πτωχοῖς?

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: διά Τί τοῦτο τό μύρον οὐκ ἐπράθη τριακοσίων δηναρίων καί ἐδόθη πτωχοῖς)

Judas is using a rhetorical question here to emphasize that he thought the perfumed oil should not be poured on Jesus. If you would not use a rhetorical question for this purpose in your language, you could translate his words as a statement or an exclamation, and communicate the emphasis in another way. Alternate translation: [This perfume could have been sold for 300 denarii and given to the poor!]

Note 2 topic: translate-bmoney

τριακοσίων δηναρίων

˱for˲_three_hundred denarii

The word denarii is the plural form of “denarius.” It was a denomination of money in the Roman Empire that was equivalent to one days’ wages. Alternate translation: [for 300 days’ wages]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / nominaladj

πτωχοῖς

˱to˲_˓the˒_poor

Judas is using the adjective poor as a noun in order to describe a group of people. Your language may use adjectives in the same way. If not, you could translate this with a noun phrase. Alternate translation: [to people who are poor]

BMM BibleMapper.com Maps:

Map

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.

Map

Jesus’ Final Journey to Jerusalem

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.

Parallel YHN 12:5

Section 12:1–8: Mary anointed Jesus

Paragraph 12:4–8

12:5

Bethany and Bethphage

Jesus’ Final Journey to Jerusalem