Mark 14:8
Mark 14:8 in Multiple Translations
She has done what she could to anoint My body in advance of My burial.
She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.
She hath done what she could; she hath anointed my body beforehand for the burying.
She has done what she was able: she has put oil on my body to make it ready for its last resting-place.
She did what she could: she anointed my body in anticipation of my burial.
She hath done that she coulde: she came afore hand to anoynt my body to the burying.
what she could she did, she anticipated to anoint my body for the embalming.
She has done what she could. She has anointed my body beforehand for the burying.
She hath done what she could: she is come beforehand to anoint my body to the burying.
She hath done what she could: she is come beforehand to anoint my body for burial.
It is appropriate that she has done what she was able to do. It is as if she knew that I was going to die soon and has anointed my body for their burying it.
I will die soon, and people will bury my body. This woman poured the perfume on me to get my body ready. She did a good thing.
Berean Amplified Bible — Mark 14:8
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Mark 14:8 Interlinear (Deep Study)
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Greek Word Reference — Mark 14:8
Study Notes — Mark 14:8
- Context
- Cross References
- Mark 14:8 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Mark 14:8
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Mark 14:8
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Mark 14:8
- Trapp's Commentary on Mark 14:8
- Ellicott's Commentary on Mark 14:8
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Mark 14:8
- Cambridge Bible on Mark 14:8
- Whedon's Commentary on Mark 14:8
- Sermons on Mark 14:8
Context — Jesus Anointed at Bethany
8She has done what she could to anoint My body in advance of My burial.
9And truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached in all the world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.” 10Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 Corinthians 8:12 | For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have. |
| 2 | John 12:7 | “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “She has kept this perfume in preparation for the day of My burial. |
| 3 | Mark 15:42–1 | — |
| 4 | 2 Chronicles 31:20–21 | So this is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah. He did what was good and upright and true before the LORD his God. He was diligent in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law and the commandments, in order to seek his God. And so he prospered. |
| 5 | 2 Corinthians 8:1–3 | Now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the churches of Macedonia. In the terrible ordeal they suffered, their abundant joy and deep poverty overflowed into rich generosity. For I testify that they gave according to their ability and even beyond it. Of their own accord, |
| 6 | Luke 23:53–3 | — |
| 7 | 1 Chronicles 29:1–17 | Then King David said to the whole assembly, “My son Solomon, the one whom God has chosen, is young and inexperienced. The task is great because this palace is not for man, but for the LORD God. Now with all my ability I have made provision for the house of my God—gold for the gold articles, silver for the silver, bronze for the bronze, iron for the iron, and wood for the wood, as well as onyx for the settings, turquoise, stones of various colors, all kinds of precious stones, and slabs of marble—all in abundance. Moreover, because of my delight in the house of my God, I now give for it my personal treasures of gold and silver, over and above all that I have provided for this holy temple: three thousand talents of gold (the gold of Ophir) and seven thousand talents of refined silver, to overlay the walls of the buildings, for the gold work and the silver work, and for all the work to be done by the craftsmen. Now who will volunteer to consecrate himself to the LORD today?” Then the leaders of the households, the officers of the tribes of Israel, the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, and the officials in charge of the king’s work gave willingly. Toward the service of God’s house they gave 5,000 talents and 10,000 darics of gold, 10,000 talents of silver, 18,000 talents of bronze, and 100,000 talents of iron. Whoever had precious stones gave them to the treasury of the house of the LORD, under the care of Jehiel the Gershonite. And the people rejoiced at the willing response of their leaders, for they had given to the LORD freely and wholeheartedly. And King David also rejoiced greatly. Then David blessed the LORD in the sight of all the assembly and said: “May You be blessed, O LORD, God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the splendor and the majesty, for everything in heaven and on earth belongs to You. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom, and You are exalted as head over all. Both riches and honor come from You, and You are the ruler over all. In Your hands are power and might to exalt and give strength to all. Now therefore, our God, we give You thanks, and we praise Your glorious name. But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? For everything comes from You, and from Your own hand we have given to You. For we are foreigners and strangers in Your presence, as were all our forefathers. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope. O LORD our God, from Your hand comes all this abundance that we have provided to build You a house for Your holy Name, and all of it belongs to You. I know, my God, that You test the heart and delight in uprightness. All these things I have given willingly and with an upright heart, and now I have seen Your people who are present here giving joyfully and willingly to You. |
| 8 | 2 Chronicles 34:19–33 | When the king heard the words of the Law, he tore his clothes and commanded Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the servant of the king: “Go and inquire of the LORD for me and for those remaining in Israel and Judah concerning the words in the book that has been found. For great is the wrath of the LORD that has been poured out on us because our fathers have not kept the word of the LORD by doing all that is written in this book.” So Hilkiah and those the king had designated went and spoke to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum son of Tokhath, the son of Hasrah, the keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the Second District. And Huldah said to them, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Tell the man who sent you that this is what the LORD says: I am about to bring calamity on this place and on its people, according to all the curses written in the book that has been read in the presence of the king of Judah, because they have forsaken Me and burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke Me to anger with all the works of their hands. My wrath will be poured out upon this place and will not be quenched.’ But as for the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, tell him that this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘As for the words that you heard, because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and against its people, and because you have humbled yourself before Me and you have torn your clothes and wept before Me, I have heard you,’ declares the LORD. ‘Now I will indeed gather you to your fathers, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace. Your eyes will not see all the calamity that I will bring on this place and on its inhabitants.’” So they brought her answer back to the king. Then the king summoned all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. And he went up to the house of the LORD with all the people of Judah and Jerusalem, as well as the priests and the Levites—all the people small and great—and in their hearing he read all the words of the Book of the Covenant that had been found in the house of the LORD. So the king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the LORD to follow the LORD and to keep His commandments, decrees, and statutes with all his heart and all his soul, and to carry out the words of this covenant that were written in this book. Then he had everyone in Jerusalem and Benjamin take a stand in agreement to it. So all the people of Jerusalem carried out the covenant of God, the God of their fathers. And Josiah removed all the abominations from all the lands belonging to the Israelites, and he required everyone in Israel to serve the LORD their God. Throughout his reign they did not turn aside from following the LORD, the God of their fathers. |
| 9 | 1 Chronicles 28:2–3 | Then King David rose to his feet and said, “Listen to me, my brothers and my people. It was in my heart to build a house as a resting place for the ark of the covenant of the LORD and as a footstool for our God. I had made preparations to build it, but God said to me, ‘You are not to build a house for My Name, because you are a man of war who has spilled blood.’ |
| 10 | John 19:32–42 | So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and those of the other. But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out. The one who saw it has testified to this, and his testimony is true. He knows that he is telling the truth, so that you also may believe. Now these things happened so that the Scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of His bones will be broken.” And, as another Scripture says: “They will look on the One they have pierced.” Afterward, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus (but secretly for fear of the Jews), asked Pilate to let him remove the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission, so he came and removed His body. Nicodemus, who had previously come to Jesus at night, also brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. So they took the body of Jesus and wrapped it in linen cloths with the spices, according to the Jewish burial custom. Now there was a garden in the place where Jesus was crucified, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. And because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and the tomb was nearby, they placed Jesus there. |
Mark 14:8 Summary
[This verse shows us that the woman who anointed Jesus' body with perfume did what she could to show her love and care for Him, and Jesus appreciated her thoughtful act. She used the resources she had to honor Jesus, and her actions were a beautiful expression of her faith. Just like the woman, we can show our love and devotion to Jesus by using the resources we have to serve and honor Him (Matthew 25:40). By doing so, we can bring joy and comfort to Jesus, just as the woman did.]
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean to anoint someone's body in advance of their burial?
In biblical times, anointing a body with perfume or oil was a way to show respect and prepare it for burial, as seen in Mark 14:8, and this act was typically performed after death, but in this case, the woman anointed Jesus' body before His death, showing her love and devotion, similar to the act of Mary in John 12:3.
Why did Jesus say the woman had done what she could to anoint His body?
Jesus acknowledged that the woman had done what she was able to do, with the resources she had, to show her love and care for Him, and this act was a beautiful expression of her faith, as Jesus Himself said in Mark 14:6, 'She has done a beautiful deed to Me.'
Is this verse suggesting that we should focus on preparing for death rather than helping the living?
No, this verse is not saying that we should prioritize preparing for death over helping the living, but rather, it highlights the woman's thoughtful act of love and devotion to Jesus, and Jesus' response emphasizes the importance of showing love and care to Him, as well as to others, as seen in Matthew 25:40, where Jesus says, 'whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.'
What can we learn from the woman's example in this verse?
We can learn from the woman's example that our actions, no matter how small they may seem, can be a beautiful expression of our love and faith, and that Jesus values and remembers our acts of kindness and devotion, as seen in Mark 14:9, where Jesus says, 'what she has done will also be told in memory of her.'
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways I can show my love and devotion to Jesus, just like the woman in this verse?
- How can I, like the woman, use the resources I have to serve and honor Jesus?
- What are some 'beautiful deeds' I can do for Jesus and for others, and how can I prioritize these acts of love and kindness?
- How can I remember that my actions, no matter how small, can have a significant impact on others and on my relationship with Jesus?
Gill's Exposition on Mark 14:8
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Mark 14:8
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Mark 14:8
Trapp's Commentary on Mark 14:8
Ellicott's Commentary on Mark 14:8
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Mark 14:8
Cambridge Bible on Mark 14:8
Whedon's Commentary on Mark 14:8
Sermons on Mark 14:8
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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"The Wretched Woman of John Eight" by Charles Alexander | Charles Alexander preaches about the importance of preserving the roots of faith and language by holding onto the Authorized Version of the Bible amidst the influx of newer transla |
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The Morrow May Be Too Late - Mark 14:8 by Bernard Fell | Bernard Fell preaches on the powerful message of love and devotion exemplified by the woman who anointed Jesus with costly ointment, contrasting it with the superficial gestures ma |
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Make It Your Problem by Mary Wilder Tileston | Mary Wilder Tileston, through the words of Edmund H. Sears and Sarah W. Stephen, emphasizes the importance of seizing every opportunity to do good unto all men, as highlighted in G |
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Doing for Jesus by George Kulp | George Kulp preaches on the importance of being doers of the Word, emphasizing that true religion is shown through actions, not just beliefs. He highlights the story of a heroic gi |
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Obedience and the Way of the Cross by Zac Poonen | This sermon emphasizes the importance of falling into the ground and dying to bear much fruit, following the way of the cross, and being filled with the Holy Spirit continuously. I |
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Raising Support by George Verwer | In this sermon, the speaker discusses the importance of financial support for the work of God. He emphasizes the need for a vision in order to make the process of gathering support |
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Resourcing God's Work by George Verwer | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of having a vision for the work of God. He mentions that while there are many ideas and visions in the Christian world, it is |






