Chapter LII: Nobleman & Servants--Mary Anoints Jesus

And, behold, _there was_ a man named Zaccheus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature. And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him: for he was to pass that _way_. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him,

Zaccheus, make haste, and come down: for to day I must abide
at thy house.

And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully. And when they saw _it_, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.

And Zaccheus stood and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore _him_ fourfold. And Jesus said, unto him,

This day is salvation come to this house, forasmuch as he also
is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to
save that which was lost.

And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear. He said therefore,

A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for
himself a kingdom, and to return. And he called his ten
servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them,
Occupy till I come. But his citizens hated him, and sent a
message after him, saying, We will not have this _man_ to
reign over us.

And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having
received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be
called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might
know how much every man had gained by trading. Then came the
first saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. And he
said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been
faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten
cities. And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath
gained five pounds. And he said likewise to him, Be thou also
over five cities.

And another came, saying, Lord, behold, _here is_ thy pound,
which I have kept laid up in a napkin; for I feared thee,
because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou
layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow. And he
saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee,
_thou_ wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man,
taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not
sow: Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank,
that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury?

And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound,
and give _it_ to him that hath ten pounds. (And they said unto
him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.) For I say unto you, That unto
every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath
not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him. But those
mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them,
bring hither, and slay them before me.

And when he had thus spoken, he went before, ascending up to Jerusalem. And the Jews' passover was nigh at hand; and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem, before the passover, to purify themselves.

Then sought they for Jesus, and spake among themselves, as they stood in the temple, What think ye, that he will not come to the feast? Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment, that if any man knew where he were, he should shew _it_, that they might take him. Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.

Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper there they made him a supper; and Martha served; but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him. Then took Mary an alabaster box of a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and she brake the box, and poured it on his head, as he sat _at meat_, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.

But when his disciples saw it, then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's _son_, which should betray him, why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.

And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made? For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her. When Jesus understood _it_, he said unto them,

Why trouble ye the woman? Let her alone: why trouble ye her?
she hath wrought a good work on me: against the day of my
burying hath she kept this. For ye have the poor with you
always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye
have not always. She hath done what she could: for in that she
hath poured this ointment on my body, she is come aforehand to
anoint my body to the burying. Verily I say unto you,
Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole
world, _there_ shall also this, that this woman hath done, be
told for a memorial of her.

Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead. But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death; because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.