NOW the passover and the feast of unleavened bread were but two days distant; and the chief priests, and the scribes, sought how they might seize him by craft, and kill him. (2)But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be a commotion among the people. (3)And when he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at table, a woman came, having an alabaster vase of ointment, of genuine spikenard, of vast value: and breaking the vase, she let it flow down upon his head. (4)And there were some who felt indignation within themselves, saying, Wherefore is this waste of the ointment made? (5)For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and given to the poor. And they bitterly murmured against her. (6)Then said Jesus, Let her alone; why give ye her uneasiness? she hath performed a laudable act towards me. (7)For the poor ye have always with you, and when ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always. (8)What was in her power she hath done; she has seized the opportunity to anoint my body beforehand for burial. (9)Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached through the whole world, there shall, what she hath done, be told for a memorial of her. (10)Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, that he might betray him unto them. (11)When they heard it, they rejoiced, and promised to give him a sum in silver. And he watched how opportunely he might deliver him up. (12)And on the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare for thee to eat the passover? (13)And he sent two of his disciples, and saith unto them, Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water, follow him. (14)And where he enters, say to the master of the family. That the teacher saith, Where is the dining-room, where I may eat the passover with my disciples? (15)And he will shew you a large upper room ready furnished: there make preparation for us. (16)And his disciples went out, and came into the city, and found as he had spoken to them; and they made ready the passover. (17)And when it was evening he came with the twelve. (18)And as they sat at table, and were eating, Jesus said, Verily I tell you, That one of you, who is eating with me, shall betray me. (19)And they began to be very sorry, and to say to him, one by one, Is it I? and another said, Is it I? (20)But he answering said to them, It is one of the twelve, who is dipping his hand with me into the dish. (21)The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him; but wo to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been desirable for that man if he had never been born.