6Now when Jesus had come to be in Bethany in the home of Simon the leprous,7a woman who had an alabaster jar of expensive ointment came near to him and poured it on his head as he reclined.8When the disciples saw it, they were indignant and said, "For what purpose is this waste?"9For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.10Jesus knew this and said to them, "Why do you cause trouble for the woman? She has performed a good work for me."11You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.12She has poured this ointment on my body in order to prepare me for burial.13Truly I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.