litra denotes a measured quantity used for costly ointment and for a large mixture of burial spices.

The two attestations show a unit of measured quantity: a single amount of nard ointment in John 12:3 and a much larger stated amount of myrrh and aloes in John 19:39.

1. Measured amount of ointment or spices · dominant

   In John 12:3, the accusative singular form occurs with Mary taking nard ointment for anointing Jesus' feet; the APB renders the clause "Mary took a pound of pure, valuable nard ointment." In John 19:39, the accusative plural form occurs with Nicodemus bearing a mixture of myrrh and aloes; the APB renders it "about a hundred pounds."

   John 12:3John 19:39

In the Anselm Project Bible: The APB presents the measure as "a pound" for the nard ointment in John 12:3 and "about a hundred pounds" for the mixture of spices in John 19:39. These renderings confirm the verses' measured-quantity context rather than isolate every lexical detail.