4
Judas Iscariot, one of Jesus' followers who would later turn against him, was there. Judas said,
5
"This perfume was worth three hundred coins. Why wasn't it sold and the money given to the poor?"
6
But Judas did not really care about the poor; he said this because he was a thief. He was the one who kept the money box, and he often stole from it.
7
Jesus answered, "Leave her alone. It was right for her to save this perfume for today, the day for me to be prepared for burial.
8
You will always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me."
9
A large crowd of Jews heard that Jesus was in Bethany. So they went there to see not only Jesus but Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead.
10
So the leading priests made plans to kill Lazarus, too.
11
Because of Lazarus many of the Jews were leaving them and believing in Jesus.
12
The next day a great crowd who had come to Jerusalem for the Passover Feast heard that Jesus was coming there.
13
So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Jesus, shouting, "Praisen God! God bless the King of Israel!"
14
Jesus found a colt and sat on it. This was as the Scripture says,