Matthew 26:8-18

8 When the disciples saw what was happening, they were furious. "That's criminal!
9 This could have been sold for a lot and the money handed out to the poor."
10 When Jesus realized what was going on, he intervened. "Why are you giving this woman a hard time? She has just done something wonderfully significant for me.
11 You will have the poor with you every day for the rest of your lives, but not me.
12 When she poured this perfume on my body, what she really did was anoint me for burial.
13 You can be sure that wherever in the whole world the Message is preached, what she has just done is going to be remembered and admired."
14 That is when one of the Twelve, the one named Judas Iscariot, went to the cabal of high priests
15 and said, "What will you give me if I hand him over to you?" They settled on thirty silver pieces.
16 He began looking for just the right moment to hand him over.
17 On the first of the Days of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and said, "Where do you want us to prepare your Passover meal?"
18 He said, "Enter the city. Go up to a certain man and say, 'The Teacher says, My time is near. I and my disciples plan to celebrate the Passover meal at your house.'"
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.