Mark 14 · Verse 8

Mark 14:8

She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.
Mark 14:8, King James Version

Mark 14:8 in other translations

BSBShe has done what she could to anoint My body in advance of My burial.
WEBShe has done what she could. She has anointed my body beforehand for the burying.
ASVShe hath done what she could; she hath anointed my body beforehand for the burying.
YLTwhat she could she did, she anticipated to anoint my body for the embalming.
DARBYWhat she could she has done. She has beforehand anointed my body for the burial.
BBEShe has done what she was able: she has put oil on my body to make it ready for its last resting-place.
WebsterShe hath done what she could: she is come beforehand to anoint my body to the burying.

What does Mark 14:8 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
8. She hath done what she could--a noble testimony, embodying a principle of immense importance. she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying--or, as in John (Joh 12:7), "Against the day of my burying hath she kept this." Not that she, dear heart, thought of His burial, much less reserved any of her nard to anoint her dead Lord. But as the time was so near at hand when that office would have to be performed, and she was not to have that privilege even after the spices were brought for the purpose (Mr 16:1), He lovingly regards it as done now. "In the act of love done to Him," says Olshausen beautifully, "she has erected to herself an eternal monument, as lasting as the Gospel, the eternal Word of God. From generation to generation this remarkable prophecy of the Lord has been fulfilled; and even we, in explaining this saying of the Redeemer, of necessity contribute to its accomplishment." "Who but Himself," asks Stier, "had the power to ensure to any work of man, even if resounding in His own time through the whole earth, an imperishable remembrance in the stream of history? Behold once more here the majesty of His royal judicial supremacy in the government of the world, in this, 'Verily I say unto you.'"

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 8. She hath done what she could. She has showed the highest attachment in her power; and it was, as it is now, a sufficient argument against there being any real waste, that it was done for the honour of Christ.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 8 To anoint my body to the burying - Εις τον ενταφιασμον, against, or in reference to, its embalmment, thus pointing out my death and the embalmment of my body, for the bodies of persons of distinction were wrapped up in aromatics to preserve them from putrefaction. See on Mat 26:12 (note).

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Mark 14:1-11

Did Christ pour out his soul unto death for us, and shall we think any thing too precious for him? Do we give him the precious ointment of our best affections? Let us love him with all the heart, though it is common for zeal and affection to be misunderstood and blamed; and remember that charity to the poor will not excuse any from particular acts of piety to the Lord Jesus. Christ commended this woman's pious…

Read the full comment on Mark 14:1-11 →

Mark 14:8 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ὃhoWhatG3739
ἔσχενeschenshe hadG2192
ἐποίησεν,epoiēsenshe performed,G4160
προέλαβενproelabenShe came beforehandG4301
μυρίσαιmurisaito anointG3462
τὸtotheG3588
σῶμάsōmabodyG4983
μουmouof MineG3165
εἰςeisforG1519
τὸνtontheG3588
ἐνταφιασμόν.entaphiasmonburial.G1780

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Mark 14:8

  • 2 Corinthians 8:12

    For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.

  • John 12:7

    Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this.

  • Mark 15:42-16:1

    And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus. And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead: and calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead. And when he knew it of the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph. …

  • Luke 23:53-24:3

    And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid. And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on. And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid. And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment. …

  • 2 Corinthians 8:1-3

    Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves;

  • 2 Chronicles 31:20-21

    And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was good and right and truth before the Lord his God. And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.

  • 1 Chronicles 29:1-17

    Furthermore David the king said unto all the congregation, Solomon my son, whom alone God hath chosen, is yet young and tender, and the work is great: for the palace is not for man, but for the Lord God. Now I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God the gold for things to be made of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and the brass for things of brass, the iron for things of iron, and wood for things of wood; onyx stones, and stones to be set, glistering stones, and of divers colours, and all manner of precious stones, and marble stones in abundance. Moreover, because I have set my affection to the house of my God, I have of mine own proper good, of gold and silver, which I have given to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house, Even three thousand talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and seven thousand talents of refined silver, to overlay the walls of the houses withal: …

  • 2 Chronicles 34:19-33

    And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the law, that he rent his clothes. And the king commanded Hilkiah, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Abdon the son of Micah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah a servant of the king’s, saying, Go, enquire of the Lord for me, and for them that are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that is found: for great is the wrath of the Lord that is poured out upon us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the Lord, to do after all that is written in this book. And Hilkiah, and they that the king had appointed, went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvath, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college:) and they spake to her to that effect. …

  • 1 Chronicles 28:2-3

    Then David the king stood up upon his feet, and said, Hear me, my brethren, and my people: As for me, I had in mine heart to build an house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and for the footstool of our God, and had made ready for the building: But God said unto me, Thou shalt not build an house for my name, because thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood.

  • Psalms 110:3

    Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.

  • John 19:32-42

    Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe. …

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
hath done."It appears to me more probable," says Dr. Doddridge, "that Matthew and Mark should have introduced this story out of its place--that Lazarus, if he made this feast (which is not expressly said by John,) should have made use of Simon's house, as more convenient--and that Mary should have poured this ointment on Christ's head and body, as well as on his feet,--than that, within the compass of four days, Christ should have been twice anointed with so costly a perfume; and that the same fault should be found with the action, and the same value set upon the ointment, and the same words used in defence of the woman, and all this in the presence of many of the same persons; all which improbable particulars must be admitted, if the stories be considered as different." The rebuke which Judas received from Christ at this unction determined him in his resolution to betray his Master; and therefore Christ's rebuke, and Judas's revenge, are united, as cause and effect, by Matthew and Mark.
1Ch 28:2,3; 29:1-17; 2Ch 31:20,21; 34:19-33; Ps 110:3; 2Co 8:1-3,12
she is.
15:42-47; 16:1; Lu 23:53-56; 24:1-3; Joh 12:7; 19:32-42

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Mark 14:7

    For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.

  • Mark 14:8

    She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.

  • Mark 14:9

    Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.

Read all of Mark 14

Mark 14:8 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Esta ha hecho lo que podía; porque se ha anticipado á ungir mi cuerpo para la sepultura.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Ce qui était en son pouvoir, elle l’a fait; elle a anticipé le moment d’oindre mon corps pour ma sépulture.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Sie hat getan, was sie vermochte; sie hat zum voraus meinen Leib zum Begräbnis gesalbt.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Quod habuit hæc, fecit: prævenit ungere corpus meum in sepulturam.