Matthew 26 · Verse 12

Matthew 26:12

For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.
Matthew 26:12, King James Version

Matthew 26:12 in other translations

BSBBy pouring this perfume on Me, she has prepared My body for burial.
WEBFor in pouring this ointment on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial.
ASVFor in that she poured this ointment upon my body, she did it to prepare me for burial.
YLTfor she having put this ointment on my body--for my burial she did it.
DARBYFor in pouring out this ointment on my body, she has done it for my burying.
BBEFor in putting this perfume on my body, she did it to make me ready for my last resting-place.
WebsterFor in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.

What does Matthew 26:12 mean?

Barnes' Notes
Verse 12. She did it for my burial. It is not to be supposed that Mary understood clearly that he was then about to die, for the apostles, it seems, did not fully comprehend it, or that she intended it for his burial; but she had done it as an act of kindness and love, to show her regard for her Lord. He said that it was a proper preparation for his burial. Anciently, bodies were anointed and embalmed for the purpose of the sepulchre. Jesus said that this was really a preparation for that burial, as fitting him in a proper manner for the tomb.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 12 She did it for my burial - Or, She hath done it to embalm me - ενταφιασαι με. The Septuagint use ενταφιαϚης for the person whose office it was to embalm, Gen 50:2, and ενταφιαζω for the Hebrew הנט which signifies to prepare with spices, or aromatics, Gen 50:3. Our Lord took this opportunity to tell them, once more, that he was shortly to die.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 26:6-13

The pouring ointment upon the head of Christ was a token of the highest respect. Where there is true love in the heart to Jesus Christ, nothing will be thought too good to bestow upon him. The more Christ's servants and their services are cavilled at, the more he manifests his acceptance. This act of faith and love was so remarkable, that it would be reported, as a memorial of Mary's faith and love, to all future…

Read the full comment on Matthew 26:6-13 →

Matthew 26:12 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.

βαλοῦσαbalousaIn pouringG906
γὰρgarforG1063
αὕτηhautēthis [woman]G3778
τὸto<the>G3588
μύρονmuronfragrant oilG3464
τοῦτοtoutothisG3778
ἐπὶepionG1909
τοῦtoutheG3588
σώματόςsōmatosbodyG4983
μουmouof MineG3165
πρὸςprosforG4314
τὸto<the>G3588
ἐνταφιάσαιentaphiasaito buryG1779
μεmeMeG3165
ἐποίησεν.¶epoiēsenshe did [it].G4160

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

Cross references for Matthew 26:12

  • John 12:7

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

  • Mark 14:8

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

  • Luke 23:56-24:1

    And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment. Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.

  • Mark 16:1

    And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.

  • 2 Chronicles 16:14

    And they buried him in his own sepulchres, which he had made for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odours and divers kinds of spices prepared by the apothecaries’ art: and they made a very great burning for him.

  • John 19:39-40

    And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight. Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Ch 16:14; Mr 14:8; 16:1; Lu 23:56; 24:1; Joh 12:7; 19:39,40

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

Context

  • Matthew 26:11

    For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.

  • Matthew 26:12

    For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.

  • Matthew 26:13

    Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.

Read all of Matthew 26

Matthew 26:12 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Porque echando este ungüento sobre mi cuerpo, para sepultarme lo ha hecho.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		car cette femme, en répandant ce parfum sur mon corps, l’a fait pour ma sépulture.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Denn indem sie diese Salbe über meinen Leib geschüttet hat, hat sie es zu meinem Begräbnis getan.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Mittens enim hæc unguentum hoc in corpus meum, ad sepeliendum me fecit.