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Mark 14:5

Made Simple — Modern English Translation

Translated by Verse Made Simple Editorial
KJV ORIGINAL
For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE

They were like 'This could've been sold for over 300 days' wages and given to people who actually need it.' And they started talking trash about her.

⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE

Sometimes people will criticize your worship because they think they know better ways to serve God.

📚 Historical Context

In the historical context of the Gospels, this verse refers to an event in Bethany during Jesus' final days before his crucifixion, where a woman anointed him with expensive perfume. The disciples, reflecting the cultural emphasis on practical charity in first-century Jewish society, criticized her by noting that the perfume could have been sold for over 300 denarii, a year's wages for a laborer, and the money given to the poor. This incident highlights the tension between extravagant acts of devotion and the societal expectation of aiding the needy.

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