3. Then the leading priests and the Jewish elders had a meeting at the palace of the high priest. The high priest’s name was Caiaphas.
4. At the meeting, they planned to set a trap to arrest Jesus and kill him.
5. But they said, “We must not do it during the feast. The people might cause a riot.”
6. Jesus was in Bethany. He was at the house of Simon, who had a harmful skin disease.
7. While Jesus was there, a woman came to him. She had an alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume. She poured this perfume on Jesus’ head while he was eating.
8. His followers saw the woman do this and were upset. They asked, “Why waste that perfume?
9. It could be sold for a great deal of money, and the money could be given to the poor.”
10. But Jesus knew what happened. He said, “Why are you troubling this woman? She did a very beautiful thing for me.
11. You will always have the poor with you. But you will not always have me.
12. This woman poured perfume on my body to prepare me for burial.
13. I tell you the truth. The Good News will be told to people in all the world. And in every place where it is preached, what this woman has done will be told. And people will remember her.”
14. Then 1 of the 12 followers went to talk to the leading priests. This was the follower named Judas Iscariot.
15. He said, “I will give Jesus to you. What will you pay me for doing this?” The priests gave Judas 30 silver coins.
16. After that, Judas waited for the best time to give Jesus to the priests.