John 12:5 - An Understandable Version (2005 edition) “Why was this perfume not sold for a large sum of money [Note: The amount here was equivalent to three hundred twelve-hour days of a farm laborer’s pay, or over $32,000 in 2005] and [then] the money given to poor people?” More versionsKing James Version (Oxford) 1769 Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? Amplified Bible - Classic Edition Why was this perfume not sold for 300 denarii [a year's wages for an ordinary workman] and that [money] given to the poor (the destitute)? American Standard Version (1901) Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred shillings, and given to the poor? Common English Bible “This perfume was worth a year’s wages! Why wasn’t it sold and the money given to the poor?” ( Catholic Public Domain Version "Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the needy?" Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? |
But that [same] servant went out and found one of his fellow-servants who owed him a small sum of money [Note: The amount was about 100 twelve hour days of a farm laborer’s pay or about $10,800 in 2005]. He grabbed him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay [me] what you owe.’
When he had agreed with the workers [on wages] for the usual farm laborer’s pay for a day’s work, he [then] sent them to work in his vineyard. [Note: The coin mentioned here would amount to about $9.00, based on the average farm laborer’s hourly wage in 2005. [National Agricultural Statistics Service, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Feb. 2005]. This coin also forms the basis for calculating all other monetary references in the New Testament].
Sell your possessions and give [the money] to poor people; provide yourselves with money belts that do not wear out [i.e., from the constant use of carrying much money all the time, instead of investing it in others’ needs]. [Then you will possess] an inexhaustible treasure in heaven, where no thief can approach, nor moth destroy.
When Jesus heard this He said to him, “[There is] one thing you still lack. Sell all your possessions and distribute [the money] to poor people; become my follower, [and then] you will have treasure in heaven.”
And why do you look for the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye but ignore the board in your own eye?
But one of Jesus’ disciples, named Judas Iscariot, who later turned Him over [i.e., to the Jewish authorities], said
Now he did not say this because he cared about poor people, but because he was in charge of the money bag, and being a thief, he used to steal from it.
For some of them thought, since Judas was in charge of the [money] bag, that Jesus was telling him, “Buy whatever we need for the [Passover] meal,” or that he was [being told] to give [money] to poor people [from it].
Philip answered Him, “Not even two hundred coins’ worth of bread would be enough to feed them if everyone ate only a little bit.” [Note: The amount here indicated was two hundred twelve-hour days of a farm laborer’s pay, or about $21,600 in 2005].