John 12:5 - An Understandable Version (2005 edition)

⁵ “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 versions

King James Version (Oxford) 1769

⁵ Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?

Amplified Bible - Classic Edition

⁵ 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)

⁵ Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred shillings, and given to the poor?

Common English Bible

⁵ “This perfume was worth a year’s wages! Why wasn’t it sold and the money given to the poor?” (

Catholic Public Domain Version

⁵ "Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the needy?"

Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version

⁵ Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?

John 12:5 Cross References

Matthew 18:28

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.’

Matthew 20:2

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].

Luke 12:33

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.

Luke 18:22

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.”

Luke 6:41

And why do you look for the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye but ignore the board in your own eye?

John 12:4

But one of Jesus’ disciples, named Judas Iscariot, who later turned Him over [i.e., to the Jewish authorities], said

John 12:6

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.

John 13:29

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].

John 6:7

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].