John 12:8

The poor you always have with you, but you will not always have me.’

Open English Bible (UK)

In The King James Version

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

In Context

7‘Leave her alone,’ said Jesus, ‘so that she may keep it until the day when my body is being prepared for burial.

9Now great numbers of people found out that Jesus was at Bethany; and they came there, not only because of him, but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.

Read all of John 12

Cross References

Mark 14:7You always have the poor with you, and whenever you wish you can do good to them; but you will not always have me.

John 12:35‘Only a little while longer,’ answered Jesus, ‘will you have the light among you. Travel on while you have the light, so that darkness may not overtake you; he who travels in the darkness does not know where he is going.

John 16:5I did not tell you all this at first, because I was with you. But now I am to return to him who sent me; and yet not one of you asks me – “Where are you going?”

Matthew Henry on John 12:2-12

Mary Anoints Christ's Feet; Hypocrisy of Judas; Indignation of the Chief Priests. 1 Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. 2 There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him. 3 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. 4 Then… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study John 12:8