John 12:8
6 Judas did not say this because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief. As keeper of the money bag, he used to take from what was put into it.
7 “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “She has kept this perfume in preparation for the day of My burial.
The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have Me.”
9 Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews learned that Jesus was there. And they came not only because of Him, but also to see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead.
10 So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well,
Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have Me.”
- KJV
- For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.
- WEB
- For you always have the poor with you, but you don’t always have me.”
- ASV
- For the poor ye have always with you; but me ye have not always.
- DARBY
- for ye have the poor always with you, but me ye have not always.
- BLB
- For you⁺ always have the poor with you, but not always do you⁺ have Me.”
- ÅB
- for de fattige har dere alltid hos dere, men meg har dere ikke alltid.
- OTB
- Dere vil alltid ha dem i nød hos dere, men dere vil ikke alltid ha meg."
- B1930
- for de fattige har I alltid hos eder, men mig har I ikke alltid.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Deuteronomy 15:11
For there will never cease to be poor in the land; that is why I am commanding you to open wide your hand to your brother and to the poor and needy in your land.
Read in contextMark 14:7
The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them whenever you want. But you will not always have Me.
Read in contextMatthew 26:11
The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have Me.
Read in contextJohn 12:35
Then Jesus told them, “For a little while longer, the Light will be among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.
Read in contextJohn 13:33
Little children, I am with you only a little while longer. You will look for Me, and as I said to the Jews, so now I say to you: ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’
Read in contextJohn 8:21
Again He said to them, “I am going away, and you will look for Me, but you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.”
Read in contextJohn 16:5–7
Now, however, I am going to Him who sent Me; yet none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’
Read in contextActs 1:9–11
After He had said this, they watched as He was taken up, and a cloud hid Him from their sight.
Read in context