Mark 14:7

5 For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her.

6 And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me.

For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.

8 She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.

9 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.

This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. 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, and you can help them whenever you want. But you will not always have Me.
KJV
For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.
WEB
For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want to, you can do them good; but you will not always have me.
ASV
For ye have the poor always with you, and whensoever ye will ye can do them good: but me ye have not always.
DARBY
for ye have the poor always with you, and whenever ye would ye can do them good; but me ye have not always.
BLB
For the poor you⁺ always have with you, and you⁺ are able to do them good whenever you⁺ desire; but not always do you⁺ have Me.
ÅB
For de fattige har dere alltid hos dere, og når dere vil, kan dere gjøre vel mot dem; men meg har dere ikke alltid.
OTB
Dere har alltid de fattige hos dere, og dere kan hjelpe dem når dere vil. Men meg har dere ikke alltid.
B1930
For de fattige har I alltid hos eder, og når I vil, kan I gjøre vel mot dem; men mig har I ikke alltid.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Deuteronomy 15:11

    For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.

    Read in context
  • Matthew 26:11

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

    Read in context
  • James 2:14–16

    What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?

    Read in context
  • 1 John 3:16–19

    Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

    Read in context
  • John 16:5

    But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou?

    Read in context
  • John 13:33

    Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you.

    Read in context
  • Matthew 25:35–45

    For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

    Read in context
  • Acts 3:21

    Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.

    Read in context