John 12:8 kjv
For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.
John 12:8 nkjv
For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always."
John 12:8 niv
You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me."
John 12:8 esv
For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me."
John 12:8 nlt
You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me."
John 12 8 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 15:11 | "For the poor will never cease out of the land; therefore I command you, you shall open wide your hand to your brother..." | Original OT law, confirms poor's continuous presence |
| Matt 26:11 | "For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me." | Direct parallel in another Gospel account |
| Mark 14:7 | "For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good to them; but you will not always have me." | Direct parallel in another Gospel account |
| Matt 25:35-40 | "For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink... As you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me." | Caring for poor is caring for Christ spiritually |
| Prov 19:17 | "Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed." | God's regard for generosity to the poor |
| Luke 14:12-14 | "When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends... But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind..." | Direct command to help the truly needy |
| Acts 2:44-45 | "And all who believed were together and had all things in common... They were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all..." | Early church's practice of communal care |
| Gal 2:10 | "Only they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do." | Apostle Paul's emphasis on caring for the poor |
| James 1:27 | "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world." | True religion involves caring for the vulnerable |
| James 2:5-7 | "Has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom...?" | God's valuing of the poor |
| John 13:33 | "Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me..." | Jesus speaking of His departure |
| John 14:1-3 | "Let not your hearts be troubled... I go to prepare a place for you... I will come again and will take you to myself..." | Jesus promises future return, but departure first |
| John 16:7 | "Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you..." | Jesus' departure allows Spirit to come |
| Acts 1:9-11 | "And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight... He will come in the same way..." | Account of Jesus' ascension |
| Matt 28:20 | "And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." | Jesus' spiritual/resurrected presence after ascension |
| Col 3:1-4 | "If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God." | Encouragement to focus on the ascended Christ |
| Luke 10:41-42 | "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion..." | Prioritizing devotion/listening to Jesus |
| John 12:7 | "So Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial.”" | Direct context of Mary's anointing for His burial |
| Phil 3:7-8 | "But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus..." | Prioritizing Christ above all else |
| John 12:6 | "(Judas said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it.)" | Reveals Judas's true motive in questioning the anointing |
| Matt 18:20 | "For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them." | Jesus' spiritual presence in gathering |
| 1 Pet 1:8 | "Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and full of glory..." | Believers loving unseen, but present, Christ |
John 12 verses
John 12 8 Meaning
John 12:8 conveys a profound distinction between the perpetual responsibility Christians have to care for the poor and the unique, time-bound opportunity that was available to minister directly to Jesus in His physical earthly presence. It serves as Jesus' defense of Mary's costly act of anointing Him, highlighting that while acts of charity toward the poor would always be possible, the occasion to demonstrate such worship to Him in person before His crucifixion and ascension was fleeting. The verse underlines a spiritual prioritization of devotion to Christ in a specific, unique context.
John 12 8 Context
John 12:8 is part of the narrative following Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, leading up to His passion. Specifically, it occurs in Bethany at the home of Lazarus, Martha, and Mary, six days before Passover. Mary anoints Jesus' feet with costly pure nard, a very significant and extravagant act of devotion. Judas Iscariot objects, feigning concern for the poor, suggesting the ointment could have been sold and the money given to the poor. Jesus responds to Judas (and the other disciples, as parallel accounts indicate) by defending Mary's action with this verse. The immediate historical context draws on the Deuteronomic law that states the poor would always be in the land (Deut 15:11), which Jesus acknowledges. Furthermore, Jesus clarifies that Mary's act was prophetically a preparation for His burial, which would soon take place, thus underscoring the unique, finite window of time for such an act of direct, personal devotion to Him. It subtly exposes Judas's hypocrisy and misdirection, emphasizing spiritual priority over earthly gain in that moment.
John 12 8 Word analysis
- For (γάρ - gar): This conjunction introduces a causal or explanatory statement. It connects Jesus' defense of Mary's action to a general truth or reason, providing the basis for why her action was appropriate and not a misallocation of resources.
- the poor (τοὺς πτωχοὺς - tous ptōchous): The Greek term ptōchos signifies absolute destitution, those reduced to begging, utter dependence. It refers to a persistent reality of human society, not merely a transient economic condition. This emphasizes that there will always be those in dire need of material assistance.
- always (πάντοτε - pantote): This adverb emphasizes the continual, ceaseless nature of something. Its use twice in the verse ("always you have," "you do not always have") highlights a striking contrast between perpetual conditions and transient opportunities.
- you have (ἔχετε - echete): The present tense verb implies ongoing possession or availability. It signifies a continuous state of having access to opportunities to help the poor.
- with you (μεθ' ἑαυτῶν - meth' heautōn): This phrase indicates their continuous presence in society, in proximity and reach for acts of charity.
- but Me (ἐμὲ δέ - eme de): The emphatic pronoun "Me" (eme) in the accusative case, combined with the adversative conjunction "but" (de), creates a strong contrast. It places direct emphasis on Jesus himself, highlighting His unique person and singular opportunity.
- you do not always have (οὐ πάντοτε ἕξετε - ou pantote hexete): The negative ou combined with pantote and the future tense verb hexete (will have) clearly indicates a limited time for Jesus' physical presence. This is crucial for understanding the verse: Jesus acknowledges that His physical time among them is short, leading to His departure (through crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension). It implies a unique kairos, a specific, irreplaceable time for an act of direct devotion to His person.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "For the poor always you have with you": This phrase reiterates a commonly known truth and an Old Testament principle (Deut 15:11). It serves as a concession, affirming the enduring need for and opportunity to practice charity. Jesus is not diminishing the importance of helping the poor; rather, He sets up the contrast for what follows.
- "but Me you do not always have": This is the crux of the verse. It declares the temporariness of Jesus' physical presence. The anointing, in Jesus' view, was a response to this unique and fleeting window of opportunity to minister directly to the Son of God, especially in preparation for His impending burial, an act that could only happen at this specific time. This part of the verse elevates devotion to Christ in a specific, unique context over what would normally be a good act of charity, but which could be done at any time.
John 12 8 Bonus section
This verse underscores the biblical concept of kairos (opportune time) in contrast to chronos (linear, chronological time). Mary's action was a kairos moment, an act aligned with God's unique timeline for His Son. For the disciples, and for us, this principle means recognizing and prioritizing those unique, God-given opportunities for profound acts of worship or service to Christ that are time-sensitive and irreplaceable, even if other good deeds (like helping the poor) are always available. It's a reminder that true worship might sometimes look "wasteful" to human eyes, yet is immensely precious in God's sight when offered from a heart of deep devotion to Him and His purposes. The verse also serves as a subtle foreshadowing of Jesus' ascension, reminding His followers that while He would not always be physically present, His spiritual presence and mission would endure through the Holy Spirit and the Church.
John 12 8 Commentary
John 12:8 is often misunderstood as Jesus devaluing care for the poor. On the contrary, Jesus fully affirms the perpetual mandate to aid the poor, echoing Deuteronomic law. His statement, however, is a direct response to Judas's cynical and self-serving critique of Mary's anointing. Jesus establishes a priority based on the uniqueness of the moment. While caring for the poor is a timeless Christian duty, the physical presence of the Messiah on earth, destined for sacrifice, was a finite window. Mary’s extravagant act of worship recognized this unique kairos—the opportune, critical moment for such profound personal devotion. It was an act of worship and prophetic preparation for Jesus’ burial that could not be replicated after His departure. The verse therefore is not an excuse to neglect the needy but a call to discern divine priorities and recognize that certain opportunities for radical devotion to Christ in specific forms are temporal and unique.