Luke 7:37 Meaning and Explanation
“And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →A woman known in the city as a sinner learns Jesus is at the Pharisee's house and comes with an alabaster flask of perfume.
What Does Luke 7:37 Mean?
Luke introduces her only as "a woman in the city, which was a sinner" — her reputation precedes her, and her name is never given. Hearing that Jesus is at Simon's table, she dares to enter a Pharisee's house uninvited, carrying an alabaster flask of ointment — costly perfume in carved stone.
Something has already happened in her before she arrives; people do not bring extravagant gifts to a stranger. She has heard Him — heard, perhaps, of mercy for publicans and sinners — and believed enough to come where she is least welcome, bearing the most precious thing she owns. Gratitude is already in motion. The flask in her hands is faith made visible before she speaks a single word.
Luke 7:37 in the Original Language
alabastron (ἀλάβαστρον), 'alabaster box' -- a stone flask for costly perfume.
Frequently Asked Questions About Luke 7:37
What does Luke 7:37 mean?
A woman known in the city as a sinner learns Jesus is at the Pharisee's house and comes with an alabaster flask of perfume.