Luke 7:38

As she stood behind Him at His feet weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears and wipe them with her hair. Then she kissed His feet and anointed them with the perfume.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — A woman identified as sinful stands behind Jesus at His feet while He dines at a Pharisee’s house, weeping, wiping His feet with her hair, kissing them, and anointing them with perfume. This occurs immediately after she arrives with an alabaster jar and during the meal when the host observes her actions.

The words — The text records her posture with στᾶσα (stasa), meaning “having stood,” and her emotion with κλαίουσα (klaiousa), meaning “weeping.” These participles place her physical position and emotional state at the center of the action.

The thread — Her weeping and subsequent joy parallel the pattern in Psalms 126:5, while her contrite posture reflects the broken spirit described in Psalms 51:17. The act of washing feet also echoes the hospitality custom noted in Genesis 18:4.

Why it lands — The narrative records physical acts of repentance and honor directed toward a specific guest while a host watches in silent judgment. It requires the reader to weigh the woman’s actions against the host’s unspoken assessment without softening either reality.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

King James Version

And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.

Cross-references

Psalms 126:5 Those who sow in tears will reap with shouts of joy.
Psalms 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.
Genesis 18:4 Let a little water be brought, that you may wash your feet and rest yourselves under the tree.
Psalms 6:6 I am weary from groaning; all night I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears.
Ecclesiastes 9:8 Let your garments always be white, and never spare the oil for your head.
Isaiah 61:3 to console the mourners in Zion—to give them a crown of beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and a garment of praise for a spirit of despair. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.
Luke 7:44 And turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? When I entered your house, you did not give Me water for My feet, but she wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.
Psalms 38:18 Yes, I confess my iniquity; I am troubled by my sin.
Jeremiah 31:9 They will come with weeping, and by their supplication I will lead them; I will make them walk beside streams of waters, on a level path where they will not stumble. For I am Israel’s Father, and Ephraim is My firstborn.”
John 13:4 So He got up from the supper, laid aside His outer garments, and wrapped a towel around His waist.