Anointing

Anointing is the pouring or rubbing of oil to consecrate, heal or honor: priests and kings were anointed, Jesus was anointed with the Holy Ghost and with power, and believers have an unction from the Holy One. The elders are to anoint the sick with oil in the name of the Lord, and Christian traditions differ on whether this is a sacrament.

Priests and kings anointed

• Exodus 30:30-31
  ³⁰And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister unto me in the priest’s office.Anoint Aaron and his sons and consecrate them to serve Me as priests. ³¹And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, This shall be an holy anointing oil unto me throughout your generations.And you are to tell the Israelites, ‘This will be My sacred anointing oil for the generations to come.
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• Leviticus 8:10-12
  ¹⁰And Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the tabernacle and all that was therein, and sanctified them.Next, Moses took the anointing oil and anointed the tabernacle and everything in it; and so he consecrated them. ¹¹And he sprinkled thereof upon the altar seven times, and anointed the altar and all his vessels, both the laver and his foot, to sanctify them.He sprinkled some of the oil on the altar seven times, anointing the altar and all its utensils, and the basin with its stand, to consecrate them. ¹²And he poured of the anointing oil upon Aaron’s head, and anointed him, to sanctify him.He also poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head and anointed him to consecrate him.
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• 1 Samuel 10:1
  Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not because the Lord hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance?Then Samuel took a flask of oil, poured it on Saul’s head, kissed him, and said, “Has not the LORD anointed you ruler over His inheritance?
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• 1 Samuel 16:13
  Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward. Then Samuel set out and went to Ramah.
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• 1 Kings 1:39
  And Zadok the priest took an horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the people said, God save king Solomon.Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the tabernacle and anointed Solomon. Then they blew the ram’s horn, and all the people proclaimed, “Long live King Solomon!”
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Jesus the Anointed One

• Isaiah 61:1
  The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners,
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• Luke 4:18
  The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,“The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to release the oppressed,
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• Acts 4:27
  For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,In fact, this is the very city where Herod and Pontius Pilate conspired with the Gentiles and the people of Israel against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed.
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• Acts 10:38
  How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him.
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Anointing the sick

• James 5:14-15
  ¹⁴Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.And the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick. The Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.
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• Mark 6:13
  And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.They also drove out many demons and healed many of the sick, anointing them with oil.
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The anointing of the Spirit

• 1 John 2:20
  But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.You, however, have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.
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• 1 John 2:27
  But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.And as for you, the anointing you received from Him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But just as His true and genuine anointing teaches you about all things, so remain in Him as you have been taught.
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• 2 Corinthians 1:21-22
  ²¹Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;Now it is God who establishes both us and you in Christ. He anointed us, ²²Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.placed His seal on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a pledge of what is to come.
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Anointing as honor and refreshment

• Psalm 23:5
  Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
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• Psalm 133:2
  It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;It is like fine oil on the head, running down on the beard, running down Aaron’s beard over the collar of his robes.
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• Luke 7:46
  My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.You did not anoint My head with oil, but she has anointed My feet with perfume.
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• Mark 14:3-8
  ³And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.While Jesus was in Bethany reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke open the jar and poured it on Jesus’ head. ⁴And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made?Some of those present, however, expressed their indignation to one another: “Why this waste of perfume? ⁵For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her.It could have been sold for over three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor.” And they scolded her. ⁶And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me.But Jesus said, “Leave her alone; why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful deed to Me. ⁷For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them whenever you want. But you will not always have Me. ⁸She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.She has done what she could to anoint My body in advance of My burial.
  Show context · Read Mark 14 →
• Matthew 6:17
  But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
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See also

• Healing
• Holy Spirit
• Priesthood
• Prayer
• Elders

Notes

1. Verses are quoted in the translation chosen in the Translation menu at the top of the page. See Translations for sources and copyright notices.
2. Each reference links to the full chapter so the verse can be read in context.