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The Death of Lazarus

11 A man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in the town of Bethany, where Mary and her sister Martha lived [C near Jerusalem to the east, not the same Bethany as in 1:28]. Mary was the woman who ·later put perfume on the Lord [L anointed the Lord with perfume/ointment/fragrant oil] and wiped his feet with her hair [12:1–8]. Mary’s brother was Lazarus, the man who was now sick. So ·Mary and Martha [L the sisters] sent someone to tell Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.”

When Jesus heard this, he said, “This sickness will not end in death. It is for the glory of God, to bring glory to the Son of God.” Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. ·But [or So] when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was for two more days. Then Jesus said to his ·followers [disciples], “Let’s go back to Judea.”

The ·followers [disciples] said to him, “But Teacher [L Rabbi], ·some people [the Jewish leaders; L the Jews] there tried to stone you to death only a short time ago. Now you want to go back there?”

Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours ·in the day [of daylight]? If anyone walks in the daylight, he will not stumble, because he can see by ·this world’s light [C the sun]. 10 But if anyone walks at night, he stumbles because ·there is no light to help him see [L the light is not in him].”

11 After Jesus said this, he added, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to wake him.”

12 The ·followers [disciples] said, “But Lord, if he is only asleep, he will ·be all right [recover; get better; L be saved/healed].”

13 [L But] Jesus meant that Lazarus was dead, but his followers thought he meant Lazarus was really sleeping. 14 So then Jesus said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. 15 And I ·am glad [rejoice] for your sakes I was not there so that you may believe. But let’s go to him now.”

16 Then Thomas (the one called Didymus [C meaning, “the Twin”]) said to ·the other followers [his fellow disciples], “Let us also go so that we can die with him.”

Jesus in Bethany

17 When Jesus arrived, he learned that Lazarus had already been dead and in the tomb for four days. [C Some Jews believed that a soul would stay near a body for up to three days after death.] 18 Bethany was about two miles [L fifteen stadia; C a stadion was about 600 ft.] from Jerusalem. 19 Many of the Jews had come there to ·comfort [console] Martha and Mary about their brother.

20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary ·stayed [L was sitting at] home. 21 Martha [L then] said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But I know that even now God will give you anything you ask.”

23 Jesus said, “Your brother will rise and live again.”

24 Martha answered, “I know that he will rise and live again in the resurrection on the last day.” [C Many Jews, particularly Pharisees, believed in a future bodily resurrection.]

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. ·Those who believe [L The one who believes…] in me will have life even if they die. 26 And everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

27 Martha answered, “Yes, Lord. I believe that you are the ·Christ [Messiah], the Son of God, the One ·coming to [who was to come into] the world.”

Jesus Weeps

28 After Martha said this, she went back and ·talked to [summoned] her sister Mary ·alone [privately]. Martha said, “The Teacher is here and he is ·asking for [summoning; calling for] you.” 29 When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to Jesus. 30 Jesus had not yet come into the town but was still at the place where Martha had met him. 31 The Jews were with Mary in the house, ·comforting [consoling] her. When they saw her stand and leave quickly, they followed her, thinking she was going to the tomb to weep there.

32 But Mary went to the place where Jesus was. When she saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

33 When Jesus saw Mary weeping and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was ·upset [L disturbed in spirit] and was deeply troubled. 34 He asked, “Where ·did you bury [L have you put] him?”

“Come and see, Lord,” they said.

35 Jesus wept.

36 So the Jews said, “See how much he loved him.”

37 But some of them said, “·If Jesus [L Could not the one who…] opened the eyes of the blind man, why couldn’t he keep ·Lazarus [L this man] from dying?”

Jesus Raises Lazarus

38 Again feeling ·very upset [deeply disturbed/moved], Jesus came to the tomb. It was a cave with a large stone ·covering the entrance [L lying on/against it; C Jews typically buried their dead in caves with stones covering the entrance]. 39 Jesus said, “Move the stone away.”

Martha, the sister of the dead man, said, “But, Lord, it has been ·four days since he died [see 11:17]. There will be a ·bad smell [stench].”

40 Then Jesus said to her, “Didn’t I tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?”

41 So they moved the stone away from the entrance. Then Jesus ·looked up [L raised his eyes] and said, “Father, I thank you that you heard me. 42 I know that you always hear me, but I said these things ·because [for the benefit] of the people here around me. ·I want them to [L so that they might] believe that you sent me.” 43 After Jesus said this, he cried out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come ·out [T forth]!” 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with ·pieces of cloth [strips of linen; graveclothes; C the dead were wrapped in strips of cloth], and a cloth around his face.

Jesus said to them, “Take the cloth off of him and let him go.”

The Plan to Kill Jesus

45 [L So] Many of the ·people [L Jews], who had come to visit Mary and saw what Jesus did, believed in him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 Then the ·leading [T chief] priests and Pharisees called a meeting of the ·council [L Sanhedrin; C the highest Jewish court of the time]. They asked, “·What should we do? [or What are we accomplishing?] This man is doing many ·miracles [L signs]. 48 If we let him continue doing these things, everyone will believe in him. Then the Romans will come and take away our ·Temple [L place; C probably a reference to the “holy place”—the Jerusalem Temple] and our nation.”

49 One of the men there was Caiaphas, the high priest that year. [C He was high priest between ad 18 and 36.] He said, “·You people know nothing [You don’t know what you are talking about]! 50 You don’t realize that it is better [L for you] for one man to die for the people than for the whole nation to be destroyed.”

51 Caiaphas did not ·think of this himself [L say this from himself]. As high priest that year, he was really prophesying that Jesus would die for their nation 52 and for God’s scattered children to bring them all together and make them one. [C Although Caiaphas was thinking politically, his words predicted spiritual salvation.]

53 [L So from] That day they started ·planning [plotting] to kill Jesus. 54 So Jesus no longer ·traveled [L walked] openly among the ·people [Jews]. He ·left there [withdrew; departed] and went to a ·place [region] near the ·desert [wilderness], to a town called Ephraim and stayed there with his ·followers [disciples].

55 It was almost time for the ·Passover Feast [L Passover of the Jews; C the annual festival that celebrates God’s rescue of Israel from Egypt; Ex. 12; John 2:13]. Many from the country went up to Jerusalem before the Passover to ·do the special things to make themselves pure [L purify/consecrate themselves; Num. 9:6–13]. 56 The people ·looked for [sought] Jesus and stood in the Temple [courts] asking each other, “·Is he [L Surely he is not] coming to the Feast? What do you think?” 57 But the ·leading [T chief] priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where Jesus was, he must tell them. Then they could ·arrest [seize] him.

The Death of Lazarus

11 Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany,(A) the village of Mary and her sister Martha.(B) (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.)(C) So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love(D) is sick.”

When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory(E) so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”(F)

“But Rabbi,”(G) they said, “a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you,(H) and yet you are going back?”

Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world’s light.(I) 10 It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.”

11 After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend(J) Lazarus has fallen asleep;(K) but I am going there to wake him up.”

12 His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” 13 Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.(L)

14 So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, 15 and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”

16 Then Thomas(M) (also known as Didymus[a]) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

Jesus Comforts the Sisters of Lazarus

17 On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days.(N) 18 Now Bethany(O) was less than two miles[b] from Jerusalem, 19 and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother.(P) 20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.(Q)

21 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died.(R) 22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”(S)

23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

24 Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection(T) at the last day.”(U)

25 Jesus said to her, “I am(V) the resurrection and the life.(W) The one who believes(X) in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing(Y) in me will never die.(Z) Do you believe this?”

27 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah,(AA) the Son of God,(AB) who is to come into the world.”(AC)

28 After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher(AD) is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.” 29 When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him.(AE) 31 When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her,(AF) noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.

32 When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”(AG)

33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved(AH) in spirit and troubled.(AI) 34 “Where have you laid him?” he asked.

“Come and see, Lord,” they replied.

35 Jesus wept.(AJ)

36 Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”(AK)

37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man(AL) have kept this man from dying?”(AM)

Jesus Raises Lazarus From the Dead

38 Jesus, once more deeply moved,(AN) came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance.(AO) 39 “Take away the stone,” he said.

“But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”(AP)

40 Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe,(AQ) you will see the glory of God?”(AR)

41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up(AS) and said, “Father,(AT) I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here,(AU) that they may believe that you sent me.”(AV)

43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”(AW) 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen,(AX) and a cloth around his face.(AY)

Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”

The Plot to Kill Jesus

45 Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary,(AZ) and had seen what Jesus did,(BA) believed in him.(BB) 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees(BC) called a meeting(BD) of the Sanhedrin.(BE)

“What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many signs.(BF) 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.”

49 Then one of them, named Caiaphas,(BG) who was high priest that year,(BH) spoke up, “You know nothing at all! 50 You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”(BI)

51 He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, 52 and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one.(BJ) 53 So from that day on they plotted to take his life.(BK)

54 Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the people of Judea.(BL) Instead he withdrew to a region near the wilderness, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples.

55 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover,(BM) many went up from the country to Jerusalem for their ceremonial cleansing(BN) before the Passover. 56 They kept looking for Jesus,(BO) and as they stood in the temple courts they asked one another, “What do you think? Isn’t he coming to the festival at all?” 57 But the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that anyone who found out where Jesus was should report it so that they might arrest him.

Footnotes

  1. John 11:16 Thomas (Aramaic) and Didymus (Greek) both mean twin.
  2. John 11:18 Or about 3 kilometers

11 Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.

(It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)

Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.

When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.

Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.

When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was.

Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again.

His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?

Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.

10 But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.

11 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.

12 Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.

13 Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.

14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.

15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.

16 Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.

17 Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already.

18 Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off:

19 And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.

20 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house.

21 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

22 But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.

23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.

24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

28 And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee.

29 As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him.

30 Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him.

31 The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there.

32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled.

34 And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.

35 Jesus wept.

36 Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!

37 And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?

38 Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.

39 Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.

40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?

41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.

42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.

43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

45 Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.

46 But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done.

47 Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.

48 If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.

49 And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all,

50 Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.

51 And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation;

52 And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.

53 Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.

54 Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples.

55 And the Jews' passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the passover, to purify themselves.

56 Then sought they for Jesus, and spake among themselves, as they stood in the temple, What think ye, that he will not come to the feast?

57 Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment, that, if any man knew where he were, he should shew it, that they might take him.