Add parallel Print Page Options

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