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BibleStudyIt John 11

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Lazarus dies

11 There was a certain man, who was called Lazarus. He lived at Bethany, the village where Mary and her sister Martha lived too. He became ill. 2 It was this Mary who had poured oil with a nice smell over the feet of the Lord Jesus. Then she had cleaned his feet with her hair. It was her brother Lazarus who was ill. 3 So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus to say, ‘Lord, the friend that you love is ill.’

4 Jesus heard the message. Then he said, ‘This illness will not finish with Lazarus's death. No, its purpose is to show how great God is. Because of this, people will see how great God's Son is.’ 5 Jesus loved Martha and her sister, and their brother Lazarus, too. 6 He heard the news that Lazarus was ill. But then he stayed in the place where he was for two more days.

7 After that, Jesus said to his disciples, ‘We should return to Judea.’ 8 The disciples said, ‘Teacher, only a short time ago, the Jews there tried to kill you with stones. You should not return there!’ 9 Jesus answered, ‘You know that there are 12 hours in the day. Anyone who walks during the day will not fall down. He will not fall down because he sees this world's light. 10 But anyone who walks during the night will fall down. He will fall down because he has no light.’

11 After Jesus said that, he said to them, ‘Our friend Lazarus is sleeping. But I will go there to wake him up.’ 12 So the disciples said to him, ‘If he is sleeping, Lord, he will get well again.’ 13 The disciples thought that Jesus was talking about sleep as rest. But Jesus meant that Lazarus had died. 14 So then, Jesus told them clearly, ‘Lazarus is dead. 15 But I am happy that I was not there with him. I am happy about that because it will help you. Now you will believe in me. We must go to him now.’ 16 Thomas, who was called Didymus, said to the other disciples, ‘We should go with our Teacher, so that we can die with him!’ [ a ]

Jesus is able to give life to dead people

17 Jesus arrived at Bethany. He discovered that Lazarus had already been in the grave for four days. 18 Bethany was about 3 kilometres from Jerusalem. 19 Many Jews had come there to visit Martha and Mary. They wanted to help Martha and Mary because their brother had died.

20 Martha heard the news that Jesus was coming. So she went out to meet him. But Mary stayed in the house with the visitors. 21 Martha said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now, I know that God will answer you. He will do whatever you ask him.’ 23 Jesus told her, ‘Your brother will rise and become alive again.’ 24 Martha replied, ‘I know that he will rise on the last day, to become alive again.’ 25 Jesus said to her, ‘I have authority over death. I raise dead people, and I give people true life. Anyone who believes in me will live. Even if that person dies, he will continue to live. 26 People who believe in me while they are alive will never die. Do you believe that?’ 27 Martha answered, ‘Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah. You are God's Son, the one that God promised to send into the world.’

28 After this, Martha went back to the house. She took Mary to speak to her on her own. Martha said to her, ‘The Teacher is here, and he is asking to meet you.’ 29 When Mary heard this, she got up immediately. She went out to meet Jesus. 30 Jesus had not arrived in the village yet. He was still in the place where Martha had met him. 31 There were still Jews in the house who were with Mary to help her. They saw her get up quickly and go out. So they followed her. They thought that she was going to the place where they had put Lazarus's dead body. They thought that she wanted to go there to weep.

32 Mary arrived at the place where Jesus was. When she saw Jesus, she bent down low at his feet. She said, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.’ 33 Jesus saw that Mary was weeping. He saw that the Jews who had come with her were weeping too. When Jesus saw them, he felt very sad in his spirit. He was upset about Lazarus's death. 34 He asked them, ‘Where have you put his dead body?’ They answered, ‘Come and see, Lord.’ 35 Jesus wept. 36 Then the Jews said to each other, ‘See how much he loved Lazarus!’ 37 But some of them said, ‘He opened the eyes of the blind man. So surely he would have been able to stop the death of Lazarus.’

Jesus makes Lazarus alive again

38 Jesus arrived at the grave where they had put Lazarus's dead body. It was a cave. A large stone covered the front of the hole. Again, Jesus felt very upset. 39 He said, ‘Take the stone away.’ Martha, the dead man's sister, said to Jesus, ‘But Lord, by now his dead body will have a bad smell. He has been dead for four days!’ 40 Jesus said to her, ‘I told you already that you must believe in me. Then you will see how great and how powerful God is.’ 41 So they moved the stone away. Jesus looked up towards the sky. He said, ‘Father, I thank you that you have listened to me. 42 I know that you listen to me always. But I said this to help all the people who are standing here. I want them to believe that you sent me.’ 43 When Jesus had said this, he shouted with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’ 44 The dead man came out. There were pieces of cloth round his hands and round his feet. Another piece of cloth was round his face. Jesus said to them, ‘Undo the cloths and let him go.’

The Pharisees decide how to kill Jesus

45 The Jews who had come to visit Mary saw this. They saw what Jesus did. So many of them believed in him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees. They told the Pharisees what Jesus had done. 47 Then the Pharisees and the leaders of the priests had a meeting with the group of Jewish leaders. They asked each other, ‘What will we do? This man is doing so many miracles. 48 If we let him do more things like this, everyone will believe in him. Then the Roman rulers will come and punish us. [ b ] Their soldiers will destroy our temple and even destroy our whole country of Israel.’

49 One of the group was the leader of the priests that year. He was called Caiaphas. He said, ‘You do not understand the problem. 50 It is better that one man should die on behalf of our people. That is better than if all Israel's people should die.’ 51 Caiaphas did not say this because he had thought it by himself. No, he was speaking as a prophet, because he was the leader of the priests that year. That is why he said that Jesus would die on behalf of Israel's people. 52 And Jesus would die not only for Israel's people. He would also die for all God's people who lived in many different places. He would bring them all together. They would become like one big family.

53 From that day, the Jewish leaders decided together how they could kill Jesus. 54 So Jesus stopped travelling about in Judea where everyone could see him. Instead, he went away from there to a town called Ephraim that was near to the wilderness. He stayed there with his disciples.

55 It was almost time for the Jewish Passover Festival to begin. Many people were going from their country places to Jerusalem. They were going there to make themselves clean in front of God before they went to the festival. 56 They were continuing to look for Jesus. While they stood in the yard of the temple, they spoke to each other about him. They asked each other, ‘Do you think that he will come to the festival or not?’ 57 The leaders of the priests and the Pharisees had spoken to the people about Jesus. They had told them, ‘If anyone knows where Jesus is, you must tell us.’ So then they could take hold of him to put him in a prison.

Footnotes

  1. 11:16 Didymus means ‘the twin’.
  2. 11:48 The Romans were ruling Israel at that time.

The Death of Lazarus

11 There was a man named Lazarus who was sick. He lived in the town of Bethany, where Mary and her sister Martha lived. 2 (Mary is the same woman who put perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.) Mary’s brother was Lazarus, the man who was now sick. 3 So Mary and Martha sent someone to tell Jesus, “Lord, your dear friend Lazarus is sick.”

4 When Jesus heard this he said, “The end of this sickness will not be death. No, this sickness is for the glory of God. This has happened to bring glory to the Son of God.” 5 Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days 7 and then said to his followers, “We should go back to Judea.”

8 They answered, “But Teacher, those Jews there tried to stone you to death. That was only a short time ago. Now you want to go back there?”

9 Jesus answered, “There are twelve hours of light in the day. Whoever walks in the day will not stumble and fall because they can see with the light from the sun. [ a ] 10 But whoever walks at night will stumble because there is no light.”

11 Then Jesus said, “Our friend Lazarus is now sleeping, but I am going there to wake him.”

12 The followers answered, “But, Lord, if he can sleep, he will get well.” 13 They thought Jesus meant that Lazarus was literally sleeping, but he really meant that Lazarus was dead.

14 So then Jesus said plainly, “Lazarus is dead. 15 And I am glad I was not there. I am happy for you because now you will believe in me. We will go to him now.”

16 Then Thomas, the one called “Twin,” said to the other followers, “We will go too. We will die there with Jesus.”

Jesus in Bethany

17 Jesus arrived in Bethany and found that Lazarus had already been dead and in the tomb for four days. 18 Bethany was about two miles [ b ] from Jerusalem. 19 Many Jews had come to see Martha and Mary. They came to comfort them about their brother Lazarus.

20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to greet him. But Mary stayed home. 21 Martha 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 be alive again.”

24 Martha answered, “I know that he will rise to live again at the time of the resurrection on the last day.”

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection. I am life. Everyone who believes in me will have life, even if they die. 26 And everyone who lives and believes in me will never really die. Martha, do you believe this?”

27 Martha answered, “Yes, Lord. I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God. You are the one who was coming to the world.”

Jesus Cries

28 After Martha said these things, she went back to her sister Mary. She talked to Mary alone and said, “The Teacher is here. He is asking for you.” 29 When Mary heard this, she stood up and went quickly to Jesus. 30 He had not yet come into the village. He was still at the place where Martha met him. 31 The Jews who were in the house comforting Mary saw her get up and leave quickly. They thought she was going to the tomb to cry there. So they followed her. 32 Mary went to the place where Jesus was. When she saw him, she bowed at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

33 When Jesus saw Mary crying and the people with her crying too, he was very upset and deeply troubled. 34 He asked, “Where did you put him?”

They said, “Lord, come and see.”

35 Jesus cried.

36 And the Jews said, “Look! He loved Lazarus very much!”

37 But some of them said, “Jesus healed the eyes of the blind man. Why didn’t he help Lazarus and stop him from dying?”

Jesus Raises Lazarus From Death

38 Again feeling very upset, Jesus came to the tomb. It was a cave with a large stone covering the entrance. 39 He said, “Move the stone away.”

Martha said, “But, Lord, it has been four days since Lazarus died. There will be a bad smell.” Martha was the sister of the dead man.

40 Then Jesus said to her, “Remember what I told you? I said that if you believed, you would see God’s divine greatness.”

41 So they moved the stone away from the entrance. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you heard me. 42 I know that you always hear me. But I said these things because of the people here around me. I want them to believe that you sent me.” 43 After Jesus said this he called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead man came out. His hands and feet were wrapped with pieces of cloth. He had a handkerchief covering his face.

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

The Jewish Leaders Plan to Kill Jesus ( A )

45 There were many Jews who came to visit Mary. When they saw what Jesus did, many of them believed in him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus did. 47 Then the leading priests and Pharisees called a meeting of the high council. They said, “What should we do? This man is doing many miraculous 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 and our nation.”

49 One of the men there was Caiaphas. He was the high priest that year. He said, “You people know nothing! 50 It is better for one man to die for the people than for the whole nation to be destroyed. But you don’t realize this.”

51 Caiaphas did not think of this himself. As that year’s high priest, he was really prophesying that Jesus would die for the Jewish people. 52 Yes, he would die for the Jewish people. But he would also die for God’s other children scattered all over the world. He would die to bring them all together and make them one people.

53 That day the Jewish leaders began planning to kill Jesus. 54 So Jesus stopped traveling around openly among the Jews. He went away to a town called Ephraim in an area near the desert. He stayed there with his followers.

55 It was almost time for the Jewish Passover festival. Many people from the country went to Jerusalem before the Passover. They went to do the special things to make themselves pure for the festival. 56 The people looked for Jesus. They stood in the Temple area and asked each other, “Is he coming to the festival? What do you think?” 57 But the leading priests and the Pharisees had given a special order about Jesus. They said that anyone who knew where he was must tell them so that they could arrest him.

Footnotes

  1. John 11:9 from the sun Literally, “of this world.”
  2. John 11:18 two miles Literally, “15 stadia, ” almost 3 km.

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

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

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

4 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.

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

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

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

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

9 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.

The Death and Resurrection of Lazarus

11 Now a certain man was sick: Lazarus of ( A ) Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister ( B ) Martha. 2 And it was the Mary who ( C ) anointed ( D ) the Lord with [ a ] ointment, and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. 3 So the sisters sent word to Him, saying, “ ( E ) Lord, behold, ( F ) he whom You love is sick.” 4 But when Jesus heard this , He said, “This sickness is not [ b ] meant for death, but is for ( G ) the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it.” 5 (Now Jesus loved ( H ) Martha and her sister, and Lazarus.) 6 So when He heard that he was sick, He then stayed two days longer in the place where He was. 7 Then after this He *said to the disciples, “ ( I ) Let’s go to Judea again.” 8 The disciples *said to Him, “ ( J ) Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking ( K ) to stone You, and yet You are going there again?” 9 Jesus replied, “ ( L ) Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks during the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if anyone walks during the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in [ c ] him.” 11 This He said, and after this He *said to them, “Our ( M ) friend Lazarus ( N ) has fallen asleep; but I am going so that I may awaken him from sleep.” 12 The disciples then said to Him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will [ d ] come out of it.” 13 Now ( O ) Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about [ e ] actual sleep. 14 So Jesus then said to them plainly, “Lazarus died, 15 and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may believe; but let’s go to him.” 16 ( P ) Therefore Thomas, who was called [ f ] ( Q ) Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, “Let’s also go, so that we may die with Him!”

17 So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb ( R ) four days. 18 Now ( S ) Bethany was near Jerusalem, about [ g ] fifteen stadia away; 19 and many of ( T ) the Jews had come to ( U ) Martha and Mary, ( V ) to console them about their brother. 20 So then ( W ) Martha, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went to meet Him, but ( X ) Mary [ h ] stayed in the house. 21 Martha then said to Jesus, “ ( Y ) Lord, ( Z ) if You had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 Even now I know that ( AA ) whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” 23 Jesus *said to her, “Your brother will rise from the dead .” 24 Martha *said to Him, “ ( AB ) I know that he will rise in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “ ( AC ) I am the resurrection and the life; the one who believes in Me will live, even if he dies, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in Me ( AD ) will never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; I have come to believe that You are ( AE ) the [ i ] Christ, the Son of God, and [ j ] ( AF ) He who comes into the world.”

28 When she had said this, she ( AG ) left and called Mary her sister, saying secretly, “ ( AH ) The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” 29 And when she heard this , she *got up quickly and came to Him.

30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but ( AI ) was still at the place where Martha met Him. 31 ( AJ ) Then the Jews who were with her in the house and were ( AK ) consoling her, when they saw that Mary had gotten up quickly and left, they followed her, thinking that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 32 So when Mary came to the place where Jesus was, she saw Him and fell at His feet, saying to Him, “ ( AL ) Lord, ( AM ) if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 Therefore when Jesus saw her weeping, and ( AN ) the Jews who came with her also weeping, He ( AO ) was deeply moved in spirit and [ k ] ( AP ) was troubled, 34 and He said, “Where have you laid him?” They *said to Him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus ( AQ ) wept. 36 So ( AR ) the Jews were saying, “See how He ( AS ) loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could this man, who ( AT ) opened the eyes of the man who was blind, not have also [ l ] kept this man from dying?”

38 So Jesus, again being deeply moved within, *came to the tomb. Now it was a ( AU ) cave, and a stone was lying against it. 39 Jesus *said, “Remove the stone.” Martha, the sister of the deceased, *said to Him, “Lord, by this time [ m ] there will be a stench, for he has been dead ( AV ) four days.” 40 Jesus *said to her, “ ( AW ) Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” 41 So they removed the ( AX ) stone. And Jesus ( AY ) raised His eyes, and said, “ ( AZ ) Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 But I knew that You always hear Me; nevertheless, ( BA ) because of the [ n ] people standing around I said it , so that they may believe that ( BB ) You sent Me.” 43 And when He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 Out came the man who had died, ( BC ) bound hand and foot with wrappings, and ( BD ) his face was wrapped around with a cloth. Jesus *said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

45 ( BE ) Therefore many of the Jews ( BF ) who came to Mary, and ( BG ) saw what He had done, believed in Him. 46 But some of them went to the ( BH ) Pharisees and told them the things which Jesus had done.

Conspiracy to Kill Jesus

47 Therefore ( BI ) the chief priests and the Pharisees ( BJ ) convened a ( BK ) council meeting, and they were saying, “What are we [ o ] doing in regard to the fact that this man is performing many [ p ] ( BL ) signs? 48 If we let Him go on like this, all the people will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take over both our [ q ] ( BM ) place and our nation.” 49 But one of them, ( BN ) Caiaphas, ( BO ) who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, 50 nor are you taking into account that ( BP ) it is in your best interest that one man die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish instead .” 51 Now he did not say this [ r ] on his own, but ( BQ ) as he was high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation; 52 and not for the nation only, but in order that He might also ( BR ) gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. 53 So from that day on they ( BS ) planned together to kill Him.

54 Therefore Jesus ( BT ) no longer continued to walk publicly among the Jews, but went away from there to the region near the wilderness, into a city called ( BU ) Ephraim; and there He stayed with the disciples.

55 Now ( BV ) the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up to Jerusalem from the country prior to the Passover, ( BW ) in order to [ s ] purify themselves. 56 So they ( BX ) were looking for Jesus, and saying to one another as they stood in the temple area , “What do you think; that He will not come to the feast at all?” 57 Now ( BY ) the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where He was, he was to report it, so that they might arrest Him.

Footnotes

  1. John 11:2 Or perfume
  2. John 11:4 Lit toward death
  3. John 11:10 Or it ; i.e., the world
  4. John 11:12 Lit be saved
  5. John 11:13 Lit the slumber of sleep
  6. John 11:16 I.e., the Twin
  7. John 11:18 Possibly 2 miles or 3 km; a Roman stadion perhaps averaged 607 ft. or 185 m
  8. John 11:20 Lit was sitting
  9. John 11:27 I.e., Messiah
  10. John 11:27 The Coming One was a Messianic title
  11. John 11:33 Lit troubled Himself
  12. John 11:37 Lit done so that this man also would not die
  13. John 11:39 Lit he stinks
  14. John 11:42 Lit crowd
  15. John 11:47 Or doing? For this
  16. John 11:47 I.e., confirming miracles
  17. John 11:48 Possibly meaning the temple
  18. John 11:51 Lit from himself
  19. John 11:55 I.e., undergo required cleansing rituals

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 ) 2 (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 ) 3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love ( D ) is sick.”

4 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.” 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, 7 and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.” ( F )

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

9 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
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