John 11:1–44

The Death of Lazarus

11A man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in the town of Bethany, where Mary and her sister Martha lived. ²Mary was the woman who later put perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair. Mary’s brother was Lazarus, the man who was now sick. ³So Mary and Martha sent someone to tell Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.”

⁴When 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.” ⁵Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. ⁶But when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was for two more days. ⁷Then Jesus said to his followers, “Let’s go back to Judea.”

⁸The followers said, “But Teacher, some people there tried to stone you to death only a short time ago. Now you want to go back there?”

⁹Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the daylight, he will not stumble, because he can see by this world’s light. ¹⁰But if anyone walks at night, he stumbles because there is no light to help him see.”

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

¹²The followers said, “But Lord, if he is only asleep, he will be all right.”

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

¹⁶Then Thomas (the one called Didymus) said to the other followers, “Let us also go so that we can die with him.”

Jesus in Bethany

¹⁷When Jesus arrived, he learned that Lazarus had already been dead and in the tomb for four days. ¹⁸Bethany was about two miles from Jerusalem. ¹⁹Many of the Jews had come there to comfort Martha and Mary about their brother.

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

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

²⁴Martha answered, “I know that he will rise and live again in the resurrection ⁿ on the last day.”

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

²⁷Martha answered, “Yes, Lord. I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the One coming to the world.”

Jesus Cries

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

³²But 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.”

³³When Jesus saw Mary crying and the Jews who came with her also crying, he was upset and was deeply troubled. ³⁴He asked, “Where did you bury him?”

“Come and see, Lord,” they said.

³⁵Jesus cried.

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

³⁷But some of them said, “If Jesus opened the eyes of the blind man, why couldn’t he keep Lazarus from dying?”

Jesus Raises Lazarus

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

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

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

⁴¹So they moved the stone away from the entrance. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you heard me. ⁴²I 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.” ⁴³After Jesus said this, he cried out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” ⁴⁴The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with pieces of cloth, and a cloth around his face.

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