John11

Jesus, upon hearing of his friend Lazarus's sickness, intentionally delays his arrival in Bethany. When he finally comes, Lazarus has been dead for four days. After comforting Martha and Mary and declaring himself "the resurrection, and the life," Jesus miraculously calls Lazarus forth from the tomb, raising him from the dead. This profound sign leads many to believe, but also prompts the chief priests and Pharisees to plot Jesus's death.

Listen to this chapter

Lazarus is Sick; Jesus Delays

¶ 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.

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

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.

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

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

Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.

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

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

Jesus Encounters Martha and Mary

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

Jesus wept.

Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!

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?

"Lazarus, Come Forth!"

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

The Plot to Kill Jesus

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

Jesus Withdraws; Passover Approaches

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.

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

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?

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.

Study Notes for John 11

Verse 1

Bethany was a small village near Jerusalem. Mary, Martha, and Lazarus were clearly beloved friends of Jesus, setting the stage for one of John’s seven great “signs.”

Verse 2

This parenthetical note identifies this Mary as the one who later anointed Jesus (John 12:3), suggesting the recipients of the Gospel were already familiar with her story.

Verse 3

The sisters’ message is simple and trusts Jesus' love for Lazarus, but it is not a direct command, leaving the response entirely up to the Lord.

Verse 4

Jesus defines the purpose of the delay: this event is designed not merely to heal, but to manifest God's *glory* and confirm Jesus' divine identity as the Son of God.

Verse 6

The deliberate two-day delay is crucial. By the time Jesus arrives, Lazarus has been dead four days, ensuring that no one could claim he was merely in a coma (a common Jewish belief was that the soul lingered for three days).

Verse 8

The disciples express legitimate fear. Jesus had recently narrowly escaped stoning in Jerusalem (John 10:31), highlighting the danger of returning to Judea.

Verse 9

This analogy of walking during the day refers to following God's appointed time and will. As long as Jesus is acting within God's timing, he is safe from stumbling or harm.

Verse 11

Jesus uses 'sleep' as a common euphemism for death, a usage the disciples misunderstand (v. 12). The New Testament often uses this metaphor to emphasize that death for believers is temporary, awaiting resurrection.

Verse 14

Jesus uses plain language to clarify the situation, emphasizing the reality of the death necessary for the subsequent miracle to have its full impact on their faith.

Verse 16

Thomas (meaning 'twin,' *Didymus* in Greek) shows a mixture of pessimism and fierce loyalty, believing they are all walking toward certain death alongside their friend Lazarus.

Verse 17

The fact that Lazarus had been in the tomb four days confirms the definitive nature of his death, removing any possibility of resuscitation or misdiagnosis in the eyes of Jewish tradition.

Verse 18

Fifteen furlongs is about 1.8 miles. This proximity to Jerusalem explains the large number of Jewish mourners present (v. 19), making the miracle a public, verifiable event.

Verse 20

Martha’s action shows her characteristic energy and initiative, contrasting with Mary, who remains passive in the house (a reflection of typical mourning customs).

Verse 21

Martha’s statement reflects the common belief that Jesus’ power was limited by physical distance, yet it is immediately followed by a profound affirmation of faith (v. 22).

Verse 24

Martha affirms the orthodox Jewish belief in a general resurrection at the end of time, showing her hope is theological but generalized, not specific to this moment.

Verse 25

Jesus’ seventh and greatest 'I Am' statement in John: 'I am the resurrection and the life.' He is not merely the agent of resurrection, but the source and embodiment of eternal life itself.

Verse 27

Martha’s confession is one of the most complete in the Gospels, paralleling Peter's confession (Matt 16:16). She recognizes Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God.

Verse 33

The Greek word translated 'groaned in the spirit' (*embrimaomai*) suggests deep indignation and emotional turmoil, often directed against the power of death and the sorrow it causes.

Verse 35

Jesus wept. This shortest verse in the Bible shows Jesus' perfect humanity and empathy. He grieves not only for Lazarus but for the pain and destruction that death brings to humanity.

Verse 37

The mourners, having witnessed Jesus' previous signs, question why his power did not extend to prevention, revealing their limited understanding of God's timing.

Verse 38

Jesus again groans, indicating the great spiritual conflict involved in confronting death, the final enemy (1 Cor 15:26).

Verse 39

Martha’s pragmatic concern confirms that decomposition had begun, reinforcing the reality of the miracle about to occur and highlighting her momentary lapse of faith.

Verse 40

Jesus reminds Martha of the foundational principle of faith necessary to witness the display of God's power, linking belief directly to seeing the divine glory.

Verse 41

Jesus’ public prayer is instructional, not necessary for God to hear Him. It confirms that the ensuing miracle is performed through the authority granted by the Father.

Verse 44

Lazarus emerged still bound in linen grave clothes, indicating the immediate and complete restoration of life. The command to 'Loose him' symbolizes the church’s role in freeing those called to new life.

Verse 45

This spectacular miracle immediately divides the witnesses: many believe, but others rush to inform the hostile religious authorities.

Verse 48

The council fears that a popular uprising centered on Jesus will provoke a violent reaction from Rome, resulting in the loss of their limited self-governance ('our place and nation').

Verse 49

Caiaphas, the high priest, speaks cynically, advocating for political expediency—sacrificing one man to preserve the status quo.

Verse 51

John interprets Caiaphas's political calculus as divine prophecy. Because of his office, the high priest unknowingly declared God’s plan for the sacrificial death of Jesus.

Verse 52

The scope of Jesus' death extends beyond Israel ('that nation') to include all of God's 'scattered children'—a reference to the future inclusion of Gentiles into the unified body of Christ.

Verse 54

Jesus withdraws from public ministry near Jerusalem to the city of Ephraim, demonstrating careful timing before His final voluntary entrance into Jerusalem for the Passover.

Verse 55

The Passover pilgrimage required ritual purification, explaining why many people arrived early in Jerusalem, creating a public atmosphere of anticipation regarding Jesus’ whereabouts.

Verse 57

The chief priests and Pharisees formalize their hostility by issuing a public warrant for Jesus' arrest, confirming the high level of danger He faced.

Use ← → arrow keys to navigate

John11

Lazarus is Sick; Jesus Delays

Jesus Encounters Martha and Mary

"Lazarus, Come Forth!"

The Plot to Kill Jesus

Jesus Withdraws; Passover Approaches

Reading Style

Typeface

Font Size 19px

Options