Healing the Man Born Blind

As Jesus passed by, He saw a man who had been blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, “(A)Rabbi, who sinned, (B)this man or his (C)parents, that he would be born blind?” Jesus answered, It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was (D)so that the works of God might be displayed in him. We must carry out the works of Him who sent Me (E)as long as it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am (F)the Light of the world.” When He had said this, He (G)spit on the ground, and made mud from the saliva, and applied the mud to his eyes, and said to him, “Go, wash in (H)the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he left and (I)washed, and (J)came back seeing. So the neighbors, and those who previously saw [a]him as a beggar, were saying, “Is this not the one who used to (K)sit and beg?” Others were saying, “This is he,” still others were saying, “No, but he is like him.” [b]The man himself kept saying, “I am the one.” 10 So they were saying to him, “How then were your eyes opened?” 11 He answered, “The man who is called Jesus made mud, and spread it on my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to (L)Siloam and wash’; so I went away and washed, and I received sight.” 12 And they said to him, “Where is He?” He *said, “I do not know.”

Controversy over the Man

13 They *brought [c]the man who was previously blind to the Pharisees. 14 (M)Now it was a Sabbath on the day that Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. 15 (N)Then the Pharisees also were asking him again how he received his sight. And he said to them, “He applied mud to my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” 16 Therefore some of the Pharisees were saying, “This man is not from God, because He (O)does not keep the Sabbath.” But others were saying, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such [d](P)signs?” And (Q)there was dissension among them. 17 So they *said (R)again to the man who was blind, “What do you say about Him, since He opened your eyes?” And he said, “He is a (S)prophet.”

18 (T)The Jews then did not believe it about him, that he had been blind and had received sight, until they called the parents of the very one who had received his sight, 19 and they questioned them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? Then how does he now see?” 20 His parents then answered and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; 21 but how he now sees, we do not know; or who opened his eyes, we do not know. Ask him; he is of age, he will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said this because they (U)were afraid of the [e]Jews; for the Jews (V)had already reached the decision that if anyone confessed Him to be [f]Christ, (W)he was to be excommunicated from the synagogue. 23 It was for this reason that his parents said, “(X)He is of age; ask him.”

24 So for a second time they summoned the man who had been blind, and said to him, “(Y)Give glory to God; we know that (Z)this man is a sinner.” 25 He then answered, “Whether He is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” 26 So they said to him, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?” 27 He answered them, “(AA)I told you already and you did not (AB)listen; why do you want to hear it again? You do not want to become His disciples too, do you?” 28 They spoke abusively to him and said, “You are His disciple, but (AC)we are disciples of Moses. 29 We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, (AD)we do not know where He is from.” 30 The man answered and said to them, “Well, here is the amazing thing, that you do not know where He is from, and yet He opened my eyes! 31 We know that (AE)God does not listen to sinners; but if someone is [g]God-fearing and does His will, He listens to him. 32 [h]Since the beginning of time it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. 33 (AF)If this man were not from God, He could do nothing.” 34 They answered him, “(AG)You were born entirely in sins, and yet you are teaching us?” So they [i](AH)put him out.

Jesus Affirms His Deity

35 Jesus heard that they had [j](AI)put him out, and upon finding him, He said, “Do you believe in the (AJ)Son of Man?” 36 He answered [k]by saying, “And (AK)who is He, [l]Sir, that I may believe in Him?” 37 Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him, and (AL)He is the one who is talking with you.” 38 And he said, “I believe, Lord.” And he (AM)worshiped Him. 39 And Jesus said, (AN)For judgment I came into this world, so that (AO)those who do not see may see, and (AP)those who see may become blind.” 40 Those who were with Him from the Pharisees heard these things and said to Him, “(AQ)We are not blind too, are we?” 41 Jesus said to them, (AR)If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now that you maintain, ‘(AS)We see,’ your sin remains.

Parable of the Good Shepherd

10 “Truly, truly I say to you, the one who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is (AT)a thief and a robber. But the one who enters by the door is (AU)a shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep listen to (AV)his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and (AW)leads them out. When he puts all his own sheep outside, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know (AX)his voice. However, a stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know (AY)the voice of strangers.” Jesus told them this (AZ)figure of speech, but they did not understand what the things which He was saying to them [m]meant.

So Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly I say to you, I am (BA)the door of the sheep. All those who came before Me are (BB)thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. (BC)I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came so that they (BD)would have life, and [n]have it abundantly.

11 (BE)I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd (BF)lays down His life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand, and not a (BG)shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf snatches them and scatters the flock. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and does not care about the sheep. 14 (BH)I am the good shepherd, and (BI)I know My own, and My own know Me, 15 just as (BJ)the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and (BK)I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 And I have (BL)other sheep that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice; and they will become (BM)one flock, with (BN)one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves Me, because I (BO)lay down My life so that I may take it back. 18 (BP)No one has taken it away from Me, but I (BQ)lay it down on My own. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it back. (BR)This commandment I received from My Father.”

19 (BS)Dissension occurred again among the Jews because of these words. 20 Many of them were saying, “He (BT)has a demon and (BU)is insane. Why do you listen to Him?” 21 Others were saying, “These are not the words of one who is (BV)demon-possessed. (BW)A demon cannot open the eyes of those who are blind, can it?”

Jesus Asserts His Deity

22 At that time the [o]Feast of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem; 23 it was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple area, in the portico of (BX)Solomon. 24 (BY)The Jews then surrounded Him and began saying to Him, “How long [p]will You keep us in suspense? If You are the [q]Christ, tell us (BZ)plainly.” 25 Jesus answered them, (CA)I told you, and you do not believe; (CB)the works that I do in My Father’s name, these testify of Me. 26 But you do not believe, because (CC)you are not of My sheep. 27 My sheep (CD)listen to My voice, and (CE)I know them, and they follow Me; 28 and I give them (CF)eternal life, and they will never perish; and (CG)no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 [r]My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 (CH)I and the Father are [s]one.”

31 The Jews (CI)picked up stones again to stone Him. 32 Jesus replied to them, “I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?” 33 The Jews answered Him, “We are not stoning You for a good work, but for (CJ)blasphemy; and because You, being a man, (CK)make Yourself out to be God.” 34 Jesus answered them, “Has it not been written in (CL)your (CM)Law: ‘(CN)I said, you are gods’? 35 If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be nullified), 36 are you saying of Him whom the Father (CO)sanctified and (CP)sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘(CQ)I am the Son of God’? 37 (CR)If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; 38 but if I do them, even though you do not believe Me, believe (CS)the works, so that you may [t]know and understand that (CT)the Father is in Me, and I in the Father.” 39 Therefore (CU)they were seeking again to arrest Him, and (CV)He eluded their grasp.

40 And He went away (CW)again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was first baptizing, and He stayed there. 41 Many came to Him and were saying, “While John performed no (CX)sign, yet (CY)everything John said about this man was true.” 42 And (CZ)many believed in Him there.

The Death and Resurrection of Lazarus

11 Now a certain man was sick: Lazarus of (DA)Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister (DB)Martha. And it was the Mary who (DC)anointed (DD)the Lord with [u]ointment, and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. So the sisters sent word to Him, saying, “(DE)Lord, behold, (DF)he whom You love is sick.” But when Jesus heard this, He said, “This sickness is not [v]meant for death, but is for (DG)the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it.” (Now Jesus loved (DH)Martha and her sister, and Lazarus.) So when He heard that he was sick, He then stayed two days longer in the place where He was. Then after this He *said to the disciples, (DI)Let’s go to Judea again.” The disciples *said to Him, “(DJ)Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking (DK)to stone You, and yet You are going there again?” Jesus replied, (DL)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 [w]him.” 11 This He said, and after this He *said to them, “Our (DM)friend Lazarus (DN)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 [x]come out of it.” 13 Now (DO)Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about [y]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 (DP)Therefore Thomas, who was called [z](DQ)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 (DR)four days. 18 Now (DS)Bethany was near Jerusalem, about [aa]fifteen stadia away; 19 and many of (DT)the Jews had come to (DU)Martha and Mary, (DV)to console them about their brother. 20 So then (DW)Martha, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went to meet Him, but (DX)Mary [ab]stayed in the house. 21 Martha then said to Jesus, “(DY)Lord, (DZ)if You had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 Even now I know that (EA)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, “(EB)I know that he will rise in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, (EC)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 (ED)will never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; I have come to believe that You are (EE)the [ac]Christ, the Son of God, and [ad](EF)He who comes into the world.”

28 When she had said this, she (EG)left and called Mary her sister, saying secretly, “(EH)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 (EI)was still at the place where Martha met Him. 31 (EJ)Then the Jews who were with her in the house and were (EK)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, “(EL)Lord, (EM)if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 Therefore when Jesus saw her weeping, and (EN)the Jews who came with her also weeping, He (EO)was deeply moved in spirit and [ae](EP)was troubled, 34 and He said, “Where have you laid him?” They *said to Him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus (EQ)wept. 36 So (ER)the Jews were saying, “See how He (ES)loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could this man, who (ET)opened the eyes of the man who was blind, not have also [af]kept this man from dying?”

38 So Jesus, again being deeply moved within, *came to the tomb. Now it was a (EU)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 [ag]there will be a stench, for he has been dead (EV)four days.” 40 Jesus *said to her, (EW)Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” 41 So they removed the (EX)stone. And Jesus (EY)raised His eyes, and said, (EZ)Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 But I knew that You always hear Me; nevertheless, (FA)because of the [ah]people standing around I said it, so that they may believe that (FB)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, (FC)bound hand and foot with wrappings, and (FD)his face was wrapped around with a cloth. Jesus *said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

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

Conspiracy to Kill Jesus

47 Therefore (FI)the chief priests and the Pharisees (FJ)convened a (FK)council meeting, and they were saying, “What are we [ai]doing in regard to the fact that this man is performing many [aj](FL)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 [ak](FM)place and our nation.” 49 But one of them, (FN)Caiaphas, (FO)who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, 50 nor are you taking into account that (FP)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 [al]on his own, but (FQ)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 (FR)gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. 53 So from that day on they (FS)planned together to kill Him.

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

55 Now (FV)the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up to Jerusalem from the country prior to the Passover, (FW)in order to [am]purify themselves. 56 So they (FX)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 (FY)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 9:8 Lit that he was a
  2. John 9:9 Lit That one kept
  3. John 9:13 Lit him who
  4. John 9:16 I.e., confirming miracles
  5. John 9:22 I.e., the Jewish leaders
  6. John 9:22 I.e., the Messiah
  7. John 9:31 Or devout
  8. John 9:32 Lit From the age it was not heard
  9. John 9:34 I.e., prob. excommunication from the synagogue
  10. John 9:35 See note v 34
  11. John 9:36 Lit and said
  12. John 9:36 Or Lord
  13. John 10:6 Lit were
  14. John 10:10 Or have abundance
  15. John 10:22 Now known as Hanukkah, also the Feast of Lights
  16. John 10:24 Lit do You lift up our soul
  17. John 10:24 I.e., Messiah
  18. John 10:29 One early ms What My Father has given Me is greater than all
  19. John 10:30 Or a unity; or one essence
  20. John 10:38 Lit know and continue knowing
  21. John 11:2 Or perfume
  22. John 11:4 Lit toward death
  23. John 11:10 Or it; i.e., the world
  24. John 11:12 Lit be saved
  25. John 11:13 Lit the slumber of sleep
  26. John 11:16 I.e., the Twin
  27. John 11:18 Possibly 2 miles or 3 km; a Roman stadion perhaps averaged 607 ft. or 185 m
  28. John 11:20 Lit was sitting
  29. John 11:27 I.e., Messiah
  30. John 11:27 The Coming One was a Messianic title
  31. John 11:33 Lit troubled Himself
  32. John 11:37 Lit done so that this man also would not die
  33. John 11:39 Lit he stinks
  34. John 11:42 Lit crowd
  35. John 11:47 Or doing? For this
  36. John 11:47 I.e., confirming miracles
  37. John 11:48 Possibly meaning the temple
  38. John 11:51 Lit from himself
  39. John 11:55 I.e., undergo required cleansing rituals

Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind

As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi,(A) who sinned,(B) this man(C) or his parents,(D) that he was born blind?”

“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.(E) As long as it is day,(F) we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”(G)

After saying this, he spit(H) on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam”(I) (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.(J)

His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?”(K) Some claimed that he was.

Others said, “No, he only looks like him.”

But he himself insisted, “I am the man.”

10 “How then were your eyes opened?” they asked.

11 He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.”(L)

12 “Where is this man?” they asked him.

“I don’t know,” he said.

The Pharisees Investigate the Healing

13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. 14 Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath.(M) 15 Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight.(N) “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.”

16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.”(O)

But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?”(P) So they were divided.(Q)

17 Then they turned again to the blind man, “What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.”

The man replied, “He is a prophet.”(R)

18 They(S) still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents. 19 “Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?”

20 “We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind. 21 But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders,(T) who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out(U) of the synagogue.(V) 23 That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”(W)

24 A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God by telling the truth,”(X) they said. “We know this man is a sinner.”(Y)

25 He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!”

26 Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?”

27 He answered, “I have told you already(Z) and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?”

28 Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses!(AA) 29 We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.”(AB)

30 The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will.(AC) 32 Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God,(AD) he could do nothing.”

34 To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth;(AE) how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out.(AF)

Spiritual Blindness

35 Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe(AG) in the Son of Man?”(AH)

36 “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.”(AI)

37 Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.”(AJ)

38 Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.(AK)

39 Jesus said,[a] “For judgment(AL) I have come into this world,(AM) so that the blind will see(AN) and those who see will become blind.”(AO)

40 Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?”(AP)

41 Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.(AQ)

The Good Shepherd and His Sheep

10 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.(AR) The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.(AS) The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice.(AT) He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.(AU) When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.(AV) But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” Jesus used this figure of speech,(AW) but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.(AX)

Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am(AY) the gate(AZ) for the sheep. All who have come before me(BA) are thieves and robbers,(BB) but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.[b] They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life,(BC) and have it to the full.(BD)

11 “I am(BE) the good shepherd.(BF) The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.(BG) 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away.(BH) Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

14 “I am the good shepherd;(BI) I know my sheep(BJ) and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father(BK)—and I lay down my life for the sheep.(BL) 16 I have other sheep(BM) that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock(BN) and one shepherd.(BO) 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life(BP)—only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.(BQ) I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”(BR)

19 The Jews who heard these words were again divided.(BS) 20 Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed(BT) and raving mad.(BU) Why listen to him?”

21 But others said, “These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon.(BV) Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”(BW)

Further Conflict Over Jesus’ Claims

22 Then came the Festival of Dedication[c] at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade.(BX) 24 The Jews(BY) who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”(BZ)

25 Jesus answered, “I did tell you,(CA) but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me,(CB) 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.(CC) 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them,(CD) and they follow me.(CE) 28 I give them eternal life,(CF) and they shall never perish;(CG) no one will snatch them out of my hand.(CH) 29 My Father, who has given them to me,(CI) is greater than all[d];(CJ) no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”(CK)

31 Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him,(CL) 32 but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?”

33 “We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”(CM)

34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law,(CN) ‘I have said you are “gods”’[e]?(CO) 35 If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God(CP) came—and Scripture cannot be set aside(CQ) 36 what about the one whom the Father set apart(CR) as his very own(CS) and sent into the world?(CT) Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’?(CU) 37 Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father.(CV) 38 But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.”(CW) 39 Again they tried to seize him,(CX) but he escaped their grasp.(CY)

40 Then Jesus went back across the Jordan(CZ) to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. There he stayed, 41 and many people came to him. They said, “Though John never performed a sign,(DA) all that John said about this man was true.”(DB) 42 And in that place many believed in Jesus.(DC)

The Death of Lazarus

11 Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany,(DD) the village of Mary and her sister Martha.(DE) (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.)(DF) So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love(DG) is sick.”

When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory(DH) 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.”(DI)

“But Rabbi,”(DJ) they said, “a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you,(DK) 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.(DL) 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(DM) Lazarus has fallen asleep;(DN) 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.(DO)

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(DP) (also known as Didymus[f]) 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.(DQ) 18 Now Bethany(DR) was less than two miles[g] from Jerusalem, 19 and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother.(DS) 20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.(DT)

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

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

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

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

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

28 After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher(EG) 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.(EH) 31 When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her,(EI) 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.”(EJ)

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

“Come and see, Lord,” they replied.

35 Jesus wept.(EM)

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

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

Jesus Raises Lazarus From the Dead

38 Jesus, once more deeply moved,(EQ) came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance.(ER) 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.”(ES)

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

41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up(EV) and said, “Father,(EW) 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,(EX) that they may believe that you sent me.”(EY)

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

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,(FC) and had seen what Jesus did,(FD) believed in him.(FE) 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees(FF) called a meeting(FG) of the Sanhedrin.(FH)

“What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many signs.(FI) 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,(FJ) who was high priest that year,(FK) 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.”(FL)

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.(FM) 53 So from that day on they plotted to take his life.(FN)

54 Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the people of Judea.(FO) 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,(FP) many went up from the country to Jerusalem for their ceremonial cleansing(FQ) before the Passover. 56 They kept looking for Jesus,(FR) 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 9:39 Some early manuscripts do not have Then the man said … 39 Jesus said.
  2. John 10:9 Or kept safe
  3. John 10:22 That is, Hanukkah
  4. John 10:29 Many early manuscripts What my Father has given me is greater than all
  5. John 10:34 Psalm 82:6
  6. John 11:16 Thomas (Aramaic) and Didymus (Greek) both mean twin.
  7. John 11:18 Or about 3 kilometers