拉撒路病死

11 伯大尼村有个名叫拉撒路的人病倒了。伯大尼是玛丽亚和她姐姐玛大居住的村庄。 就是这个玛丽亚后来用香膏抹主,又用自己的头发擦干祂的脚,患病的拉撒路是她的弟弟。 她们姊妹两个托人去告诉耶稣,说:“主啊,你所爱的人病了!”

耶稣听见后,说:“这病不会致命,而是为了上帝的荣耀,使祂的儿子借此得到荣耀。” 耶稣一向爱玛大、玛丽亚和拉撒路, 可是祂听到拉撒路有病的消息后,仍逗留了两天, 然后才对门徒说:“我们去犹太吧!”

门徒说:“老师,犹太人近来想拿石头打你,你还要去那里吗?”

耶稣说:“白天不是有十二个小时吗?人在白天走路,不会跌倒,因为他看得见这世上的光。 10 人在夜间走路,才会跌倒,因为没有光。” 11 接着耶稣又说:“我们的朋友拉撒路已经睡了,我去叫醒他。”

12 门徒说:“主啊,如果他睡了,肯定会好的。” 13 其实耶稣是指他已经死了,门徒却以为他真的睡了。

14 于是,耶稣清楚地对他们说:“拉撒路死了。 15 为了你们的缘故,我很高兴自己不在那里,好叫你们信我。现在我们可以去了。” 16 绰号“双胞胎”的多马对其他门徒说:“我们也去,好跟祂一块儿死吧。”

拉撒路死而复活

17 耶稣到了伯大尼,得知拉撒路已经在坟墓里四天了。 18 伯大尼离耶路撒冷不远,大约只有三公里的路, 19 很多犹太人来看玛大和玛丽亚,为她们兄弟的事来安慰她们。

20 玛大听说耶稣来了,就去迎接祂,玛丽亚却仍然坐在家里。 21 玛大对耶稣说:“主啊,你如果早在这里,我弟弟就不会死了。 22 就是现在我也知道你无论向上帝求什么,上帝必定赐给你。”

23 耶稣说:“你弟弟必定复活。”

24 玛大说:“我知道,在末日复活的时候,他必复活。”

25 耶稣说:“我是复活,我是生命。信我的人虽然死了,也必复活。 26 凡活着信我的人必永远不死。你相信吗?”

27 玛大说:“主啊,我信!我相信你是来到世界的基督,是上帝的儿子。”

28 玛大说完了,就回去悄悄地告诉她妹妹玛丽亚:“老师来了,祂叫你去。”

29 玛丽亚听了,急忙起来到耶稣那里。 30 那时,耶稣还没有进村子,仍在玛大迎接祂的地方。 31 那些在家里安慰玛丽亚的犹太人,见她匆匆忙忙地跑了出去,以为她要去坟墓那里哭,就跟着出去。

32 玛丽亚来到耶稣那里,俯伏在祂脚前说:“主啊,你如果早在这里,我弟弟就不会死了。”

33 耶稣看见她和陪她来的犹太人都在哭,心中感动,十分难过, 34 便问:“你们把他葬在哪里了?”

他们答道:“主啊,你来看。”

35 耶稣哭了。

36 犹太人说:“你看!祂多么爱拉撒路啊!”

37 其中也有人说:“祂既然能医好瞎眼的人,难道不能叫这个人不死吗?”

38 耶稣又十分感动地来到坟墓前。那坟墓是个洞,洞口堵着一块大石头。

39 耶稣说:“把石头挪开。”

死者的姐姐玛大对祂说:“主啊,他死了四天了,已经臭了。”

40 耶稣说:“我不是跟你说过,只要你信,就会看见上帝的荣耀吗?”

41 于是,他们把石头挪开,耶稣望着天说:“父啊,我感谢你,因为你已垂听了我的祷告, 42 我知道你常常垂听我的祷告。我这样说是为了周围站着的众人,好叫他们相信是你差了我来。”

43 说完,就大声呼喊:“拉撒路,出来!” 44 那死者就出来了,手脚都缠着布条,脸上也包着布。

耶稣对他们说:“给他解开,让他走!”

谋害耶稣

45 许多来看玛丽亚的犹太人看见耶稣所行的事,就信了祂, 46 但也有些人去见法利赛人,把耶稣所行的事告诉他们。 47 祭司长和法利赛人便召开公会会议,说:“这人行了这么多神迹,我们该怎么办呢? 48 如果让祂这样继续下去,所有的人都会信祂,那时罗马人一定会来夺取我们的土地,掳掠我们的人民。”

49 当年担任大祭司的该亚法对他们说:“你们什么都不懂! 50 你们没有认识到,祂一个人替众人死,而不是整个民族灭亡,对你们来说更好。” 51 其实这句话不是出于他自己,只因那年他是大祭司,上帝借着他预言耶稣将要替犹太民族死。 52 祂不单是要替犹太民族死,也要把散居在各处的上帝的儿女聚集在一起。

53 从那天起,他们就计划要杀害耶稣, 54 所以耶稣不再公开地在犹太人中间露面。祂离开伯大尼,前往靠近旷野的地方,到了以法莲城,就和门徒住下来。

55 犹太人的逾越节快到了,有很多人从乡下上耶路撒冷,预备在过节前洁净自己。 56 他们四处寻找耶稣,又彼此在圣殿里谈论:“你们怎么想?祂不会来过节吧?” 57 当时祭司长和法利赛人早已下令,如果有人知道耶稣在哪里,就来报告,他们好去抓祂。

Muerte de Lázaro

11 Había un hombre enfermo, que se llamaba Lázaro y era de Betania, la aldea de María y de Marta, sus hermanas.(A) (María, cuyo hermano Lázaro estaba enfermo, fue la que ungió al Señor con perfume, y quien le enjugó los pies con sus cabellos.(B)) Las hermanas mandaron a decir a Jesús: «Señor, el que amas está enfermo.» Cuando Jesús lo oyó, dijo: «Esta enfermedad no es de muerte, sino que es para la gloria de Dios y para que el Hijo de Dios sea glorificado por ella.»

Jesús amaba a Marta, a su hermana y a Lázaro. Y cuando Jesús se enteró de que estaba enfermo, se quedó dos días más en el lugar donde estaba. Luego les dijo a los discípulos: «Vamos otra vez a Judea.» Los discípulos le dijeron: «Rabí, hace poco los judíos intentaron apedrearte, ¿y de nuevo vas allá?» Jesús respondió: «¿Acaso no tiene el día doce horas? El que anda de día no tropieza, porque ve la luz de este mundo; 10 pero el que anda de noche tropieza, porque no hay luz en él.» 11 Dicho esto, agregó: «Nuestro amigo Lázaro duerme, pero voy para despertarlo.» 12 Entonces, sus discípulos dijeron: «Señor, si duerme, sanará.» 13 Pero Jesús decía esto de la muerte de Lázaro, aunque ellos pensaron que hablaba del reposo del sueño. 14 Entonces Jesús les dijo abiertamente: «Lázaro ha muerto; 15 y me alegro por ustedes de no haber estado allí, para que crean. Vayamos a verlo.» 16 Tomás, a quien llamaban Dídimo, dijo a sus condiscípulos: «Vamos también nosotros, para que muramos con él.»

Jesús, la resurrección y la vida

17 Cuando Jesús llegó, se encontró con que hacía ya cuatro días que Lázaro estaba en el sepulcro. 18 Betania estaba cerca de Jerusalén, como a quince estadios; 19 y muchos de los judíos se habían acercado a Marta y a María, para consolarlas por su hermano. 20 Cuando Marta oyó que Jesús venía, salió a su encuentro; pero María se quedó en casa. 21 Y Marta le dijo a Jesús: «Señor, si hubieras estado aquí, mi hermano no habría muerto. 22 Pero también sé ahora que todo lo que le pidas a Dios, Dios te lo concederá.» 23 Jesús le dijo: «Tu hermano resucitará.» 24 Marta le dijo: «Yo sé que resucitará en la resurrección, en el día final.» 25 Jesús le dijo: «Yo soy la resurrección y la vida; el que cree en mí, aunque esté muerto, vivirá. 26 Y todo aquel que vive y cree en mí, no morirá eternamente. ¿Crees esto?» 27 Le dijo: «Sí, Señor; yo he creído que tú eres el Cristo, el Hijo de Dios, que has venido al mundo.»

Jesús llora ante la tumba de Lázaro

28 Dicho esto, Marta fue y llamó a María, su hermana, y en secreto le dijo: «El Maestro está aquí, y te llama.» 29 Al oír esto, ella se levantó de prisa y fue a su encuentro. 30 Jesús todavía no había entrado en la aldea, sino que estaba en el lugar donde Marta lo había encontrado. 31 Cuando los judíos que estaban en casa con María, y la consolaban, vieron que ella se había levantado de prisa y había salido, la siguieron. Decían: «Va al sepulcro, a llorar allí.» 32 Y cuando María llegó a donde estaba Jesús, y lo vio, se arrojó a sus pies y le dijo: «Señor, si hubieras estado aquí, mi hermano no habría muerto.» 33 Entonces Jesús, al ver llorar a María y a los judíos que la acompañaban, se conmovió profundamente y, con su espíritu turbado, 34 dijo: «¿Dónde lo pusieron?» Le dijeron: «Señor, ven a verlo.» 35 Y Jesús lloró. 36 Los judíos dijeron entonces: «Miren cuánto lo amaba.» 37 Pero algunos de ellos dijeron: «Y éste, que le abrió los ojos al ciego, ¿no podría haber evitado que Lázaro muriera?

Resurrección de Lázaro

38 Una vez más profundamente conmovido, Jesús fue al sepulcro, que era una cueva y tenía una piedra puesta encima. 39 Jesús dijo: «Quiten la piedra.» Marta, la hermana del que había muerto, le dijo: «Señor, ya huele mal, pues ha estado allí cuatro días.» 40 Jesús le dijo: «¿No te he dicho que, si crees, verás la gloria de Dios?» 41 Entonces quitaron la piedra. Y Jesús, levantando los ojos a lo alto, dijo: «Padre, te doy gracias por haberme escuchado. 42 Yo sabía que siempre me escuchas; pero lo dije por causa de la multitud que está alrededor, para que crean que tú me has enviado.» 43 Y habiendo dicho esto, clamó a gran voz: «¡Lázaro, ven fuera!» 44 Y el que había muerto salió, con las manos y los pies envueltos en vendas, y el rostro envuelto en un sudario. Entonces Jesús les dijo: «Quítenle las vendas, y déjenlo ir.»

El complot para matar a Jesús(C)

45 Muchos de los judíos que habían venido para acompañar a María, y que vieron lo que hizo Jesús, creyeron en él. 46 Pero algunos de ellos fueron a los fariseos y les contaron lo que Jesús había hecho. 47 Entonces los principales sacerdotes y los fariseos reunieron al concilio, y dijeron: «¿Qué haremos? ¡Este hombre está haciendo muchas señales! 48 Si lo dejamos así, todos creerán en él. Entonces vendrán los romanos, y destruirán nuestro lugar santo y nuestra nación.» 49 Uno de ellos, Caifás, que ese año era sumo sacerdote, les dijo: «Ustedes no saben nada, 50 ni se dan cuenta de que nos conviene que un hombre muera por el pueblo, y no que toda la nación perezca.» 51 Pero esto no lo dijo por cuenta propia sino que, como aquel año era el sumo sacerdote, profetizó que Jesús moriría por la nación; 52 y no solamente por la nación, sino también para congregar en un solo pueblo a los hijos de Dios que estaban dispersos. 53 Así que desde aquel día acordaron matarlo.

54 Por eso Jesús ya no andaba abiertamente entre los judíos, sino que se alejó de allí y se fue a la región contigua al desierto, a una ciudad llamada Efraín; y allí se quedó con sus discípulos.

55 Como estaba próxima la pascua de los judíos, muchos de aquella región fueron a Jerusalén antes de la pascua, para purificarse. 56 Buscaban a Jesús, y mientras estaban en el templo, se preguntaban unos a otros: «¿Ustedes qué creen? ¿Vendrá él a la fiesta?» 57 Por su parte, los principales sacerdotes y los fariseos habían dado orden de que, si alguien sabía dónde estaba, lo dijera, para que lo arrestaran.

11 There was a man who had fallen sick. His name was El‘azar, and he came from Beit-Anyah, the village where Miryam and her sister Marta lived. (This Miryam, whose brother El‘azar had become sick, is the one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.) So the sisters sent a message to Yeshua, “Lord, the man you love is sick.” On hearing it, he said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory, so that the Son of God may receive glory through it.”

Yeshua loved Marta and her sister and El‘azar; so when he heard he was sick, first he stayed where he was two more days; then, after this, he said to the talmidim, “Let’s go back to Y’hudah.” The talmidim replied, “Rabbi! Just a short while ago the Judeans were out to stone you — and you want to go back there?” Yeshua answered, “Aren’t there twelve hours of daylight? If a person walks during daylight, he doesn’t stumble; because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if a person walks at night, he does stumble; because he has no light with him.”

11 Yeshua said these things, and afterwards he said to the talmidim, “Our friend El‘azar has gone to sleep; but I am going in order to wake him up.” 12 The talmidim said to him, “Lord, if he has gone to sleep, he will get better.” 13 Now Yeshua had used the phrase to speak about El‘azar’s death, but they thought he had been talking literally about sleep. 14 So Yeshua told them in plain language, “El‘azar has died. 15 And for your sakes, I am glad that I wasn’t there, so that you may come to trust. But let’s go to him.” 16 Then T’oma (the name means “twin”) said to his fellow talmidim, “Yes, we should go, so that we can die with him!”

17 On arrival, Yeshua found that El‘azar had already been in the tomb for four days. 18 Now Beit-Anyah was about two miles from Yerushalayim, 19 and many of the Judeans had come to Marta and Miryam in order to comfort them at the loss of their brother. 20 So when Marta heard that Yeshua was coming, she went out to meet him; but Miryam continued sitting shiv‘ah in the house.

21 Marta said to Yeshua, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 Even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.” 23 Yeshua said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Marta said, “I know that he will rise again at the Resurrection on the Last Day.” 25 Yeshua said to her, “I AM the Resurrection and the Life! Whoever puts his trust in me will live, even if he dies; 26 and everyone living and trusting in me will never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.”

28 After saying this, she went off and secretly called Miryam, her sister: “The Rabbi is here and is calling for you.” 29 When she heard this, she jumped up and went to him. 30 Yeshua had not yet come into the village but was still where Marta had met him; 31 so when the Judeans who had been with Miryam in the house comforting her saw her get up quickly and go out, they followed her, thinking she was going to the tomb to mourn there.

32 When Miryam came to where Yeshua was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Yeshua saw her crying, and also the Judeans who came with her crying, he was deeply moved and also troubled. 34 He said, “Where have you buried him?” They said, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Yeshua cried; 36 so the Judeans there said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “He opened the blind man’s eyes. Couldn’t he have kept this one from dying?”

38 Yeshua, again deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying in front of the entrance. 39 Yeshua said, “Take the stone away!” Marta, the sister of the dead man, said to Yeshua, “By now his body must smell, for it has been four days since he died!” 40 Yeshua said to her, “Didn’t I tell you that if you keep trusting, you will see the glory of God?” 41 So they removed the stone. Yeshua looked upward and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I myself know that you always hear me, but I say this because of the crowd standing around, so that they may believe that you have sent me.” 43 Having said this, he shouted, “El‘azar! Come out!” 44 The man who had been dead came out, his hands and feet wrapped in strips of linen and his face covered with a cloth. Yeshua said to them, “Unwrap him, and let him go!” 45 At this, many of the Judeans who had come to visit Miryam, and had seen what Yeshua had done, trusted in him.

46 But some of them went off to the P’rushim and told them what he had done. 47 So the head cohanim and the P’rushim called a meeting of the Sanhedrin and said, “What are we going to do? — for this man is performing many miracles. 48 If we let him keep going on this way, everyone will trust in him, and the Romans will come and destroy both the Temple and the nation.” 49 But one of them, Kayafa, who was cohen gadol that year, said to them, “You people don’t know anything! 50 You don’t see that it’s better for you if one man dies on behalf of the people, so that the whole nation won’t be destroyed.” 51 Now he didn’t speak this way on his own initiative; rather, since he was cohen gadol that year, he was prophesying that Yeshua was about to die on behalf of the nation, 52 and not for the nation alone, but so that he might gather into one the scattered children of God.

53 From that day on, they made plans to have him put to death. 54 Therefore Yeshua no longer walked around openly among the Judeans but went away from there into the region near the desert, to a town called Efrayim, and stayed there with his talmidim.

55 The Judean festival of Pesach was near, and many people went up from the country to Yerushalayim to perform the purification ceremony prior to Pesach. 56 They were looking for Yeshua, and as they stood in the Temple courts they said to each other, “What do you think? that he simply won’t come to the festival?” 57 Moreover, the head cohanim and the P’rushim had given orders that anyone knowing Yeshua’s whereabouts should inform them, so that they could have him arrested.

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