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。

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

(And Mary was she that anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair: whose brother Lazarus was sick.)

His sisters therefore sent to him, saying: Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.

And Jesus hearing it, said to them: This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God: that the Son of God may be glorified by it.

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

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

Then after that, he said to his disciples: Let us go into Judea again.

The disciples say to him: Rabbi, the Jews but now sought to stone thee: and goest thou thither again?

Jesus answered: Are there not twelve hours of the day? If a man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world:

10 But if he walk in the night, he stumbleth, because the light is not in him.

11 These things he said; and after that he said to them: Lazarus our friend sleepeth; but I go that I may awake him out of sleep.

12 His disciples therefore said: Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.

13 But Jesus spoke of his death; and they thought that he spoke of the repose of sleep.

14 Then therefore Jesus said to them plainly: Lazarus is dead.

15 And I am glad, for your sakes, that I was not there, that you may believe: but let us go to him.

16 Thomas therefore, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples: Let us also go, that we may die with him.

17 Jesus therefore came, and found that he had been four days already in the grave.

18 (Now Bethania was near Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off.)

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

20 Martha therefore, as soon as she heard that Jesus had come, went to meet him: but Mary sat at home.

21 Martha therefore said to Jesus: Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

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

23 Jesus saith to her: Thy brother shall rise again.

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

25 Jesus said to her: I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, although he be dead, shall live:

26 And every one that liveth, and believeth in me, shall not die for ever. Believest thou this?

27 She saith to him: Yea, Lord, I have believed that thou art Christ the Son of the living God, who art come into this world.

28 And when she had said these things, she went, and called her sister Mary secretly, saying: The master is come, and calleth for thee.

29 She, as soon as she heard this, riseth quickly, and cometh to him.

30 For Jesus was not yet come into the town: but he was still in that place where Martha had met him.

31 The Jews therefore, who were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary that she rose up speedily and went out, followed her, saying: She goeth to the grave to weep there.

32 When Mary therefore was come where Jesus was, seeing him, she fell down at his feet, and saith to him: Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

33 Jesus, therefore, when he saw her weeping, and the Jews that were come with her, weeping, groaned in the spirit, and troubled himself,

34 And said: Where have you laid him? They say to him: Lord, come and see.

35 And Jesus wept.

36 The Jews therefore said: Behold how he loved him.

37 But some of them said: Could not he that opened the eyes of the man born blind, have caused that this man should not die?

38 Jesus therefore again groaning in himself, cometh to the sepulchre. Now it was a cave; and a stone was laid over it.

39 Jesus saith: Take away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith to him: Lord, by this time he stinketh, for he is now of four days.

40 Jesus saith to her: Did not I say to thee, that if thou believe, thou shalt see the glory of God?

41 They took therefore the stone away. And Jesus lifting up his eyes said: Father, I give thee thanks that thou hast heard me.

42 And I knew that thou hearest me always; but because of the people who stand about have I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.

43 When he had said these things, he cried with a loud voice: Lazarus, come forth.

44 And presently he that had been dead came forth, bound feet and hands with winding bands; and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus said to them: Loose him, and let him go.

45 Many therefore of the Jews, who were come to Mary and Martha, and had seen the things that Jesus did, believed in him.

46 But some of them went to the Pharisees, and told them the things that Jesus had done.

47 The chief priests therefore, and the Pharisees, gathered a council, and said: What do we, for this man doth many miracles?

48 If we let him alone so, all will believe in him; and the Romans will come, and take away our place and nation.

49 But one of them, named Caiphas, being the high priest that year, said to them: You know nothing.

50 Neither do you consider that it is expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.

51 And this he spoke not of himself: but being the high priest of that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for the nation.

52 And not only for the nation, but to gather together in one the children of God, that were dispersed.

53 From that day therefore they devised to put him to death.

54 Wherefore Jesus walked no more openly among the Jews; but he went into a country near the desert, unto a city that is called Ephrem, and there he abode with his disciples.

55 And the pasch of the Jews was at hand; and many from the country went up to Jerusalem, before the pasch to purify themselves.

56 They sought therefore for Jesus; and they discoursed one with another, standing in the temple: What think you that he is not come to the festival day? And the chief priests and Pharisees had given a commandment, that if any man knew where he was, he should tell, that they might apprehend him.

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

Muerte de Lázaro

11 Había un hombre enfermo llamado Lázaro, que era de Betania, el pueblo de María y su hermana Marta. María era la misma que ungió con perfume al Señor y le secó los pies con sus cabellos. Las dos hermanas mandaron a decirle a Jesús: «Señor, tu amigo querido está enfermo».

Cuando Jesús oyó esto, dijo: «Esta enfermedad no terminará en muerte, sino que es para la gloria de Dios, para que por ella el Hijo de Dios sea glorificado».

Jesús amaba a Marta, a su hermana y a Lázaro. A pesar de eso, cuando oyó que Lázaro estaba enfermo, se quedó dos días más donde se encontraba. Después dijo a sus discípulos:

—Volvamos a Judea.

—Rabí —objetaron ellos—, hace muy poco los judíos intentaron apedrearte, ¿y todavía quieres volver allá?

—¿Acaso el día no tiene doce horas? —respondió Jesús—. El que anda de día no tropieza, porque tiene la luz de este mundo. 10 Pero el que anda de noche sí tropieza, porque no tiene luz.

11 Dicho esto, añadió:

—Nuestro amigo Lázaro duerme, pero voy a despertarlo.

12 —Señor —respondieron sus discípulos—, si duerme, es que va a recuperarse.

13 Jesús hablaba de la muerte de Lázaro, pero sus discípulos pensaron que se refería al sueño natural. 14 Por eso les dijo claramente:

—Lázaro ha muerto, 15 y por causa de ustedes me alegro de no haber estado allí, para que crean. Pero vamos a verlo.

16 Entonces Tomás, apodado el Gemelo,[a] dijo a los otros discípulos:

—Vayamos también nosotros para morir con él.

Jesús consuela a las hermanas de Lázaro

17 A su llegada, Jesús se encontró con que Lázaro llevaba ya cuatro días en el sepulcro. 18 Betania estaba cerca de Jerusalén, como a tres kilómetros[b] de distancia, 19 y muchos judíos habían ido a casa de Marta y de María a darles el pésame por la muerte de su hermano. 20 Cuando Marta supo que Jesús llegaba, fue a su encuentro; pero María se quedó en la casa.

21 —Señor —dijo Marta a Jesús—, si hubieras estado aquí, mi hermano no habría muerto. 22 Pero yo sé que aun ahora Dios te dará todo lo que le pidas.

23 —Tu hermano resucitará —le dijo Jesús.

24 —Yo sé que resucitará en la resurrección, en el día final —respondió Marta.

25 Entonces Jesús dijo:

—Yo soy la resurrección y la vida. El que cree en mí vivirá, aunque muera; 26 y todo el que vive y cree en mí no morirá jamás. ¿Crees esto?

27 Marta dijo:

—Sí, Señor; yo creo que tú eres el Cristo, el Hijo de Dios, el que había de venir al mundo.

28 Dicho esto, Marta regresó a la casa y, llamando a su hermana María, le dijo en privado:

—El Maestro está aquí y te llama.

29 Cuando María oyó esto, se levantó rápidamente y fue a su encuentro. 30 Jesús aún no había entrado en el pueblo, sino que todavía estaba en el lugar donde Marta se había encontrado con él. 31 Los judíos que habían estado con María en la casa, dándole el pésame, al ver que se había levantado y había salido de prisa, la siguieron, pensando que iba al sepulcro a llorar.

32 Cuando María llegó adonde estaba Jesús y lo vio, se arrojó a sus pies y dijo:

—Señor, si hubieras estado aquí, mi hermano no habría muerto.

33 Al ver llorar a María y a los judíos que la habían acompañado, Jesús se turbó y se conmovió profundamente.

34 —¿Dónde lo han puesto? —preguntó.

—Ven a verlo, Señor —le respondieron.

35 Jesús lloró.

36 —¡Miren cuánto lo quería! —dijeron los judíos.

37 Pero algunos de ellos comentaban:

—Este, que le abrió los ojos al ciego, ¿no podría haber impedido que Lázaro muriera?

Jesús resucita a Lázaro

38 Conmovido una vez más, Jesús se acercó al sepulcro. Era una cueva cuya entrada estaba tapada con una piedra.

39 —Quiten la piedra —ordenó Jesús.

Marta, la hermana del difunto, objetó:

—Señor, ya debe oler mal, pues lleva cuatro días allí.

40 —¿No te dije que si crees verás la gloria de Dios? —le contestó Jesús.

41 Entonces quitaron la piedra. Jesús, alzando la vista, dijo:

—Padre, te doy gracias porque me has escuchado. 42 Ya sabía yo que siempre me escuchas, pero lo dije por la gente que está aquí presente, para que crean que tú me enviaste.

43 Dicho esto, gritó con fuerza:

—¡Lázaro, sal fuera!

44 El muerto salió con vendas en las manos y en los pies, y el rostro cubierto con un sudario.

—Quítenle las vendas y dejen que se vaya —dijo Jesús.

La conspiración para matar a Jesús

45 Muchos de los judíos que habían ido a ver a María y que habían presenciado lo hecho por Jesús creyeron en él. 46 Pero algunos de ellos fueron a ver a los fariseos y les contaron lo que Jesús había hecho. 47 Entonces los jefes de los sacerdotes y los fariseos convocaron una reunión del Consejo.

—¿Qué vamos a hacer? —dijeron—. Este hombre está haciendo muchas señales. 48 Si lo dejamos seguir así, todos van a creer en él. Entonces vendrán los romanos y acabarán con nuestro lugar sagrado, incluso con nuestra nación.

49 Uno de ellos, llamado Caifás, que ese año era el sumo sacerdote, les dijo:

—¡Ustedes no saben nada en absoluto! 50 No entienden que les conviene más que muera un solo hombre por el pueblo y no que perezca toda la nación.

51 Pero esto no lo dijo por su propia cuenta, sino que como era sumo sacerdote ese año profetizó que Jesús moriría por la nación judía 52 y no solo por esa nación, también por los hijos de Dios que estaban dispersos, para congregarlos y unificarlos. 53 Así que desde ese día convinieron en quitarle la vida.

54 Por eso Jesús ya no andaba en público entre los judíos. Se retiró más bien a una región cercana al desierto, a un pueblo llamado Efraín, donde se quedó con sus discípulos.

55 Faltaba poco para la Pascua judía, así que muchos subieron del campo a Jerusalén para su purificación ceremonial antes de la Pascua. 56 Andaban buscando a Jesús y, mientras estaban en el Templo, comentaban entre sí: «¿Qué les parece? ¿Acaso no vendrá a la fiesta?». 57 Por su parte, los jefes de los sacerdotes y los fariseos habían dado la orden de que, si alguien llegaba a saber dónde estaba Jesús, debía denunciarlo para que lo arrestaran.

Footnotes

  1. 11:16 apodado el Gemelo. Lit. llamado Dídimos.
  2. 11:18 tres kilómetros. Lit. quince estadios.