²⁰ So the servant took him home, and his mother held him on her lap. But around noontime he died.

¹⁴ So he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead.

⁵ So although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus,

³ So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him, “Lord, your dear friend is very sick.”

¹² A funeral procession was coming out as he approached the village gate. The young man who had died was a widow’s only son, and a large crowd from the village was with her.

³⁵ As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.”

¹⁶ “Son of man, with one blow I will take away your dearest treasure. Yet you must not show any sorrow at her death. Do not weep; let there be no tears. ¹⁷ Groan silently, but let there be no wailing at her grave. Do not uncover your head or take off your sandals. Do not perform the usual rituals of mourning or accept any food brought to you by consoling friends.”

¹⁸ So I proclaimed this to the people the next morning, and in the evening my wife died. The next morning I did everything I had been told to do.

¹⁷ Some time later the woman’s son became sick. He grew worse and worse, and finally he died.