John 11
Disciples’ Literal New Testament
Jesus Hears That Lazarus Is Sick
11 Now there was a certain one being sick— Lazarus, from Bethany, of the village of Mary and Martha, her sister. 2 And it was Mary, the one having anointed[a] the Lord with perfume and having wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. 3 So the sisters sent out a message to Him, saying, “Lord, look— the one whom You love is sick”. 4 And having heard, Jesus said “This sickness is not leading to death, but for the glory of God, in order that the Son of God may be glorified through it”.
Jesus Returns To Judea To Raise Lazarus From The Dead
5 Now Jesus was loving Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. 6 So when He heard that he was sick, at that time He remained for two days in which place He was— 7 then after this, says to the disciples, “Let us be going to Judea again”. 8 The disciples say to Him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just-now seeking to stone You, and You are going there again?” 9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of the day? If one walks during the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if one walks during the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him”. 11 He said these things, and after this He says to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen-asleep, but I am going in order that I may awaken him”. 12 So the disciples said to Him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will be restored”. 13 Now Jesus had spoken concerning his death, but those ones thought that He was speaking concerning the sleep of slumber[b]. 14 So at-that-time Jesus said to them with plainness, “Lazarus died. 15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us be going to him”. 16 Then Thomas, the one being called Didymus[c], said to his fellow-disciples, “Let us indeed be going, so that we may die with Him[d]”.
Jesus Says, I Am The Resurrection And The Life. The One Believing In Me Will Live
17 So having come, Jesus found him already having four days in the tomb. 18 Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about fifteen stades[e] away. 19 And many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary in order that they might console them concerning their brother. 20 So Martha, when she heard that Jesus was coming, met Him. But Mary was sitting in the house. 21 Then Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever You ask God, God will give You”. 23 Jesus says to her, “Your brother will rise-up”. 24 Martha says to Him, “I know that he will rise-up in the resurrection at the last day”. 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one believing in Me— even though he dies, he will live. 26 And everyone living and believing in Me will never die, ever. Do you believe this?” 27 She says to Him, “Yes, Lord. I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, the One coming into the world”. 28 And having said this, she went away and called Mary her sister secretly, having said, “The Teacher is here and is calling you”. 29 And that one, when she heard, arose quickly and was going to Him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha met Him. 31 So the Jews— the ones being with her in the house and consoling her—having seen that Mary stood up quickly and went out, followed her, having supposed that she was going to the tomb in order that she might weep there. 32 Then Mary— when she came where Jesus was, having seen Him— fell at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died”. 33 Then Jesus— when He saw her weeping, and the Jews having come with her weeping— was deeply-moved[f] in His spirit, and troubled[g] Himself. 34 And He said, “Where have you laid him?” They say to Him, “Lord, come and see”. 35 Jesus wept. 36 So the Jews were saying, “Look— how He was loving him!” 37 And[h] some of them said, “Was not this One— the One having opened the eyes of the blind one— able to cause that this one also should not die?”
Jesus Calls Lazarus Out of The Tomb. Many Believe In Him
38 Then Jesus, again being deeply-moved in Himself, comes to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone was lying upon[i] it. 39 Jesus says, “Take away the stone”. Martha, the sister of the one having come-to-an-end[j], says to Him, “Lord, he already stinks, for it is the fourth-day”. 40 Jesus says to her, “Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” 41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted His eyes upward, and said, “Father, I thank You that You heard Me. 42 Now I knew that You always hear Me. But I said this for the sake of the crowd having stood around— in order that they may believe that You sent Me forth”. 43 And having said these things, He shouted with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come outside!” 44 The one having died came out, having been bound as to the feet and the hands with grave-cloths. And his face had been bound-around with a face-cloth. Jesus says to them, “Unbind him, and allow him to go”. 45 Therefore many of the Jews— the ones having come to Mary, and having seen the things which He did— believed in Him.
Some Told The Pharisees. Caiaphas Prophesies, Better For One To Die For The People
46 But some[k] of them went to the Pharisees and told them the things which Jesus did. 47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered together a council[l]. And they were saying, “What are we doing? Because this man is doing many signs! 48 If we tolerate Him in this manner, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place[m] and nation”. 49 But a certain one of them, Caiaphas, being the high priest of that year, said to them, “You do not know anything— 50 nor do you consider that it is better for you that one Man die for the people, and the whole nation not perish”. 51 Now he did not say this from himself, but being the high priest of 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 gather together into one the children of God having been scattered [in the world]. 53 Therefore from that day, they planned to kill Him.
Jesus Withdraws From The Public
54 Therefore Jesus was no longer walking in public among the Jews, but went away from there to the region near the wilderness, to a city being called Ephraim. And He stayed there with the disciples.
At The Passover, Everyone Was Looking For Jesus
55 Now the Passover [Feast] of the Jews was near. And many went up to Jerusalem from the country[n] before the Passover [Feast], in order that they might purify themselves. 56 So they were seeking Jesus, and saying, standing with one another in the temple, “What seems right to you— that He will by no means come to the Feast?” 57 And the chief priests and the Pharisees had given commands that if anyone came-to-know where He was, he should disclose it— so that they might seize Him.
Footnotes
- John 11:2 That is, in 12:3.
- John 11:13 That is, consisting of physical sleep.
- John 11:16 Thomas is a Greek rendering of the Aramaic word for ‘twin’. Didymus is the Greek word meaning ‘twin’.
- John 11:16 Or, him (Lazarus).
- John 11:18 That is, 1.7 miles or 2.8 kilometers.
- John 11:33 The emotion in view must be determined from the context. Some think Jesus shared their bereaved perspective, culminating in the weeping in v 35; others think anger at death is in view. If this intense emotion was expressed, this may be rendered ‘groaned’.
- John 11:33 Or, stirred, agitated.
- John 11:37 Or, But.
- John 11:38 Or, against, over.
- John 11:39 That is, died.
- John 11:46 That is, some Jews who did not believe; or, some of the many who believed, to present proof of who Jesus was.
- John 11:47 That is, an informal meeting of some of the leaders. Or, the Sanhedrin, the whole council of elders.
- John 11:48 That is, our position; or, our Holy Place, our temple.
- John 11:55 That is, the land of Judea. Passover could only be celebrated inside Jerusalem.
John 11
New Century Version
The Death of Lazarus
11 A man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in the town of Bethany, where Mary and her sister Martha lived. 2 Mary was the woman who later put perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair. Mary’s brother was Lazarus, the man who was now sick. 3 So Mary and Martha sent someone to tell Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.”
4 When Jesus heard this, he said, “This sickness will not end in death. It is for the glory of God, to bring glory to the Son of God.” 5 Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 But when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was for two more days. 7 Then Jesus said to his followers, “Let’s go back to Judea.”
8 The followers said, “But Teacher, some people there tried to stone you to death only a short time ago. Now you want to go back there?”
9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the daylight, he will not stumble, because he can see by this world’s light. 10 But if anyone walks at night, he stumbles because there is no light to help him see.”
11 After Jesus said this, he added, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to wake him.”
12 The followers said, “But Lord, if he is only asleep, he will be all right.”
13 Jesus meant that Lazarus was dead, but his followers thought he meant Lazarus was really sleeping. 14 So then Jesus said plainly, “Lazarus is dead. 15 And I am glad for your sakes I was not there so that you may believe. But let’s go to him now.”
16 Then Thomas (the one called Didymus) said to the other followers, “Let us also go so that we can die with him.”
Jesus in Bethany
17 When Jesus arrived, he learned that Lazarus had already been dead and in the tomb for four days. 18 Bethany was about two miles from Jerusalem. 19 Many of the Jews had come there to comfort Martha and Mary about their brother.
20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed home. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But I know that even now God will give you anything you ask.”
23 Jesus said, “Your brother will rise and live again.”
24 Martha answered, “I know that he will rise and live again in the resurrection[a] on the last day.”
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me will have life even if they die. 26 And everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Martha, do you believe this?”
27 Martha answered, “Yes, Lord. I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the One coming to the world.”
Jesus Cries
28 After Martha said this, she went back and talked to her sister Mary alone. Martha said, “The Teacher is here and he is asking for you.” 29 When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to Jesus. 30 Jesus had not yet come into the town but was still at the place where Martha had met him. 31 The Jews were with Mary in the house, comforting her. When they saw her stand and leave quickly, they followed her, thinking she was going to the tomb to cry there.
32 But Mary went to the place where Jesus was. When she saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
33 When Jesus saw Mary crying and the Jews who came with her also crying, he was upset and was deeply troubled. 34 He asked, “Where did you bury him?”
“Come and see, Lord,” they said.
35 Jesus cried.
36 So the Jews said, “See how much he loved him.”
37 But some of them said, “If Jesus opened the eyes of the blind man, why couldn’t he keep Lazarus from dying?”
Jesus Raises Lazarus
38 Again feeling very upset, Jesus came to the tomb. It was a cave with a large stone covering the entrance. 39 Jesus said, “Move the stone away.”
Martha, the sister of the dead man, said, “But, Lord, it has been four days since he died. There will be a bad smell.”
40 Then Jesus said to her, “Didn’t I tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?”
41 So they moved the stone away from the entrance. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you heard me. 42 I know that you always hear me, but I said these things because of the people here around me. I want them to believe that you sent me.” 43 After Jesus said this, he cried out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with pieces of cloth, and a cloth around his face.
Jesus said to them, “Take the cloth off of him and let him go.”
The Plan to Kill Jesus
45 Many of the people, who had come to visit Mary and saw what Jesus did, believed in him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 Then the leading priests and Pharisees called a meeting of the council. They asked, “What should we do? This man is doing many miracles. 48 If we let him continue doing these things, everyone will believe in him. Then the Romans will come and take away our Temple and our nation.”
49 One of the men there was Caiaphas, the high priest that year. He said, “You people know nothing! 50 You don’t realize that it is better for one man to die for the people than for the whole nation to be destroyed.”
51 Caiaphas did not think of this himself. As high priest that year, he was really prophesying that Jesus would die for their nation 52 and for God’s scattered children to bring them all together and make them one.
53 That day they started planning to kill Jesus. 54 So Jesus no longer traveled openly among the people. He left there and went to a place near the desert, to a town called Ephraim and stayed there with his followers.
55 It was almost time for the Passover Feast. Many from the country went up to Jerusalem before the Passover to do the special things to make themselves pure. 56 The people looked for Jesus and stood in the Temple asking each other, “Is he coming to the Feast? What do you think?” 57 But the leading priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where Jesus was, he must tell them. Then they could arrest him.
Footnotes
- 11:24 resurrection Being raised from the dead to live again.
John 11
Tree of Life Version
Lazarus Is Dead
11 Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Miriam and her sister Martha. 2 This was the same Miriam who anointed the Master with perfume and wiped His feet with her hair. It was her brother Lazarus who was sick. 3 So the sisters sent a word to Yeshua, saying, “Master, the one you love is sick!”
4 When Yeshua heard this, He said, “This sickness will not end in death. It is for God’s glory, so that Ben-Elohim may be glorified through it.” 5 Now Yeshua loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 However, when He heard that Lazarus was sick, He stayed where He was for two more days.
7 Then after this, He said to His disciples, “Let’s go up to Judea again.”
8 “Rabbi,” the disciples say to Him, “just now the Judean leaders were trying to stone You! And You’re going back there again?”
9 Yeshua answered, “Aren’t there twelve hours in the day? If a man walks in the day, he doesn’t stumble, because he sees the light of the world. 10 But if a man should walk around at night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.”
11 After He said this, He tells them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I’m going there to wake him up.”
12 So the disciples said to Him, “Master, if he has fallen asleep, he will get better.” 13 Now Yeshua had spoken about his death, but they thought He was talking about ordinary sleep.
14 Then Yeshua told them clearly, “Lazarus is dead! 15 I’m glad for your sake I wasn’t there, so that you may believe. Anyway, let’s go to him!”
16 Then Thomas called the Twin[a] said to the other disciples, “Let’s go too, so that we may die with Him!”
Comforting the Mourners
17 So when Yeshua arrived, He discovered that Lazarus had been in the tomb already for four days. 18 Bethany was less than two miles[b] from Jerusalem, 19 and many of the Judeans had come to Martha and Miriam to console them about their brother.
20 When Martha heard that Yeshua was coming, she went out to meet Him; but Miriam sat in the house. 21 Martha said to Yeshua, “Master, if You had been here, my brother wouldn’t have died! 22 But I know, even now, that whatever You may ask of God, He will give You.”
23 Yeshua said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
24 Martha said to Him, “I know, he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.”
25 Yeshua said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life! Whoever believes in Me, even if he dies, shall live. 26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
27 She says to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, Ben-Elohim who has come into the world.” 28 After she said this, she left and secretly told her sister Miriam, “The Teacher is here, and He’s calling for you.” 29 As soon as Miriam heard, she quickly got up and was coming to Him. 30 Now Yeshua had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met Him. 31 The Judeans, who were with Miriam in the house and comforting her, seeing how quickly she got up and went out, followed her. They thought she was going to the tomb to weep there.
32 So when Miriam came to where Yeshua was, she saw Him and fell at His feet, saying to Him, “Master, if You had been here, my brother would not have died!”
33 When Yeshua saw her weeping, and the Judeans who came with her weeping, He was deeply troubled in spirit and Himself agitated. 34 “Where have you laid him?” He asked.
“Come and see, Master,” they tell Him.
35 Yeshua wept. 36 So the Judeans said, “See how He loved him!”
37 But some of them said, “Couldn’t this One, who opened the eyes of the blind man, have also kept this man from dying?”
Yeshua’s Word Raises the Dead
38 So Yeshua, again deeply troubled within Himself, comes to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. 39 Yeshua says, “Roll away the stone!”
Martha, the dead man’s sister, said to Him, “Master, by this time he stinks! He’s been dead for four days!”
40 Yeshua says to her, “Didn’t I tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”
41 So they rolled away the stone. Yeshua lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard Me. 42 I knew that You always hear Me; but because of this crowd standing around I said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me.”
43 And when He had said this, He cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 He who had been dead came out, wrapped in burial clothes binding his hands and feet, with a cloth over his face. And Yeshua tells them, “Cut him loose, and let him go!”
Better that One Man Die
45 Therefore many of the Judeans, who had come to Miriam and had seen what Yeshua had done, put their trust in Him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Yeshua had done.
47 So the ruling kohanim and Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. “What are we doing?” they asked. “This Man is performing many signs! 48 If we let Him go on like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our holy place and our nation.”
49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was kohen gadol that year, said to them, “You know nothing! 50 You don’t take into account that it is better for you that one man die for the people rather than for the whole nation to be destroyed.”
51 Now he did not say this by himself; but as the kohen gadol that year, he prophesied that Yeshua would die for the nation. [c] 52 And not for the nation only, but also so that He might gather together into one the scattered children of God.[d]
53 So from that day on, they plotted to kill Him. 54 Therefore Yeshua no longer walked openly among the Judeans, but went from there to the country near the wilderness, to a city called Ephraim. He stayed there with His disciples.
55 Now the Jewish Passover was near; and many people went up out of the regions to Jerusalem before Passover, to purify themselves. 56 So they were searching for Yeshua, saying to one another as they stood in the Temple, “What do you think? Won’t He come to the feast at all?” 57 Now the ruling kohanim and Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where He was, he should report it so that they might arrest Him.
Footnotes
- John 11:16 Grk. Didymus.
- John 11:18 Lit. 15 stadia; 1 stadion is about 607 feet or 187 meters.
- John 11:52 cf. Is. 53:8.
- John 11:52 cf. Is. 11:10-11; 56:6-7; Jer. 3:17; Mic. 2:12-13.
Disciples' Literal New Testament: Serving Modern Disciples by More Fully Reflecting the Writing Style of the Ancient Disciples, Copyright © 2011 Michael J. Magill. All Rights Reserved. Published by Reyma Publishing
The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.